$600 brake job

fireguy

When I worked in GM dealership, the repair time, as published by Motor and Mitchell included bringing the car to the stall, diagnostic time, getting parts from the part department, settingup the work station for the repair, doing the job, moving the car out of the shop, cleanin up the stall, and turning in the repair order.

Chevy warrenty time was only working on the car time. If the mechanic stopped working to get a tool, the stop watch stopped and did not start until the mechanic started to work. Diagnostic time was at a minimum. The warrenty rep always acted amazed when we told him that Chevy declined all time except for what was listed in hte warrenty book. Chevrolet claimed there were dealers who made money on warrenty. Chevrolet lied.

Double

I've worked at dealerships for years. Standard Toyota set's run about $260-$280 per axle installed, from the dealer, Subaru tends to be a little more expensive, $300 per axle in my experience. Those prices are including pads and TURNING rotors.

Rotors at both dealers run about $100-$120 EACH.

__________________
Doing things almost the right way...

DrHicks

$100 - $120 each, for rotors, is pretty darned high. Most parts stores sell the same rotors for anywhere from $28 - $48 each.

Double

You are totally right, Im just giving dealer prices...

__________________
Doing things almost the right way...

rusty baker

No wonder then that Chevy has a bad rep in their shops. I worked for a Toyota dealer and several indy shops and have a friend who has worked for several dealers. They all paid book hours to the mechanics. Not actual worked hours. And all the jobs could be done faster than book hours. Still, brake jobs are a rip off. They are one of the highest profit jobs in a shop.

__________________
"I'm twisted, not sick. Sick implies, I'll get better"
Semi-Retired Installer
Installing since 1973

DrHicks

Right. I can't begin to tell you how many front brake jobs I've done in my garage. Unless it's an unusual vehicle, it takes me about 20 minutes. And I don't even have any special tools. Just a 3-ton floor jack, 2 jackstands, and a toolbox.

I can put on 2 brand new rotors, and ceramic brake pads, for under $100. That same job would cost over $300 to have done "professionally." Customers get charged about $100 for a "brake job" that consists of nothing more than throwing a set of $12 brake pads on a car.

Carkid0007

I work for a Nissan dealership and I give my customers a choice on what kind of rotor they want to use. Nissan rotors are priced so high I let them make the choice and explain the benefits of course of oem parts. I only sell oem brake pads though. Our warranty claims are made by a flat rate manual designated by Nissan.

DrHicks

Yeah... without question, not all brake pads are in the same league. There are the extreme low-end pads that people throw on if they're going to sell th car, only for the purpose of saying it has new brakes. Then there are usually two grades more, before getting up into ceramic pads.

I've started using more ceramic brake pads. They're a bit more expensive, but they sure do seem to work better - and they don't give you that wretched black brake dust.

Hardway

Takes longer to jack veh up then It takes to do a 4 wheel brake job.

DrHicks

I did the rear disc brakes on an older Volvo 240 this afternoon. Hahaha - THAT was different!

rusty baker

The quality of brake pads that I use depends on the vehicle. Any Ford made in the 80's, I use cheap ones. The caliper pistons freeze up so often, no sense in buying quality pads. That whole brake system was junk. I used 80's model Ford vans for work for years because there is 12' inside. I could haul carpet and shut the back doors. Chevy and Dodge cargo vans are too short on the inside.

__________________
"I'm twisted, not sick. Sick implies, I'll get better"
Semi-Retired Installer
Installing since 1973

MecGen

"Hey I have a crack in my foundation that leaks water, had a couple foundation pros come out have a look. The average estimate was 10K, but i did some research and fixed it in 10 minutes with some caulking. What a bunch of thieves those foundation guys are, I'll go on the interweb and tell everybody."

^^^sound familiar? Happens in all the trades.

DrHicks

Some foundation guys ARE thieves. Some mechanics ARE thieves. Not all, but some.

Also, if us "non-professionals" can do the work ourselves, using the same materials, and for far less money, why not?

bbo

exactly.

trades exist because its a service people would rather pay than do it themselves.

I love DIY for most anything, but time is my major constraint. I'll do anything unless the time factor ( and tool availibility ) is is more than what I have available.

noquacks

$600? The answer is too obvious. And the difference between a cheap pad and a good one is just a few dollars, like many things. Common, classic, well made semi metallics have lifetime warranties these days- I have them on most my cars. Yes, they also do wear eventually. They , IMO, are still the gold standard in brakes.

Some people just feel klike they have little choice but to pay high fees for work/products. Its not "their fault"- its kindalike, its the system we live in.

__________________
Alexander Pope: [a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing]