Brake work estimate

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tamudude
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Brake work estimate

Post by tamudude »

Got an estimate from my neighborhood independent shop for brake job on the rear for my 2011 Ford Explorer. It has 67k miles on it and still has the original OEM brakes. Here is the quote I received:
Rear Brake Pads $97.95
Parts Cleaner $6.99
Rear Rotors (qty 2) $210.98
Labor $178.50
Supplies $17.30
Tax $27.49

Grand total: $539.21

Does this sound reasonable or is it over the top? I have been going to this shop for a while and they do a good job even though pricier when compared to competition (I have never had to go back for any issues though). It has been a while since I had a brake job so trying to get a sense of what is considered the going rate.

Note: I am not inclined to do this myself so DIY is out of the question.
Last edited by tamudude on Tue May 15, 2018 7:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
dknightd
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by dknightd »

sounds fair. You might ask them if the rotors can be reused (that would also likely cut down on the labor charge).
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LadyGeek
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by LadyGeek »

This thread is now in the Personal Consumer Issues forum (brakes).
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Grt2bOutdoors
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by Grt2bOutdoors »

Are they using OEM parts?

https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/for ... +kit,13824

You can see there is a range of prices for pads and rotors for rear wheels of 2011 Ford Explorer, but those are not OEM parts, even the OE quality parts cost less than you are being quoted. The labor charge seems reasonable, most of the work will be in taking the rotors off and on, the pads should not take long to do, but they could be making it up in the cost of parts (maybe). You should ask who the manufacturer of parts is.
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cockersx3
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by cockersx3 »

Sounds about right for a shop. I got quoted $300 from a dealer (during an annual inspection) for just my car's brakes, no rotors. Never actually went that long on OEM brakes (especially not in a big heavy car like that), so not surprised that you need rotors as well.

If you did it yourself (or find a friend/neighbor that could teach you how to do it) you could knock that down by at least 50%. It's really not that hard - I'm not much of a car guy, but generally do simple stuff like this on my own to save money.
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bottlecap
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by bottlecap »

Seems fair if you actually need new rotors.

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aude
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by aude »

Agree with advice above.
ryanhan
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by ryanhan »

Price sounds about right.

FYI. Replacing pads and rotors is actually a fairly easy DIY task even for someone who's not particularly handy.
Sasquatch
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by Sasquatch »

Do some comparison shopping on the cost of the rotors. Call a NAPA or Autozone or similar.
MrJones
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by MrJones »

cockersx3 wrote: Tue May 15, 2018 8:10 pm If you did it yourself (or find a friend/neighbor that could teach you how to do it) you could knock that down by at least 50%. It's really not that hard - I'm not much of a car guy, but generally do simple stuff like this on my own to save money.
Or even more because the parts are much cheaper if you can pick them.
sschoe2
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by sschoe2 »

I generally only do rotors every other pad change unless you let the pads go until the metal was scraping. I swapped out pads on my car for $30. I think the estimate is a bit high and rotors on the rear at 67k miles are not likely needed.
FeesR-BullNotBullish
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by FeesR-BullNotBullish »

ryanhan wrote: Tue May 15, 2018 9:01 pm Price sounds about right.

FYI. Replacing pads and rotors is actually a fairly easy DIY task even for someone who's not particularly handy.
Haha be careful with this. Being handy is different from being mechanically inclined. I budgeted four hours for my first brake job. I wound up screwing around for 12 hours with it, from 4 pm to 4 am. It was 12 or so years ago so the details are hazy but went something like this: I had to drive two or three times to the 24 hour Autozone 30 minutes away because I didn't know what I was doing. One of the assemblies had a "core" that I left at the parts store when I bought my new part. Unfortunately I gave them more than the core and didn't get enough new parts to put everything together. I hesitated and questioned everything. Will I damage the car by torquing this wrench so hard to remove a bolt? How can I be 100% sure I bled all the air out of the brake line? Did I tighten everything up enough putting it back together?

I'm sure YouTube vids make this an easier process today, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you're mechanically inclined. For what it's worth, the car did stop when all was said and done, and I got my next set of pads free thanks to lifetime warranty.
Millennial
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by Millennial »

Are these disc brakes? If so 2 hours labor is too much for a shop. I would also ask what brand they are using and compare parts process, but those (esp rotors) seem quite expensive too. In my experience, several aftermarket parts makers offer brake parts for significantly less than OEM at real or better performance.

