Auto Store people told me my car needs $780 worth of repairs...

[MeanMeosh]

ok, to begin, my car is a 95 mazda mx-6 ls with 149k miles on it.

i took it in to the local tire and automotive center cause there was this screeching noise being made by the rear wheels. i knew it was to do with the brake because the screeching noise would commence when i used the brakes. i wasnt too concerned with the costs cause the last time i brought it in (about a month ago), they told me that the brake pads were worn out on both the front and the back and this would cost around $275 to fix, including parts and labor.

today, the same place told me that the rear brakes had worn out unevenly, and that's what was causing the sounds. and that the front ones were gonna do the same. quote he gave me was: front brake overhaul: parts $240.00, labor $90.00; rear brake overhaul (rear disc brakes): parts $360.00, labor $90.00. total was $780. is this a fair estimate? i have no idea when it comes to the mechanics of a car. i've been calling places around town and they want me to bring it in, so i'm taking down times.

does anyone know why the price was jacked up from $275 to $780? that would help too.

 

[NogginBoink]

Originally posted by: MeanMeosh
does anyone know why the price was jacked up from $275 to $780? that would help too.

Brake damage gets worse with time. The high pitched squeal of the pad feeler against the drum is a warning: it says, "your brake pads are about to wear out, replace them now while it's cheap!"

If you keep going that squeal turns into a grinding sound, which says, "you didn't replace the brake pads when you had the chance, you're now grinding your brake drums, and this is an expensive sound!"

 

[NogginBoink]

Followup: you really can replace the brake pads yourself for a few hours of your time and a lot less money. You'll have to get the drums and/or rotors turned if there's damage to them. Just do it quick, before the damage gets past the wear limit and you need replacement drums/rotors.

If the shop tells you you need new drums or rotors, ask if they can be turned. If they say no, ask why not, and have the mechanic show you the guage that shows acceptable wear limits.

 

[Viper GTS]

If you destroyed the rotors you're looking at replacing them now as well, rather than just the pads.

Viper GTS

 

[Electric Amish]

Rotors shouldn't be too expensive. $50-$100 each at most, I would think.

amish

 

[Beau]

Get a second opinion. usually they can just resurface your drums/rotors, and usually do it anyway.

 

[DougK62]

Originally posted by: Electric Amish
Rotors shouldn't be too expensive. $50-$100 each at most, I would think.

amish

That's alot for rotors! All of my Chevy cars of that vintage I can get rotors for for <$15 each. The mazda rotors aren't anything special, but then again, it is a foreign car.

 

[PG]

1997 Chevy Malibu rotors are about $100 each. I found that out the hard way. :frown:

 

[LordJezo]

I second the opinion to do it yourself.

It isnt that hard with a jack and some stands.

Ask someone for help if you cant do it yourself.

 

[DougK62]

Originally posted by: PG
1997 Chevy Malibu rotors are about $100 each. I found that out the hard way. :frown:

Where did you get them from? I hope not the dealer. I've done brakes on my 96 Beretta and my mom's 00 Malibu. Both have ABS. The rotors on both of them were <$15 each at AutoZone.

 

[Chadder007]

Man!!! I just had my rotors replaced with two break pads and the Rack and Pinion steering.....for 890. (labor included too) Your getting screwed! Go elsewhere.
BTW, this was a 95' BMW

 

[Doggiedog]

I also just had my brakes completely fixed on my 95 BMW 325i. Cost me $900. I spent a total of $2500 repairing on this crap on the car like the auxiliary fan motor, water pump, etc.

Repair guy said my brakes were completely shot. Funny thing is, the brakes worked better shot than they do now. I guess metal on metal must make for better stopping distances.

 

[PG]

Where did you get them from? I hope not the dealer. I've done brakes on my 96 Beretta and my mom's 00 Malibu. Both have ABS. The rotors on both of them were <$15 each at AutoZone.

Nope, they were from a big name brake place.

I just checked AutoZone online and it looks like they have 2 different rotors for the 97 Malibu. One is $27.99 and the other is $70.99. I wonder what the difference is.

edit: These seem to be the same rotors for the '00 Malibu as well. Getting those for less than $15 each was one heck of a deal. They must have had a sale or something.

 

[MeanMeosh]

bump for anyone who knows what a fair price for the repairs would be... i checked autozone and brake pads and rotors seem to be 50 dollars a pop, which comes to 400 bucks for the entire set. with labor, about 600. anyone agree?

 

[Evadman]

Originally posted by: MeanMeosh
bump for anyone who knows what a fair price for the repairs would be... i checked autozone and brake pads and rotors seem to be 50 dollars a pop, which comes to 400 bucks for the entire set. with labor, about 600. anyone agree?

Find out what exactly is being replaced. call the place up and ask for an itemized list. Then post that. We need a little more to go on. $600 is insane for labor. where do you live? I will do it for $150 labor if you drive it to my house here in illinois

 

[MeanMeosh]

Originally posted by: Evadman

Originally posted by: MeanMeosh
bump for anyone who knows what a fair price for the repairs would be... i checked autozone and brake pads and rotors seem to be 50 dollars a pop, which comes to 400 bucks for the entire set. with labor, about 600. anyone agree?

