New Brake Pads

[John]

I will be the first to admit that I don't know a thing about cars. We got our winter tires put on today and knew that we needed to have the brakes looked at on our 2007 Yaris sedan. Turns out they need work.

Our dude has been trustworthy in the past but I just wanted to see if any of you knew what this job should cost. Here is the email describing the work that needs to be done and what the cost it.

Any alternatives in terms of where to go let me know!!

"We need new brake pads, and routers on the front brakes - $491.00 – we have 5% left on the inside pad, and 20% left on the outside pad. He said we are using %100 front brake and it should be a 60/40 between the front and back. The back brakes are good, however the drum needs to be cleaned ($59.99), which will have the back brakes adjusted properly again.

He said that they are recommending it get done sooner then later, doesn’t have to be today. "

[jeffc]

Sounds legit Jordan

How many kms on the car and were the brakes ever done?

[Sakuraba]

new front pads and rotors should be about $500 installed, although I always thought smaller wheels meant slightly cheaper brakes... but I bet you're happy you didn't have to fork out $1000 for winter tires, though.
Some day I'd love to get just the pads changed. I've owned 7 cars in my life, all with at least front discs, and every time I get the oil changed, I ask my mechanic to check the brakes. I always get "brakes are fine" until I get the news you got up there. Just once I'd like the guy to say "your pads are getting worn, $100 I'll change them... no need for new rotors if you keep new pads on"

[stevek]

The price sounds reasonable. I've just did my Silverado's brakes (All four) this summer after a $1000+ quote from a dealer. The labour savings (even with a case of beer for a co-worker) was at least $400.

Almost made up for the loss of a day of golf, which now is becoming worth more and more with every cm of snow!

[John]

120,000 k's and I am pretty sure they have not been touched.

[Chambokl]

120000kms... yes time to do the brake and I would say sooner rather than later!

Don't take a chance on brakes...

[The Saint]

Last brake job cost us about $650

[fundonny]

My father-in-law does my brake work. I'm sure not to piss off his daugher. LOL

Pads, buy them on ebay. Costs me about $50.

[eyeping]

Get a price from Midas, I think they are cheaper and give you life time warranty on the pads only. If you get the parts yourself and get a back yarder to do it, you may take a risk your brakes will fail.

[dbleber]

Putting new pads and rotors on is soooo simple. They make it sound harder than it is. But $500 is a reasonable quote for front brakes, the cost is mainly labour. Parts are cheap. 120 000 km with no brake job is crazy especially if you do a lot of city driving. if you have the time and it was summer I'd do it yourself but well worth the money for not having to do it in this weather!

[jeffc]

while it might be easy, it's not something I want to trust myself to do with peoples lives at stake (mine included). I think if you have the experience to do it then great but it's not really a job for people with little to no experience. I am very handy around the house and would never attempt to do my own brakes.

[stevek]

Putting new pads and rotors on is soooo simple. They make it sound harder than it is. But $500 is a reasonable quote for front brakes, the cost is mainly labour. Parts are cheap. 120 000 km with no brake job is crazy especially if you do a lot of city driving. if you have the time and it was summer I'd do it yourself but well worth the money for not having to do it in this weather!

Not as easy as I remembered from High School. The locations of some of the torx tighteners on my GM would be hard to find if not known.

btw. I got 180k off my front rotors - almost all highway driving.

[dbleber]

If your handy around the house then you could do it no problem. I bet if you had someone show you once you would not believe it's really that simple. The hardest part is having the right size wrenches and getting the caliper off. On my SUV it's only two nuts and two screws and the caliper and router is off. Believe me, these guys are not charging $100 per hour because it's rocket science, they've created a market where people now believe that cars are so complicated that the average joe can't figure it out without training.
It sounds like you need them done right away and with this weather i wouldn't try to do it myself. I plan on doing mine in the spring.

Another option is to buy your own parts from any parts store, call around and get the best deal and then bring them to a garage for install. Then you are only paying for the install and not the mark up on the parts.

[HATTERS]

It is Very easy to do the only problem you could run into is with the calipers, You wait too long to do the pads Toyota calipers are harder to compress back in if the pads are too worn, The Price they guy quoted you isn't bad but make sure to check what type of pad is going on, as well as warrenty on them. I work a Canadian Tire in Brockville and Munroe Pads we sell are Lifetime warrenty if installed there whick offsets the other cost IMO
I use to work at a gm dealer and the warrenty on pads from them were never as good

[malfar]

Do it yourself -$100 max. look it up on the internet - it is virtually impossible to screw up. I've never had brakes done in a shop in 40+ years of driving . Taught my son how to do it over the telephone - brake jobs are the biggest rip off of anything I know. Standard practice to replace rotors and rear drums - whether they need it or not - just put em on and charge the unknowing consumer.

[HATTERS]

Yeah they are a rip off, But like in anytrade there are jobs you loose your shirt on and then there are those that are easy jobs and you get paid well for and make up for the loss