Overall, I don't think this is the worst price in the world, but I think you could do better with a little comparison shopping. If this mechanic is otherwise great, I would probably be tempted to pay it to maintain the relationship.
tibbitts
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by tibbitts »

FeesR-BullNotBullish wrote: Tue May 15, 2018 9:42 pm
ryanhan wrote: Tue May 15, 2018 9:01 pm Price sounds about right.

FYI. Replacing pads and rotors is actually a fairly easy DIY task even for someone who's not particularly handy.
Haha be careful with this. Being handy is different from being mechanically inclined. I budgeted four hours for my first brake job. I wound up screwing around for 12 hours with it, from 4 pm to 4 am. It was 12 or so years ago so the details are hazy but went something like this: I had to drive two or three times to the 24 hour Autozone 30 minutes away because I didn't know what I was doing. One of the assemblies had a "core" that I left at the parts store when I bought my new part. Unfortunately I gave them more than the core and didn't get enough new parts to put everything together. I hesitated and questioned everything. Will I damage the car by torquing this wrench so hard to remove a bolt? How can I be 100% sure I bled all the air out of the brake line? Did I tighten everything up enough putting it back together?

I'm sure YouTube vids make this an easier process today, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you're mechanically inclined. For what it's worth, the car did stop when all was said and done, and I got my next set of pads free thanks to lifetime warranty.
Bogleheads have horrible judgement when recommending d-i-y tasks. Half the people here have apparently replaced their own roof, repaved their own driveway, and rebuilt the engine and transmission in their car - all before lunch on a Saturday.

Also people don't understand that most shops quote labor using a flat rate and if it says the brakes take two hours and they can do them faster than a nascar pit stop for fuel and tires, you still pay for two hours. And you pay a high retail price for parts not because the shop has to retrieve them or because they don't shop for low prices, but because that's what the shop wants to charge and build into its business model. It doesn't matter if you can find parts for 90% less, you're going to pay what the shop wants you to.
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jabberwockOG
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by jabberwockOG »

Single axle pads, rotors and labor for $540 is fairly steep considering it is a domestic non exotic/high end car. $380-400 would be a more reasonable estimate. Brake jobs are super easy for a shop to do so, I'd call around and get another 2-3 estimates then call the original guy back and ask him to match the better estimate. Most shops will lower their initial price at least a little if you ask them to earn your business by matching a legitimate lower estimate.

I do my own brakes and it is generally simple unless there is an exception situation. Note I do not live in rust /salt belt region - where brakes can be MUCH tougher to deal with. It is an easy job for a diy to do assuming they have the tools, skill set and experience and muscle to deal with the caliper and rotor removal and then the heavy labor in dismount and remount of some heavy SUV wheels/tires.
sschoe2
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by sschoe2 »

The only complication would be if you did replace the rotors on the rear which means it has rear disc brakes the rotor is also a drum for the hand brake so you will have to mess with that as well. However, on most vehicles I've seen the rears wear a lot more slowly than fronts so I doubt it is necessary. Just replace the pads and some of the hardware and clean and grease. Some repair places always want to do the rotors.
Doug E. Dee
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by Doug E. Dee »

You're doing rear only? Usually, the front wears quicker than the rear.
alfaspider
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by alfaspider »

tibbitts wrote: Tue May 15, 2018 10:00 pm
FeesR-BullNotBullish wrote: Tue May 15, 2018 9:42 pm
ryanhan wrote: Tue May 15, 2018 9:01 pm Price sounds about right.

FYI. Replacing pads and rotors is actually a fairly easy DIY task even for someone who's not particularly handy.
Haha be careful with this. Being handy is different from being mechanically inclined. I budgeted four hours for my first brake job. I wound up screwing around for 12 hours with it, from 4 pm to 4 am. It was 12 or so years ago so the details are hazy but went something like this: I had to drive two or three times to the 24 hour Autozone 30 minutes away because I didn't know what I was doing. One of the assemblies had a "core" that I left at the parts store when I bought my new part. Unfortunately I gave them more than the core and didn't get enough new parts to put everything together. I hesitated and questioned everything. Will I damage the car by torquing this wrench so hard to remove a bolt? How can I be 100% sure I bled all the air out of the brake line? Did I tighten everything up enough putting it back together?

