Wednesday, September 14, 2011

How often do you change car brake disks and /or pads?

I am getting lots of conflicting information from different mechanics. There is noise in the car, and I am not using it much now because of it. I dont want to be charged to much for something I dont need. Would wear and tear distroy brakes in 30K miles (brand new), in heavy trafic?



How much do disks/ pad's cost to replace. The stupid dealer told me 600 bucks. Yeah right. Any ideas or suggestions on national brands where its reliable and cheap?How often do you change car brake disks and /or pads?
Well here is the most definative %26quot; that depends%26quot;.

You did not say what kind of car you have. In general the dealer does not beleive you know anything about cars so they can %26quot;take%26quot; you. Brakes jobs are fast easy and HIGH MARGIN.

Dealers are often trying to improve the bottom line.

That being said, Brake wear measurably depends on your driving style. Brakes wear quickly in two cases. Very good (ie.%26quot;agressive%26quot;) and very poor drivers. Poor drivers tend to drag on their brakes which heat them up and wear them out. Agressive drivers tend to use them hard which contributes to quick wear. 30K miles is not too much for front pads. I wear out pads on my pick up and minivan in 20K miles. The Mini and Camry go much further 35K and 60 K respectively. If you caught the required change before the pads broke down to the steel backer pads you do not need rotors. Do not let anyone change rotors without making them prove that they are either scored or warped. A simple pad change should be less than $ 200.00.

The only way a dealer could get to $ 600.00 is pads and rotors all around. That is excessive and probaby not required. Take the car to a place that will show you what they are talking about. Make them show you the pad material if there is a quarter inch of pad left you don't need them. If below a quarter inch change them.

Make them show you the rotors and their condition. If they are not heavily grooved or glazed and discolored they do not need replaced.



I have had good success with NTB or Sears Automotive not lying to me( at least less than the rest). I've never used Pep Boys but do not have a good opinion of Midas.



A good way to find out would be to take it to a tire shop and have the alignment checked and have them check the brakes while they are in there. If they are after the suspension you might get a better opinion of the brakes. You should be able to get the alignment checked, tires rotated and an oil change in the $ 80.00

range which is not money misspent. The money saved in tires by having the alignment checked is worth the expence anyway.

Depending on the car again your OEM tires will be leaving you in the next 5K to 20K anyway. Anything which prolongs that change is worth it.How often do you change car brake disks and /or pads?
try to use dealer pads, especially on late model cars.

30K is decent for front brakes to wear out.

brakes arent something you might or might not need. if the friction material is worn down to the limit, the car is unsafe and should be repaired. its as much of an issue as you want it to be.How often do you change car brake disks and /or pads?
they all have a squeaker build in, change a the first sign of squeakingHow often do you change car brake disks and /or pads?
Yes brakes can wear out in 30k miles if their put under heavy wear and tear driving conditions. You can save yourself money by going through an auto parts dealer like Murrays or Autozone or Napa



You will also want to adjust your back brakes every 6,000 miles in stop and go traffic. It will help prelong the life of your brakes. Or use parking brake but this is depending on the model car. Check with your dealer. They will tell you up front.How often do you change car brake disks and /or pads?
I hate to be the bearer of bad tidings but yes it is very possible to wear out the brakes in 30 k miles. If you ignored the noise and let the metal backing on the brake pads eat into one or both rotors than it could be an expensive proposition. The most expensive brake job will be at the dealer, but you will get original factory parts and knowledgeable labor for that price. But if price is the main concern try getting a few estimates from brake places like Midas or Pep Boys. They can usually shave 20-50% of of the dealers prices, but use aftermarket parts.How often do you change car brake disks and /or pads?
This one's easy. Generally speaking, if your brakes are noisy and there's 30 thousand miles or more on the pads, change them. My sister knows how, it's not rocket science. Jack up your car and get after it. Always do both sides and check the rotors for uneven wear, most mechanics (shadetree and professional) recommend turning the rotors whenever you change your pads. I think that if your rotors appear to have even wear and no unusual problems, you can do it every other time you change pads.How often do you change car brake disks and /or pads?
The only way to know is to examine them for remaining material.

New pads cost about $20 and take a couple hours total to replace.

If the dealer replaces them they will turn the drums whether they need it or not. They will find a few other things to fix also.

The reason they replace unnecessary parts is because they have to warranty the work and people sue them if anything happens even if it isn't the dealers fault, so they have to cover their (hind ends) politically correct for a--s. If you want to do it yourself or have a friend help, buy a manual for the car at the parts store, and buy any tool they recommend Book $20, tools $20 Buy the pads at the parts store , not the dealer. Most aftermarket pads are as good or better than the oem.How often do you change car brake disks and /or pads?
It's not that expensive to chang the pads. The rotors need to be checked to see if they need to be milled down that is where the cost comes in. $600 to replace rotors and pads is a fair price from an OEM dealership. I wouldn't use Midas, Tuffy, etc. you see TV News shows doing undercover stings on these places all of the time, they always try to up sell if you need it or not. Get a good recommendation for an independant shop and have them do the repair. I have 63,000 miles on my origional brakes on my GMC SUV, still plenty of pad there.How often do you change car brake disks and /or pads?
depending on what car you drive and how hard, but you,ve got your moneys worth out of those pads at 30k, discs prob change between 30 and 60k, as for 600 dollars your lucky, motoring is not a poormans hobbyHow often do you change car brake disks and /or pads?
30K is ok for heavy traffic. You use the brakes four times as much as someone on the open highway.

Believe it or not, I've found Sears to be one of the most honest and fair for brake jobs. 600 is a little ridiculous. You probably don't need rotors.
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