YACT: Midas sucks, claimed both rotors needed to be replaced

[NeoPTLD]

Originally posted by: wischeez
Being as I've worked on cars for over 30 years now, and have been playing with computers for only about 10 years now, I need to ask this question.

Why is it people will spend thousands of dollars buying computers and parts for them, or even other electronic toys, but when they need parts for a 2 ton rolling deathtrap they always buy the cheapest stuff they can find?

I pretty much know the difference in parts quality as I still work as a mechanic and wouldn't even consider putting some of them on the cars I work on.

For what it's worth,everyone pretty much knows that Midas will try to rip you a new one unless you're pretty aware of what's going on.

I have faith in top of the line parts from NAPA, not so much for their bottom of the line stuff. They have better inventory than dealership and usually cheaper than OEM and sometimes, I find them to be superior built quality over OEM parts. OEM radiator on my van blew the top plastic tank. The replacement Modine I bought was all metal.

As an experienced mechanic, how do you feel about NAPA parts?

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: amdhunter

Originally posted by: MrDingleDangle
So I brought my car in to have them check the brakes, new car with 50k, should have had the front brakes changed already, but most of that has been cross country driving with little brake use

so anyways i have them check the front brakes and they say the front right one is fine, but the front left needs to be changed (i just went in wanting both changed)...but he said both rotors are too thin and need to be changed and the bill will be $380

I just said, uhm, yeah ok, can I have my keys back now.

LOL, I had a local mechanic do everything for $100 and people told me I got robbed. I didn't change the rotors though, but I got them shaved and all new pads all around. Pads have lifetime warranty from autozone too, so i can trade them in anytime...

Pads with lifetime warranties destroy rotors. Oh, you'll neever need to replace them, don't be confused. But you do get to buy new rotors all the time.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

Originally posted by: MrDingleDangle

Originally posted by: BigJ
Did you even bother bringing it to another place to see if the rotors are actually in bad shape?

i will tom, but i would be very very suprised if the rotors needed to be replaced...

Rotoros should bnever need to be replaced.

 

[MrDingleDangle]

even if they need to be replaced, it shouldnt be $380

they were quoting $60 for parts to replace 1 brake pad!
then $80 for each of the rotors

so 220 for parts and and 145 for labor

$220 for 2 rotors and 1 brake pad...uhm....ok...i dont think i will be doing that

 

[NeoPTLD]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: amdhunter

Originally posted by: MrDingleDangle
So I brought my car in to have them check the brakes, new car with 50k, should have had the front brakes changed already, but most of that has been cross country driving with little brake use

so anyways i have them check the front brakes and they say the front right one is fine, but the front left needs to be changed (i just went in wanting both changed)...but he said both rotors are too thin and need to be changed and the bill will be $380

I just said, uhm, yeah ok, can I have my keys back now.

LOL, I had a local mechanic do everything for $100 and people told me I got robbed. I didn't change the rotors though, but I got them shaved and all new pads all around. Pads have lifetime warranty from autozone too, so i can trade them in anytime...

Pads with lifetime warranties destroy rotors. Oh, you'll neever need to replace them, don't be confused. But you do get to buy new rotors all the time.

Pair 'em with lifetime warrantied rotors

 

[Amplifier]

Had a simular experience with a Midus in Bel Air. I knew enough about cars to call shens when they said replacing a muffler would cost $600+ because of (a crack) that didn't exist. Got it fixed for $130.

 

[Crucial]

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: MrDingleDangle

Originally posted by: BigJ
Did you even bother bringing it to another place to see if the rotors are actually in bad shape?

i will tom, but i would be very very suprised if the rotors needed to be replaced...

Rotoros should bnever need to be replaced.

Thats laughable.

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: Crucial

Originally posted by: IHateMyJob2004

Originally posted by: MrDingleDangle

Originally posted by: BigJ
Did you even bother bringing it to another place to see if the rotors are actually in bad shape?

i will tom, but i would be very very suprised if the rotors needed to be replaced...

