1996 Ford Ranger 4 cylender. ?

My truck, a 1996 Ford Ranger XL auto, p/s, p/b w/air needs a new thermostat & the repair shop told me it takes 4 hours to put a thermostat in because its location is on the bottom & behind the bottom radiator hose. since the serpentin belt also needs replaced, I told them to go ahead. My question is, has anyone ever heard of a thermostat being on the bottom? & are they being honest? I’ve checked on a diagram of my little 4 on the enternert & it shows it to be on the top. The mechanic is a reputable one here in Tulsa. Total cost will be approx. $450.00 Yea, thats steep!

Yes, if it is on the bottom it can be a pain, but not that hard of a job to do. Yes $450 is steep for a job that takes an hour to do including changing the belt.

Ford Escort & Ford Orion Service Repair Manual ( repairbooks.co.uk )