I'm sure YouTube vids make this an easier process today, but I wouldn't recommend it unless you're mechanically inclined. For what it's worth, the car did stop when all was said and done, and I got my next set of pads free thanks to lifetime warranty.
Bogleheads have horrible judgement when recommending d-i-y tasks. Half the people here have apparently replaced their own roof, repaved their own driveway, and rebuilt the engine and transmission in their car - all before lunch on a Saturday.

Also people don't understand that most shops quote labor using a flat rate and if it says the brakes take two hours and they can do them faster than a nascar pit stop for fuel and tires, you still pay for two hours. And you pay a high retail price for parts not because the shop has to retrieve them or because they don't shop for low prices, but because that's what the shop wants to charge and build into its business model. It doesn't matter if you can find parts for 90% less, you're going to pay what the shop wants you to.
Seriously though, disc brakes aren't that hard. Most of the back and forth to the store could in the thread above have been avoided by watching a youtube video or reading a DIY thread in advance. I would expect a newbie with some basic prep to be able to do it in 4-5 hours.

That being said, the cost quoted is fairly reasonable and I wouldn't necessarily recommend DIY for the OP. You might save $250 with a DIY, but not if you have to buy all of the tools needed (jack, socket set, jack stands, torque wrench, appropriate size wrench for brake lines). May make sense if you are going to look into more DIY maintenance jobs, but it doesn't make much sense as a one-off. DIY for brake jobs makes a lot more sense for brands like BMW where you pay through the nose for basic maintenance.
nanosour
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by nanosour »

I recently bought pads and rotors for all 4 tires on Amazon for $145 (2006 Sienna).



Found a mechanic on craigslist that did the work for $50. New pads and rotors on all 4 wheels for $195. Search "Brakes" in your local craigslist and you'll be surprised at the money you can save. Why pay for all that overhead when there are plenty of mechanics operating without all the corporate profit built in to the price the consumer has to pay.

Call around and ask for their hourly rate, then let them know you purchased the parts thinking you were going to DIY, but decided it was more than you could chew. Brakes take about an hour and half at the most for a mechanic who knows what their doing. I saw a guy on youtube do a wheel in under 10 minutes.
Glockenspiel
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by Glockenspiel »

I would estimate that to be more in line with a quote for all four tires. It seems most mechanics default to replacing the rotors when replacing the pads, but at 67k miles, its not very likely that the rotors need to be replaced yet. Ask them what their hourly labor rate is, and ask if you can provide the rotors and pads. Then shop around at NAPA, Autozone, O'Reilly's etc. They're all helpful in getting you the correct parts.
Luke Duke
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by Luke Duke »

The last brake job that I did on my Highlander cost me $66.65 plus about $0.05 worth of grease and some paper towels.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00INCDMWU/

It looks like your Explorer could be done for $2 more.
http://www.amazon.com/Max-Brakes-Cerami ... -KT090242/
trirod
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by trirod »

I would be surprised if you needed new rear rotors at only 67k miles. The rears see a lot less wear than the fronts and usually last a whole lot longer. I would check with the mechanic if the rotors really need doing or if he's just doing them "while he's in there"
ponyboy
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by ponyboy »

Have you tried pricing out what rear rotors cost? Im seeing $59 for one rear rotor at advance auto...

$118 total minus 20% coupon...so around $100 after tax.

$60 for pads minus 20% coupon...so around $50 after tax.

$150 in parts...not sure what supplies means...guess they charge to use tools...which consists of a $40 jack and some cheapo sockets. Parts cleaner is a bogus charge...no need.

You're paying around $150 in parts and $350ish for labor. But thats what you pay when you get someone else to work on your vehicle. Theres no way around it. Sadly it seems reasonable with the parts markup and the other random charges.