Rotoros should bnever need to be replaced.

Thats laughable.

Well, did you laugh?

 

[Crucial]

Originally posted by: NeoPTLD

Originally posted by: vegetation
It probably needs to be replaced; rotors have a finite life. They can be "turned" but often the labor cost for that will exceed the cost of just getting new rotors. In fact, the major scam at brake shops is having you pay obnoxiously for the rotors to be shaved down - you end up spending more and literally get less back in return.

If you're doing your own repair, you can take the rotors to a machine shop and get them turned for $8-12 each, but they're very strict about the minimum thickness. They will measure it and look it up in the spec book. If the thickness is below the minimum anywhere along the radius, they will not do it because of liability risk. Typically, you can only turn them once legally.

I'd go for new ones on $30 rotors, but turning is the cost effective way if you have $100 rotors.

I once had to replace the pads on my van. Since it always shuddered, I took them to NAPA machine shop when I went to buy pads. In my case, they were too worn to be turned legally and to buy them new, they were $70 each. I refused to spend $140 on a 12 year old van with 130,000 miles so I just lived with the shudder. If I go into Midas for a pad change, they will no doubt tell me I need new rotors and I'm sure they'll quote half the vehicle value to fix it.

So your safety isn't worth $140 after getting 12 years and 130,000 miles out of a set of rotors?

 

[Miramonti]

I'd swear their book specs are not the manufacturers specs, but tighter so it appears the brakes need replacing sooner than they do.

 

[wischeez]

Originally posted by: NeoPTLD

Originally posted by: wischeez
Being as I've worked on cars for over 30 years now, and have been playing with computers for only about 10 years now, I need to ask this question.

Why is it people will spend thousands of dollars buying computers and parts for them, or even other electronic toys, but when they need parts for a 2 ton rolling deathtrap they always buy the cheapest stuff they can find?

I pretty much know the difference in parts quality as I still work as a mechanic and wouldn't even consider putting some of them on the cars I work on.

For what it's worth,everyone pretty much knows that Midas will try to rip you a new one unless you're pretty aware of what's going on.

I have faith in top of the line parts from NAPA, not so much for their bottom of the line stuff. They have better inventory than dealership and usually cheaper than OEM and sometimes, I find them to be superior built quality over OEM parts. OEM radiator on my van blew the top plastic tank. The replacement Modine I bought was all metal.

As an experienced mechanic, how do you feel about NAPA parts?

NAPA parts are very good quality, but you have to watch the price. Some are reasonable, some are overpriced.

 

[NeoPTLD]

Originally posted by: MrDingleDangle


2001 nissan sentra, its been cross country 4 times which makes up most of the milage and not much hard breaking

I recommend against using the cheapest crap you can get for your wheels. You know how screw drivers from 99 cent store just doesn't have the durability of a Craftsman equivalent? Poor quality rotors might not use the same type steel as a high quality one and it can very easily be vulnerable to warping.

NAPA UBP 86363 if you have the 2.0L engine $87 ea
There's also cross drilled rotors for the 2.0L for $124 ea

UBP 880075 if you have the 1.8L $52 ea

B&A front pads are around $30 a pair.

Buy the parts, throw 'em in your trunk and find a mechanic who will do just labor.

 

[thomsbrain]

many cars need new rotors by the time the pads are gone, or at the very least need the rotors turned. also, i would imagine that changing only one brake pad and not the other would result in some unwanted effects (vibration, uneven force distribution). that said, i'd never trust a midas to do the work even if they were telling the truth.

 

[NeoPTLD]

Originally posted by: Crucial

Originally posted by: NeoPTLD

Originally posted by: vegetation
It probably needs to be replaced; rotors have a finite life. They can be "turned" but often the labor cost for that will exceed the cost of just getting new rotors. In fact, the major scam at brake shops is having you pay obnoxiously for the rotors to be shaved down - you end up spending more and literally get less back in return.

