Took my wife to the movies Sat night. Ended up like 35 miles away at a mall (she's a driver..heehee). As we pulled into the mall parking lot, the brake pedal went to the floor. I got in the drivers seat thinking she's mistaking something normal, and tried it. No pressure at all.
I crawl under the truck and the passenger side brake line burst. Because this truck is lowered, I've had the brake lines rub on the suspension and go out before (about 2 years ago). So I knew what it was, and how to fix it.
In the same parking lot there's a Firestone Tire. I check, and they're open Sunday 9-3 so I figger I'll just drop the keys in the slot with a note and ask them to do it. Better than paying to tow the thing all the way home just so I can crawl under the truck and do it myself. So I left the keys and a note and called a friend and got a ride home.
I call Firestone the next morning at 10 am figuring to give them time to look at it, and they said they're still looking at it. Ok, it's Sunday morn. I wouldn't be excited about being at work at 9am either. I finally hear back around 11:30 or so. They said the calipers (note the plural) are bad and must be replaced as well. Total estimate was $666. (yep, that's the correct amount.)
there was no way I could afford that, and asked if they could just repair the brake line. They refused, insisting they needed to do all of it or none of it. So I told them I'd go back out and have it towed home. Sigh.
I get there and the truck is still on the rack. They asked me if I wanted to see what they were talking about. "Sure!" I go out to the shop, and the mechanic shows me the brake line, and the missing bushing on one caliper pin (I knew about it... Just affects the wear pattern on the inside pad, not a major issue). So far, no surprises. But when I asked why the calipers needed replacing, I got, "Well these look like the stock calipers. I don't know how many miles you have on them and they need replaced."
What!?!?!?!
I asked him to show me what signs of immenent failure there were. He couldn't. I asked for signs of leakage. None. All he could say was that they were old.
I was yelling and cursing and calling them theives, etc. I was PISSED!!!
I got my keys back, and called the tow company. The owner of the company came (all the trucks were busy) and when I told him the situation, he went inside and talked to the manager. He told the shop that if they wanted him to continue bringing cars to that shop, they needed to take care of me.
WooHoo. They fixed the brake line, and totally flushed the brake system for $180. Much more reasonable (at least for MY wallet. heehee)
The truck is a 96 S-10 extended cab. It has 120k on the odometer. Nowhere in any of the documentation for any vehicle I've owned are calipers listed as a maintenance part.
Whew. Rant over.
I crawl under the truck and the passenger side brake line burst. Because this truck is lowered, I've had the brake lines rub on the suspension and go out before (about 2 years ago). So I knew what it was, and how to fix it.
In the same parking lot there's a Firestone Tire. I check, and they're open Sunday 9-3 so I figger I'll just drop the keys in the slot with a note and ask them to do it. Better than paying to tow the thing all the way home just so I can crawl under the truck and do it myself. So I left the keys and a note and called a friend and got a ride home.
I call Firestone the next morning at 10 am figuring to give them time to look at it, and they said they're still looking at it. Ok, it's Sunday morn. I wouldn't be excited about being at work at 9am either. I finally hear back around 11:30 or so. They said the calipers (note the plural) are bad and must be replaced as well. Total estimate was $666. (yep, that's the correct amount.)
there was no way I could afford that, and asked if they could just repair the brake line. They refused, insisting they needed to do all of it or none of it. So I told them I'd go back out and have it towed home. Sigh.
I get there and the truck is still on the rack. They asked me if I wanted to see what they were talking about. "Sure!" I go out to the shop, and the mechanic shows me the brake line, and the missing bushing on one caliper pin (I knew about it... Just affects the wear pattern on the inside pad, not a major issue). So far, no surprises. But when I asked why the calipers needed replacing, I got, "Well these look like the stock calipers. I don't know how many miles you have on them and they need replaced."
What!?!?!?!
I asked him to show me what signs of immenent failure there were. He couldn't. I asked for signs of leakage. None. All he could say was that they were old.
I was yelling and cursing and calling them theives, etc. I was PISSED!!!
I got my keys back, and called the tow company. The owner of the company came (all the trucks were busy) and when I told him the situation, he went inside and talked to the manager. He told the shop that if they wanted him to continue bringing cars to that shop, they needed to take care of me.
WooHoo. They fixed the brake line, and totally flushed the brake system for $180. Much more reasonable (at least for MY wallet. heehee)The truck is a 96 S-10 extended cab. It has 120k on the odometer. Nowhere in any of the documentation for any vehicle I've owned are calipers listed as a maintenance part.
Whew. Rant over.
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