I have 150,000 miles on my 2009 corolla and my back brakes never needed touched. Not sure if thats because mine is front wheel drive...just throwing that out there. Seems like low mileage for rotors.
Last edited by ponyboy on Wed May 16, 2018 12:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
audioaxes
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by audioaxes »

atleast around here that is a bit on the high side but I wouldnt call it rip off price. Have you checked your local mail ads? There's always someone offering a brake service special.
cusetownusa
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by cusetownusa »

ponyboy wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 11:47 am

I have 150,000 miles on my 2009 corolla and my back brakes never needed touched. Not sure if thats because mine is front wheel drive...just throwing that out there. Seems like low mileage for rotors.
I am assuming you don't you live in a climate that salts the roads all winter? I believe snow and salt can greatly shorten the lifespan of rotors. I don't know where OP lives so not sure if this is the reason but where I live its an issue.
N10sive
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by N10sive »

I would also question the need for new rear pads and rear rotors. Typically last twice as long as your front under "normal" circumstances.
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by NHRATA01 »

ryanhan wrote: Tue May 15, 2018 9:01 pm Price sounds about right.

FYI. Replacing pads and rotors is actually a fairly easy DIY task even for someone who's not particularly handy.
No, no it's really not. Its an easy DIY for someone who understands cars and how the braking system works, and dabbles in basic mechanical repairs. Someone who simply has a couple screw drivers and maybe knows how to change a tire isn't necessarily going to do a brake job right.

Nuances of doing pads and rotors CORRECTLY:
- Proper torque for the caliper bolts
- Proper torque for caliper bracket bolts, and in the case of a number of newer cars these are now Torque To Yield bolts (TTY) necessitating both a torque to angle torque wrench and brand new bolts purchased in advanced of the work
- C-clap used drive the piston back into the caliper
- Pulling out the guide pins and recoating them with high temperature lube
- Proper bleeding of the brake lines using brand new fluid from a never opened container, and removing old from the reservoir first


OP, personally I think the price is probably reasonable at today's rates. You could maybe do ~$100 better shopping around, but many have done worse.
NHRATA01
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by NHRATA01 »

N10sive wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 2:31 pm I would also question the need for new rear pads and rear rotors. Typically last twice as long as your front under "normal" circumstances.
That's not always true. A lot of modern cars will bias the rears under light braking to help promote even wear, which in a car that seldom sees firm braking may have the rears actually wear quicker.
N10sive
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by N10sive »

NHRATA01 wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 3:18 pm
N10sive wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 2:31 pm I would also question the need for new rear pads and rear rotors. Typically last twice as long as your front under "normal" circumstances.
That's not always true. A lot of modern cars will bias the rears under light braking to help promote even wear, which in a car that seldom sees firm braking may have the rears actually wear quicker.
Seems like ford explorers tend to wear out rear brakes before the fronts after a quick google search.
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batpot
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by batpot »

Seems high.
If they didn't even mention "turning the rotors" you probably don't need new ones.
Take it to a place that will at least evaluate that first.

Just a few weeks ago I got new pads and rotors done on a 2010 Rav4 in a HCOL area for $320 with tax. Pretty sure you can do better than that estimate.
Well worth what would've taken me a weekend.
This same shop called us after dropping off my wife's civic to tell us they were fine, after the dealer told her she needed new fronts and rears.
Jack FFR1846
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

It's not a bad price. Cheapest I found for a full brake "kit" at Rockauto was about $170 plus shipping, so figure $250 all in. Equal labor cost.....yah, that is about right. Of course, you'd have to feel confident to do this yourself. https://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/for ... +kit,13824

Replacing just the pads isn't out of the question. Depends if the rotors are still ok. Getting the caliper brackets out CAN pose problems. I just did our 04 Outback rears and they were sort of a pain getting out. Having the right tools (and a variety of tools) is very helpful.
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cockersx3
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by cockersx3 »

NHRATA01 wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 3:16 pm
ryanhan wrote: Tue May 15, 2018 9:01 pm Price sounds about right.

FYI. Replacing pads and rotors is actually a fairly easy DIY task even for someone who's not particularly handy.
No, no it's really not. Its an easy DIY for someone who understands cars and how the braking system works, and dabbles in basic mechanical repairs. Someone who simply has a couple screw drivers and maybe knows how to change a tire isn't necessarily going to do a brake job right.

