Everybody wants to dance but nobody wants to pay the band.

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Originally posted by hrcjon:

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but the pads they listed were three times as much ($60) as the ones I bought, and the rotors were twice as much ($65)

No comment on the overall price issue. But I am good friends with a local mechanic and what he says to me is that if he buys the lowest cost pads and rotors the customer is always back with issues. So he won't do it. That's not to say you shouldn't, but I do understand why a shop might not.

If I were doing the brakes on my Jeep Rubicon which is my daily driver, I'd certainly get the best parts I could afford, but this vehicle doesn't get many miles nowadays. I'm very comfortable with the parts that I installed. And anyway, it's only the rears, right?

How much do you think the building costs, property taxes, health insurance, benefits, payroll etc? Is it a lot? Yeah but changing the battery out is a 15 minute job from start (get the new battery from inventory) to the time it's buttoned up. They wouldn't be there to help you with your inspection or the others that are glad to pay someone else to do the work if they charged a cut rate.

I loathe working on cars and don't have the time. I don't have the money for those kind of rates either though. I'm fortunate that I discovered a small shop that charges very reasonable rates. I'm happy to see him make money, he does great work and somehow always seems to get to it quick. Took me nearly 20 years to find a guy like that though.

That sounds a little steep.

There is usually a half hour charge for the lift, rack fee. Racks are not cheap and the shop has got to recover their cost.

Then you have the environmental disposal fee.

How about the shop fee for rags and a can of brake-kleen?

These are all operational charges they have to recoup in the job.

Then there is the labor charge.

Parts pretty much have to meet or exceed OEM Original Quality. Not the cheapest pads or rotors that can be purchased. I know somebody will say anything sold has to meet OEM Specs. There is such a wide coverage of brake shoes and pads out there it is not always the case. The pads on a Rodeo may be the same ones used on a sedan. The Rodeo is more probable to be used as a tow vehicle then the Sedan so I am sure the shop will use the best pads available.

With the liability behind a brake job (Your Life and the Public). Shops will not scrimp anywhere on the job. They usually will bleed and flush the brake fluid on the axle they work on. They will always replace all the hardware that is used in the pad exchange. Not just the tin shims used here but also the caliper guide pins and any rubber boots over them. Caliper mounting bolts. They will use grease or anti-seize on the guide pins.

If these are all the same steps you took then compare your price spent with the shop quote.

With over thirty years in the commercial truck repair industry and as a past and licensed Commercial Truck Driver one learns there is one repair that can never have cost cutting involved and that is the complete braking system.

To me it does not sound that unreasonable replacing for pads and rotors especially if using quality replacement parts.

Websites such as the one below can give on an idea of what to expect the repair to cost in their area.

http://www.napaautocare.com/estimator.aspx

Going to oral surgeon Thursday to find out about a tooth implant. I expect that will be a real eye opener LOL.

Like I said, I like these guys and trust them and give them plenty of business. In fact, they do all of my oil services on my Rodeo. I also will need new tires on the Jeep very soon and have every intention of going through this shop. Since I want to upgrade to new wheels and larger tires, I also may have to install a small lift kit. I may or may not install the lift kit myself, but I'll most likely get the tires​ and wheels​ through this shop, and it may be just easier to have them do everything.

Point being, I give them my business...but I'm not going to give anyone $300 when I can spend an extra hour or two of my time to do something myself. And to be perfectly honest, I really enjoy doing it.

Just had a rear brake job done on our Lexus LS. Was $289

Shit that's cheap. One of my cars is $1000 per axle.

Spent $528 on the fronts on my '04 Civic last week. One caliper shot, so the other might not be far behind. Cost was for calipers/rotors/pads and a fluid flush/replacement. Had it required only rotors and pads, I would have done it myself. I just didn't feel comfortable breaking open the lines and bleeding an ABS.

I have always done my own work, even if I have to buy tools to do it. If I don't know how to do it I will research it. On my Motorhome my oil change with greasing the front end and driveshaft with all the filters was quoted $450. Filters and oil was $200 and an hour of my time. I will continue to do my own work.

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Going to oral surgeon Thursday to find out about a tooth implant. I expect that will be a real eye opener LOL.

It will be. But it is worth it, have personal experience.

Ford wanted that for front brakes and rotors on the Mustang (I thought the rotors looked fine, but they also had 100k miles on them, so they got replaced). Special front rotors, but they wanted to use the OE pads.

I paid $57 for the "best" ceramic pad offering at AutoZone and $140 for OEM rotors. Apparently since I have the Performance Package V6, there's a special size front rotor that makes looking for/at aftermarket rotors a confusing pain, so it was easier to just go to Ford, plunk down my credit card, and say, "Gimme this." I then spent the rest of the day replacing the pads and rotors.

I know they have overhead I don't, but knowing that doesn't obligate me to patronize the dealership when I'm able and willing to do the job myself.

Seems high to me. I had my front brakes done, including new rotors, on my Honda Civic for around $250.

Keep in mind this is a small, independent and super honest local guy we go to, NOT a stealership service department.

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Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

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Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
I am sure someone will be along to ask if they were OEM parts and quote the operating cost of a brick and mortar location. If you have the time and are handy you can save serious money. No question.

I have the quote in hand. I don't know what particular parts they wanted to install were, but the pads they listed were three times as much ($60) as the ones I bought, and the rotors were twice as much ($65) as the ones I bought. ETA: that's for each rotor.

That's exactly what quality pads and rotors cost (or more). No reputable shop is going to install the cheap stuff you put on there. So yeah, say $250-300 in parts.....2 hours labor......sounds like the estimate is pretty reasonable.

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Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

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We have motor vehicle inspections here in Louisiana yearly.

I feel for you. The legislature eliminated the vehicle inspection here a couple of years ago.

And being in East Baton Rouge parish is bad. We have a 5 parish area around here that you have to have a emission test done with the inspection and if your check engine light is on that has to be fixed before you get the sticker.

We go to Biloxi about once a month and stay at the Hard Rock and I've noticed ya'll don't have stickers anymore

I have always done most of my own work. The problem is most mechanics are parts changers. I can do that, especially with YouTube!
The last time I used a garage, I asked them to check the A/C, and they put front brakes on

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Originally posted by mcrimm:
How many people pay $35 for a dealership to change a $8 cabin air filter? Lots.

Gee. I wonder where they live. My dealer wanted $35.99 to change the cabin air filter. Sure. But that was the labor. The filter itself, they were going to charge me $44 more dollars for!!!

P.T. Barnum was right.

-Rob

Cabin filter for 35 bucks?? They charge a hundo here, i tell them no thanks, i know how to open a glovebox...

Around here that price would be good for all 4 brakes done, but 2? Geez.

Just replaced front pads and rotors for $153.00. That included a short breaker bar and 15mm deep drive socket. I'd call the parts I purchased, mid grade. I sliced open 2 fingers, Ouch, against the lower strut shield. The parts I replaced were in excellent shape for 2 years old. Those ceramic pads would have gone another 2. I think I got a bad caliper also.

That's why I always do my own. I think it was a thread Marzy did maybe 8+ years ago about a brake job. Inspired me to do my first one.

For less than $400 you can do new rotors, and pads all the way around.

Brakes aren't hard. It is dirty. They absolutely rob you on the labor.