Find out what exactly is being replaced. call the place up and ask for an itemized list. Then post that. We need a little more to go on. $600 is insane for labor. where do you live? I will do it for $150 labor if you drive it to my house here in illinois

err, i meant 200 for labor, 400 for parts, 600 total. i asked and they said pads and rotors. i'm gonna ask them if they can turn the rotors and get it over with. is there anything else involved in a brake overhaul?

 

[notfred]

certain people: "Everyone who drives should know how to do basic maintenence on thier car".

defensive, mechanically illiterate people: "Why? some people don't care, we'd rather have other people do it! not everyone's interested in cars, you know."

If any of you are those people who think you're better off knowing nothing about cars, I hope you don't mind paying $800 for 4 metal discs and some brake pads.

 

[Evadman]

Don't turn the rotors. Get new ones. If the pads wore down to the backing, it is not worth it. Besides, they are probably out of spec anyway.

And that price is a little better. Sounds like they are gouging you on the parts though. That labor is a steal concidering what I have been seeing. Of course, changing all 4 corners will probably take about 2 hours, with another hour for bleeding out all the old fluid ( assuming they do ) and taking it for a test spin. Labor around here ranges from 50-80 an hour. Hell, if there was nothing wrong with the calipers you may be able to do it in 20 minutes a wheel if you forgo the brake fluid change. But I always like to do that. Maybe I am parinoid.

Usually included in a brake job:

Normal wear:
Swap pads and turn rotors. (finish cut only)

heavy wear:
Swap pads and turn rotors with 2 cuts. ( truing and finish ) assuming still within thickness spec.

Broken brakes:
Swap pads and get new rotors.
If rotor has blued then change all fluid for overheating worries.

Toasted brakes:
Swap pads
new rotors
new calipers
new fluid

Of they are charging you that much for parts, see what a performance slotted and cross drilled rotors would cost. I find it unlikely that the rears went as well. I never changed the rears in my prelude, and it had 190k miles. They just don't wear. The fronts do 80-90% of the braking. It is possable your proportining valve is bad. Ever lock up only the rear brakes?

The $180 that they are charging is absolutely awesome. I have never heard of it being only $90 for front/rear. That is !%$@ insane!

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: PG
1997 Chevy Malibu rotors are about $100 each. I found that out the hard way. :frown:

$30 is what they cost. You were way overcharged.



But back on topic, $780 is way to much, as a Mechanic I can tell you just because the back is bad does not mean the front is bad. Get a second opinion.

 

[blahblah99]

I spent $330 for brembo rotors and axxis metalmaster brake pads for my 95 maxima. The labor was done by myself and took a couple of hours. I dunno bout Mazda parts, but they should be in the same price range. When they say "overhaul" they probably mean that the rotors are going to be turned and the brake pads replaced, unless the axis of your car is messed.

Anyways, changing brake pads is not too difficult. If you can change tires, then doing the brakes shouldn't be much harder.

For $800, I can get new brake pads, rotors, new springs, and new shocks (performance parts).

 

[goodoptics]

I know Mitsubishi and Mazda's parts are generally cost more than Toyota, Honda and Nissan's counterparts but they want $780 for the job??? Tell them to shove it. Anyway, if you can wait, I will get back to you with a fair estimate (parts (pads, disc, calipers, wheel cylinders...you name it)and labor) tomorrow by 10 am PDT. Oh, have your discs ever been turned before? Usually, discs can be turned twice before they get to thin (out of specs) and need to be replaced the next time.

 

[Thegonagle]

I'm thinking they want to replace all 4 calipers. You probably need only one or possibly two.

Stay away from the chain stores when you get that second opinion.

 

[compuwiz1]

You should be able to buy "turnable" drums and rotors from a wrecking yard, which when turned, have an essentially new wear surface. I used to be able to get them for about $20 ea. Your estimate seems to be about $300 high, from my experience. I would take the car to another place and get a second opinion...maybe even a third. If you have any seal leaks, or caliper damage, then the estimate you now have is about right.

 

[MeanMeosh]

i am planning to take my car to a couple of other stores nearby to get more estimates, including itemized parts. i have not ridden the brakes that hard that there would be caliper damage, and have not gotten the rotors turned before. so, i'm gonna get that checked as well. i'm taking it to a goodyear's nearby and a brakezone that my friends have had good experiences with. apart from that, i'll wait till 10:00 am PDT before making a decision. thanks everybody for helping. i also talked to a friend who has done this stuff before in detail about how to tell what's good and what's bad (he's not here atm, or else he'd be helping me with this) and will know what's what when eyeballing it tomorrow.

thanks to everybody for all your help.

<insert emotional sniff here>

- Mean

 

[Kadarin]

Did the shop provide you with measurements that they had taken of both the pads and the rotors, and compared them with factory minimum-spec? If not, you might consider getting a second opinion on the uneven wear, as maybe it's not that bad.