If you're doing your own repair, you can take the rotors to a machine shop and get them turned for $8-12 each, but they're very strict about the minimum thickness. They will measure it and look it up in the spec book. If the thickness is below the minimum anywhere along the radius, they will not do it because of liability risk. Typically, you can only turn them once legally.

I'd go for new ones on $30 rotors, but turning is the cost effective way if you have $100 rotors.

I once had to replace the pads on my van. Since it always shuddered, I took them to NAPA machine shop when I went to buy pads. In my case, they were too worn to be turned legally and to buy them new, they were $70 each. I refused to spend $140 on a 12 year old van with 130,000 miles so I just lived with the shudder. If I go into Midas for a pad change, they will no doubt tell me I need new rotors and I'm sure they'll quote half the vehicle value to fix it.

So your safety isn't worth $140 after getting 12 years and 130,000 miles out of a set of rotors?

Turning shaves off more metal and reduce heat capacity, but vibration/shudder is just a nuisance and doesn't decrease the effectiveness of brakes.

 

[wischeez]

Originally posted by: jjsole
I'd swear their book specs are not the manufacturers specs, but tighter so it appears the brakes need replacing sooner than they do.

Book Specs at Midas and other repair shops HAVE to be manufacturers Specs.Most states and the Feds would put them out of business if they were to fake them.
When in doubt, call a parts store, they will tell you the Specs for rotors.

 

[wischeez]

NeoPTLD, are you a mechanic by chance? Just curious.

 

[NeoPTLD]

MrDingle,
if the brake pads on the same axle aren't wearing evenly, there is an underlying cause.

 

[Crucial]

Originally posted by: NeoPTLD
Poor quality rotors might not use the same type steel as a high quality one and it can very easily be vulnerable to warping.

but you said

vibration/shudder is just a nuisance and doesn't decrease the effectiveness of brakes.

 

[IGBT]

..late model cars/trucks have trashy oem rotors that wear out fast depending on the type pad with metallic pads causing the most wear but also have good breaking characteristics..ceramic pads cause less wear to the rotors and nearly have the same braking character as metallic. If the rotors get too thin ya might feel it in your brake pedal..it will modulate as the rotor becomes "out of round."

 

[NeoPTLD]

Originally posted by: Crucial

Originally posted by: NeoPTLD
Poor quality rotors might not use the same type steel as a high quality one and it can very easily be vulnerable to warping.

but you said

vibration/shudder is just a nuisance and doesn't decrease the effectiveness of brakes.

People get their rotors turned, because shudder/vibration is annoying. When you buy low quality rotors, the problem you just solved can come back easily. Shudder/vibration is to be expected even on high quality rotors when you have 140,000 miles on them.

 

[Crucial]

what kind of pads do you use to get 140,000 miles out of a set of rotors. You must like cleaning up break dust.

 

[NeoPTLD]

Originally posted by: Crucial
what kind of pads do you use to get 140,000 miles out of a set of rotors. You must like cleaning up break dust.

Well it shuddered everytime I stopped. Bought the car used and not sure what it had. It wore down and I heared the wear indicator, so I just got some cheap pads at NAPA.

It was a 1993 model, which was before the time of incentives and rebates. That van was built well compared to 2005 compact cars, so I wouldn't be surprised if the rotors were much heavier duty. I think they reduce rotor mass these days to help achieve CAFE through reduced rotational mass as well as reduce cost.

 

[EmperorIQ]

Originally posted by: MrDingleDangle

Originally posted by: freesia39
which midas?! i need brake work done and i'm hesitant to take it to the dealer cuz of the cost.

veteran and pico...


im brining it to pepboys tom.

UCLA?

 

[NeoPTLD]

Originally posted by: wischeez
NeoPTLD, are you a mechanic by chance? Just curious.

I consider myself mechanically competent and I have owned two olders vehicles which I did considerable amount of work on, but I don't do it for living nor do I have any type of certification such as ASE.