Nuances of doing pads and rotors CORRECTLY:
- Proper torque for the caliper bolts
- Proper torque for caliper bracket bolts, and in the case of a number of newer cars these are now Torque To Yield bolts (TTY) necessitating both a torque to angle torque wrench and brand new bolts purchased in advanced of the work
- C-clap used drive the piston back into the caliper
- Pulling out the guide pins and recoating them with high temperature lube
- Proper bleeding of the brake lines using brand new fluid from a never opened container, and removing old from the reservoir first


OP, personally I think the price is probably reasonable at today's rates. You could maybe do ~$100 better shopping around, but many have done worse.
I **somewhat** agree with this. Changing brakes / rotors is one of the most basic car maintenance tasks out there - ranks right up there with changing oil and belts. Brake systems are actually quite easy to understand and (at least around the actual pads / rotors) there's not that many moving parts. Hardest thing about it for me has been just getting the darn rotors off the wheel hub, 'cuz they are usually seized in from road salt / dirt. (But I have Toyotas now which have a design that makes removing rotors very easy - so not much of a problem for me anymore.)

I'm not much of a "car guy," but even I do this on my own cars to save money. Outside of brakes, oil changes, belts, etc, I usually defer my maintenance to a mechanic unless it's something on which I am 100% confident that I know what the problem is and how to fix. For example, if I see a leak in a radiator hose, or if my door lock no longer works on a door, etc - ie I know what's broken and feel confident that I can EASILY fix - I'll just do it. But strange noises in the engine, etc? I'm calling an expert. I figure that doing the basics like this addresses about 80%ish of the money savings I'd get from going full DIY. Saving the additional 20% by going full-gearhead isn't worth it to me. Some people enjoy this and are willing to learn more, but not me.

That said, the key thing is that someone actually showed me how to do the brakes / oil changes on an actual car when I was younger. That gave me the confidence to be able to tackle these types of things on my own. Not sure if I would have that same confidence after watching a video on YouTube :shock: The items mentioned in this posts are all important to be sure, but this is something one can get after being shown how to do it or (better yet) doing it while someone more experience watches you.

So for you BH'ers that do this yourself, make sure to "pay it forward" and show your kids how to do this stuff. I do this now, and I'm pretty sure that my tweenagers are the only girls at school that have done their own brake jobs. (One is especially interested in this type of mechanical stuff, which is encouraging to see.) If you don't know how to do it and want to learn, try to find someone to show you. Seriously, if a friend of neighbor wanted to learn from me, I'd be more than happy to come over and assist - especially if said neighbor threw in some food and beer with the deal 8-)
ddurrett896
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by ddurrett896 »

NHRATA01 wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 3:16 pm - Proper bleeding of the brake lines using brand new fluid from a never opened container, and removing old from the reservoir first
I think most cars don’t require this because the caliper/brake line stay together.

On my Toyota, the hardest part of swapping the brake pad was taking the wheels off. The rotors would have been an extra (2) 17mm bolts.
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tamudude
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by tamudude »

All,
Thanks a bunch for the advice.
Answers to a few qs in the thread:
I live in a southern state so no salt.
The front pads are fine per the shop.
I prefer going to a shop rather than craigslist :)

I called the shop and spoke to the owner. He reviewed the paperwork and agreed that the rotors do not need to be replaced. He offered to do the brake job (pads only) for $275. I plan to take him up on that.
Appreciate all the wisdom!!
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cockersx3
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by cockersx3 »

ddurrett896 wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 8:01 pm
NHRATA01 wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 3:16 pm - Proper bleeding of the brake lines using brand new fluid from a never opened container, and removing old from the reservoir first
I think most cars don’t require this because the caliper/brake line stay together.

On my Toyota, the hardest part of swapping the brake pad was taking the wheels off. The rotors would have been an extra (2) 17mm bolts.
Isn't that an awesome design feature? Makes taking off the rotors a piece of cake! Never saw that design until I had a Toyota, assuming it's just them that do this. Very smart move :D
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ClevrChico
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by ClevrChico »

Most mechanics would not be in business without parts markup. That's legit.

