Lower control arm bushings?

[kdin]

Hello everyone!

First time posting here. I'm hoping to get some insight from people that might know better than me.

I took my 2012 Yaris in yesterday to have it checked because I've been noticing a low-pitched, creaking/settling noise when I go over any bumps, make sharp turns, etc. I went to a Toyota dealer and they told me that the bushings in my 2 front lower control arms are wearing out (early stages) and will need to be replaced.

Even though the only problem is the bushings themselves, they told me that the bushings and the arms are one unit, so the whole arms have to be replaced. The total quote for parts, labor, tax, and re-alignment is nearly $1,300.

Does this seem right? I'm hesitant to take my car to a non-dealer mechanic, but the idea of paying that much is making my stomach turn.

I'm also curious as to how this could be happening so soon when my car is not that old (2012 / about 59k miles) and I've been very careful about maintaining it since I bought it in 2013 (at 30k miles). It seems odd that these would be wearing out so soon.