Cost of Rotor Resurfacing

[The Critic]

I will be doing a brake job next Saturday, so I called around today for quotes on carry-in brake rotor resurfacing in the San Francisco area.

I received the following quotes:

$20/rotor
$25/rotor
$35/rotor

How much does rotor resurfacing cost in your area?

 

[MGregoir]

$20 per rotor.

 

[TexasHonda]

$15/rotor in Houston. You can buy new rotors for $25, so not much incentive to turn.

regards

 

[cos]

$8-$15 in the Detroit area.

 

[Chris142]

$10for a walk in. Since I work at a shop I can get em turned for $7.50 ea.

Just called the local Carquest......$12.50 ea

 

[oilyriser]

they want $35 each here. I guess the lube and rear end service is included.

 

[The Critic]

Midas said they could do it for $15/rotor, but they had no idea of what I was talking about when I mentioned a non-directional finish.

I'm just shocked that shops resurface rotors and fail to put the proper finish on them, yet still get away with it.

 

[Kestas]

In my life I don't think I've ever had a rotor turned and have it handed back with an omni-directional finish. Maybe if the consumer paid more they'd do it.

 

[bdcardinal]

when i would machine rotors doing a brake job at my old work, i had the flex hone for brake rotors that you attach to a drill. i would put a full non directional finish on the rotor, then wash with warm soapy water and spray with brake cleaner before the rotors went on the hub.

 

[wagsg]

I decided to change rotors with pads every time. It doesn't save that much money and will have already gone to the trouble of removing the rotors.

I buy rotors that are mid-price, usually from CSK... cheap, but not the cheapest (still probably from China) and haven't had a rotor problem yet.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: wagsg
I decided to change rotors with pads every time. It doesn't save that much money and will have already gone to the trouble of removing the rotors.

I buy rotors that are mid-price, usually from CSK... cheap, but not the cheapest (still probably from China) and haven't had a rotor problem yet.


Too bad this isn't possible with some import applications. Rotors are well over $50/each.

 

[andyd]

I gotta ask, how chewed up are the rotors? I usually just replace pads before there is a metal to metal contact

 

[Buffman]

^^ Come on you have to be like my brother. Don't replace anything until you've worn the pad material completely off, then the pad shim off, then have rotor to piston contact. Once the piston completely eats through to the cooling vanes, then it's time to buy new brakes. He did that on a 91 escort he had..

 

[Kestas]

Buffman, it is those rotors like your brother's that hang as trophies in brake shops.

 

[Audi Junkie]

I'd reuse them or buy now ones. Shop that price down, rotors are crazy cheap nowadays.

 

[JHZR2]

For that price, Id repair rather than having an inferior product - and a turned rotor is an inferior product, regardless of what the specification states.

In reality, the rotor is first and foremost an energy sink. It gathers energy from momentum far faster than it sheds it, regardless of if it is a vented rotor. More mass equals lower rise in temperature for the same input, means better braking. Period.

For us, where 70k is an early change in pads, usually the rotors look rusted enough on the inside (vented ones) to justify replacement, as Im not chancing a super rusty rotor at 140 or 150k. That well may be anal though...

That said, the only place where I'd reuse is on the rears, and even that is old fashioned news now, as some cars are starting to bias more towards the rears, so they may well have increasing duties and requirements.

JMH

 

[mechtech2]

Critic - what are your best new plain rotor prices that you are getting?

 

[bdcardinal]

whats sucks is when you have a rotor application where aftermarket manufacturers tend to not make rotors. the volvo is such a case, luckily i have a hookup on OEM volvo parts.

 

[The Critic]

Originally Posted By: mechtech2
Critic - what are your best new plain rotor prices that you are getting?

$50-$70/each.

 

[Mr Nice]

For $20 per rotor, wouldn't it be better just to go to AutoZone and but new Duralast rotors ??