Congrats on getting the price down by keeping the rotors. :-)
FireSekr
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by FireSekr »

tamudude wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 8:09 pm All,
Thanks a bunch for the advice.
Answers to a few qs in the thread:
I live in a southern state so no salt.
The front pads are fine per the shop.
I prefer going to a shop rather than craigslist :)

I called the shop and spoke to the owner. He reviewed the paperwork and agreed that the rotors do not need to be replaced. He offered to do the brake job (pads only) for $275. I plan to take him up on that.
Appreciate all the wisdom!!
Have you gotten a quote from the ford dealer? This is a complete rip off.

BMW charges $198 for rear brake pads and sensors on a 3 series and $208 on an x3. Your paying $75 more for a ford at an independent mechanic?
denovo
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by denovo »

tamudude wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 8:09 pm All,
Thanks a bunch for the advice.
Answers to a few qs in the thread:
I live in a southern state so no salt.
The front pads are fine per the shop.
I prefer going to a shop rather than craigslist :)

I called the shop and spoke to the owner. He reviewed the paperwork and agreed that the rotors do not need to be replaced. He offered to do the brake job (pads only) for $275. I plan to take him up on that.
Appreciate all the wisdom!!
Hi TamuDude,

In my opinion, the first most important thing when dealing with automobile mechanics or any other service professionals is honesty and integrity. For a mechanic, that means they tell me what really needs to be fixed and not to pad on extra unnecessary services. A lot of dealer mechanics are guilty of this.

I know enough about cars to know that if you replace pads on time there is usually no need to change the rotors the first time you replace the pads. Resurfacing is sufficient. I would be very troubled about the mechanics who are working here (if it wasn't the owner) since they made such a questionable recommendation.
"Don't trust everything you read on the Internet"- Abraham Lincoln
Atilla
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by Atilla »

The cost quoted on just pads isn't horrible - go ahead and let them do the work.

I just did 4 rotors and pads myself on an Infiniti and the job took 4 hours including going to the store for brake cleaner and test drive afterward. Disc brakes are really easy to replace. Total cost was under $600.00 and 4 hours of my time.
Jack FFR1846
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Re: Brake work estimate

Post by Jack FFR1846 »

ssquared87 wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 10:25 pm
BMW charges $198 for rear brake pads and sensors on a 3 series and $208 on an x3. Your paying $75 more for a ford at an independent mechanic?
Now, I haven't done brakes on a new 3 series, but have on an 80's 3 series and 90 M3. The pads can be changed without even removing the calipers. 2 pins to drive out, pull the pads, compress the pistons (can be done using the pads as leverage), then push in new pads. Ignoring wheel removal/replacement, this is 5 minutes per side. Most cars require at least the caliper to be removed from the caliper bracket....or in some designs, the caliper/bracket to be removed as a unit. Corrosion and access of those rear bolts can become a big problem.

Back in the day, I used CTC to buy parts and those pads you talk about would have been $36 for OEM BMW ones.
Bogle: Smart Beta is stupid
N10sive
Posts: 746
Joined: Thu May 05, 2016 6:22 pm

Re: Brake work estimate

Post by N10sive »

Jack FFR1846 wrote: Thu May 17, 2018 7:45 am
ssquared87 wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 10:25 pm
BMW charges $198 for rear brake pads and sensors on a 3 series and $208 on an x3. Your paying $75 more for a ford at an independent mechanic?
Now, I haven't done brakes on a new 3 series, but have on an 80's 3 series and 90 M3. The pads can be changed without even removing the calipers. 2 pins to drive out, pull the pads, compress the pistons (can be done using the pads as leverage), then push in new pads. Ignoring wheel removal/replacement, this is 5 minutes per side. Most cars require at least the caliper to be removed from the caliper bracket....or in some designs, the caliper/bracket to be removed as a unit. Corrosion and access of those rear bolts can become a big problem.

Back in the day, I used CTC to buy parts and those pads you talk about would have been $36 for OEM BMW ones.
275 does sound a bit steep. My sister just had her rav 4 fronts done for 175. That might include tax though and really depends on the price of pads(edit: charging 100 bucks for the pads so it doesn't sound unreasonable). The interesting charges in the first part are parts cleaner for $6.99 and supplies for $17.30. That is a 50% markup (of retail) for a bottle of brake parts cleaner that they will use 4-5 sprays. Wonder what the supplies are? Anti-sieze and grease?

