[CADreamin]

I know the Ford dealer around here charged me $215 to replace one tie rod end. That's for parts and labor. Yes it seemed a little high at the time but I was going out of town with the car the next day.

So...$500 to $600 doesn't sound like a complete rip-off, but may be somewhat high. I've never had the best of experiences with Sears. You could probably have it done cheaper by an equally competent mechanic somewhere else.