Brake Pad Wear

[notch8]

So I was getting a squeak out of my left front wheel when I was driving around, so I took it to my mechanic and he found this...All 4 looked like this and the rotors were toasted too, $700 worth of brake parts had to be changed out.

 

[Sepiroth]

IMHO, brakes are a walk in the park. Especially when you're getting brand new parts. I mean my God you're just R&Ring parts.

I guess what I am ranting about is the 700 dollar price tag. That is just insane.

If you were to buy a decent mechanic's tool set, front and rear rotors, front and rear pads, and installed the parts yourself, you'd still come out ahead, even if you dont know how to do it. Learning R&R is a cinch.

I hate seeing people being taken advantage of.

 

[boostaholic]

Bummer. I just ordered powerslots and they're less than that...but I have to install them.

 

[matt14]

What is in the second pic? $700 for parts and labor to repalce front and rear is actually pretty good. Did they repalce the rotors or just machine? If they replace rotors, then IMO, thats a good deal.

 

[Sepiroth]

Being an auto tech for over 15 years, 700 for a brake job, parts and labor, is just plain raping somebody.

 

[metro273]

^^^Yes it is but there ARE some people that will pay! That's why us techs have a job!...:thumbsup:

 

[Sepiroth]

No see, it's techs like that that give legitimate techs a bad rep.

 

[notch8]

Second pick is a top down look at the pad to show how worn it was.

New pads and rotors

but I also am not paying the full 700, one of the reasons this had to be done is back in October, the city took our street down to the dirt, then they put in limestone, and it promptly rained.

Then the mud mixed with the limestone, and created a concrete type deal. So for 3 months our street was a mix of concrete, snow, and mud. 4x4 only basically to get through it.

The quickrete type mix screwed up everybodies trucks and cars, and the city offered to pay repairs after there screw up made the papers. I got the under body power washed and I had the most mud of any customer the guy had ever seen.

I like my mechanic he does excellent work and hes been in the business for 40 years.

Heres what he was chiseling off my brakes. Concrete lol.

 

[Ojustracing]

Being an auto tech for over 15 years, 700 for a brake job, parts and labor, is just plain raping somebody.

Im not trying to get in a pissing match on this one. I too have been a auto tech/manager going on 23+ yrs. Can you explain why 700 dollars is just plain raping someone?:umn: I went in and priced out what it would be for middle of the road brake job parts 3.0 hrs($223), pads $60 each, rotors front $54 each, rear $58 each. My total comes to $612 with tax. If I run premium parts I can easliy go above $700 bucks.

I have noticed over the last 3 yrs brake job prices have been really creaping up to where 300-400 and axle is a day to day occurnace. example $75 each rotor, $150, pads $75 and $111(1.5hr) labor. =336 plus tax total $363. Now there are times where stuff will be less or more. But you get the point.

I just went in and Priced it out using gm/dealer parts. Going by what I have on alldata in front of me. Using book time to the letter. JFYI its now 4.7 hrs($350). $1126 in parts + tax total 1594.88. Now we talking about sticking it to someone. :shhh::yar:. I can betch a dealer has done this a time or two. Im a small independant shop that been around 45+ yrs.
I chose a 02 chevy tahoe 4wd.

John Oliver

 

[Sepiroth]

W/O starting a pissing match, you've started one, lol.

I'm sorry, I still stand by my statements.

 

[matt14]

I to am a tech and have been for 7years. I work at a dealership for volvo. ojustracing is right, that seems to be the going rate for doing a brake job. You have to remember, that were you live also depends on the price of a brake job. Here in the bay area, the cost of living is a lot higher im sure that indiana, so therefore everthing else is higher including auto repairs.It doesnt make you a "legitimate" tech just you charge less than someone else. And its not the tech that is charging the customer, its the shop that charges the customer.

 

[mo0n]

Im not trying to get in a pissing match on this one. I too have been a auto tech/manager going on 23+ yrs. Can you explain why 700 dollars is just plain raping someone?:umn: I went in and priced out what it would be for middle of the road brake job parts 3.0 hrs($223), pads $60 each, rotors front $54 each, rear $58 each. My total comes to $612 with tax. If I run premium parts I can easliy go above $700 bucks.

I have noticed over the last 3 yrs brake job prices have been really creaping up to where 300-400 and axle is a day to day occurnace. example $75 each rotor, $150, pads $75 and $111(1.5hr) labor. =336 plus tax total $363. Now there are times where stuff will be less or more. But you get the point.

I just went in and Priced it out using gm/dealer parts. Going by what I have on alldata in front of me. Using book time to the letter. JFYI its now 4.7 hrs($350). $1126 in parts + tax total 1594.88. Now we talking about sticking it to someone. :shhh::yar:. I can betch a dealer has done this a time or two. Im a small independant shop that been around 45+ yrs.
I chose a 02 chevy tahoe 4wd.

John Oliver

I am a 20yr Master Tech and going price lately for a Basic brake job here with just turning rotors/replace pads is $215 now if you go to a Pep Boys or NTB they usually do brakes much cheaper but u get what u pay for as in they usually use cheapo brake pads and parts and you get no warranty for squeeks:mad3: or dust :hlp:

 

[667theneighbour]

Stop bitching!!! A new set of GM discs cost $1100+ for my old 2000 Hoe 3 years ago. Luckily the seller paid. 3 hours labour cost appx $380-$400.

If you don't want to pay for the job it's easy to replace these parts yourself. The screws to open the brake shoe may be a pain, but since you're replacing the discs also you don't have to open the shoe. Just replace the pads when you've removed the shoe from the bracet.

And I recommend using non-stock discs. The stock discs are prone to rust. I now run Cragar slotted and drilled cryo treated discs.

 

[Sepiroth]

X2

 

[Timcan]

Cost seems to be relative. $700, at first flush, seem high to me. I don't live in a major metropolitan area where costs are generally higher. I am also a diy kinda guy and have found brakes are generally fairly easy (straight forward) sort of job, especially if all the parts are being replaced. Dealer prices for parts are usually higher and sometimes there shop rates are close to the independents and sometimes quite abit higher. I've found some internet sites that sell original equipment and greatly reduced prices compared to the dealers and local auto parts houses. If you can wait a couple of days it is a good deal. For instance, the gas support lift supports for the Yukon's back hatch would no longer do the job. I didn't check the dealer but the local parts houses all wanted $38-$40 each for them but didn't have them in stock and it would take 2 or 3 days for them to come in. I found them online, same part number as on the originals for $42 delivered and they arrive in 3 days. Better yet, they told me in a return email that the manufacturer had recently determined that the internal forces should be increased by about 10 or 15 lbs each and so unless I wanted the lower pressure, they would send the higher pressure supports as recommended by the factory.
To save 1/2 to 1/3 on parts makes it even easier for me to spend some time working on my truck and knowing what work was done, what parts were replaced, that the work was done right and knowing how everything about those parts and that system work.
Sometimes time is worth more than the money and sometimes it is the other way around. That is why I also have a trusted shop that I maintain good relations with.
Timcan