I am glad there is DIY mechanic shop in my city. Rents lifts for $40 dollars an hour with a lot of tools. I did a oil change and front brake job in less than 45 min including having to redo one brake side because I put the clips in wrong(first time working on this car). Total cost was $115 parts and rental plus my hour of time.
FireSekr
Posts: 1388
Joined: Tue Apr 02, 2013 9:54 am

Re: Brake work estimate

Post by FireSekr »

Jack FFR1846 wrote: Thu May 17, 2018 7:45 am
ssquared87 wrote: Wed May 16, 2018 10:25 pm
BMW charges $198 for rear brake pads and sensors on a 3 series and $208 on an x3. Your paying $75 more for a ford at an independent mechanic?
Now, I haven't done brakes on a new 3 series, but have on an 80's 3 series and 90 M3. The pads can be changed without even removing the calipers. 2 pins to drive out, pull the pads, compress the pistons (can be done using the pads as leverage), then push in new pads. Ignoring wheel removal/replacement, this is 5 minutes per side. Most cars require at least the caliper to be removed from the caliper bracket....or in some designs, the caliper/bracket to be removed as a unit. Corrosion and access of those rear bolts can become a big problem.

Back in the day, I used CTC to buy parts and those pads you talk about would have been $36 for OEM BMW ones.
Its been about 2 years since I did the pads on my E90, but if I remember correctly the process was pretty much exactly what you describe. I don't think I had to remove the calipers at all. I bought the pads from BMW directly and paid around $100 for pads and wear sensors. probably could have gotten the pads cheaper online.

I'm going to be doing my E36 M3 soon and hope its just as easy.
bulkdataman
Posts: 11
Joined: Sun Mar 19, 2017 3:25 pm

Re: Brake work estimate

Post by bulkdataman »

A quick lookup on Rock Auto:

Pads only

Economy $14 - $21
Daily Driver $15 $30
Heavy duty - towing $22 - $33

Rotors

Economy $17 to $ 29
Daily Driver $20 to $ 29
Heavy duty - towing $33 to $48
Premium $34 to $71

Rear Kit pads and rotors both sides

Economy $50
Daily Driver $84 to $200
OE Quality $155

If you were going to sell the vehicle, then the Economy kit would make sense. But you are keeping the vehicle.
My advice: Ceramic pads and OEM equivalent rotors. I like Akebono as my first choice for pads.

Going cheap usually means sooner replacement. If you get the lifetime warranty on the pads is the replacement labor included?
Bottom end rotors have a higher tendency to sing, front rotors more than back rotors, but also wear faster
and have looser machining and material tolerances. Ask about a rotor warranty and what is NOT covered.

Ask the shop the exact brand and part number they are going to use. Are they buying economy and selling you at Heavy Duty?
There is going to be a part markup. Assuming %100 then it looks like you are getting good rotors and pads.

I also suspect your year of Explorer uses a mechanism in the rear caliper to clamp the pads to the rotor for the
parking brake. This means the piston has to be rotated back into the caliper for the new pads to fit. The
DIY will need to buy the universal tool or the mechanics set. I have the mechanics set.
wrongfunds
Posts: 3187
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2010 2:55 pm

Re: Brake work estimate

Post by wrongfunds »

Would you go to carforum to ask advice about investing? why not?

If you want to replace Explorer brakes, I bet there are better forums than this one.
NHRATA01
Posts: 654
Joined: Sat Oct 22, 2011 1:57 pm
Location: New York City area

Re: Brake work estimate

Post by NHRATA01 »

wrongfunds wrote: Thu May 17, 2018 4:36 pm Would you go to carforum to ask advice about investing? why not?

If you want to replace Explorer brakes, I bet there are better forums than this one.
Some of us who post on investing forums are knowledgeable enough to provide useful automotive advice.

Likewise some of us who also post on automotive forums are knowledgeable enough to provide useful investing advice. I have turned a few car guys onto the bogleheads forum that way.
wrongfunds
Posts: 3187
Joined: Tue Dec 21, 2010 2:55 pm

Re: Brake work estimate

Post by wrongfunds »

Exactly, point them to the appropriate Explorer forum.
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