Small independent shop quoted outrageous brake repair price. Is this the norm?
- Thread starter 97prizm
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I guess I'm lucky. The second shop.that I've previously used also works on alot of classic cars. They had two 60's impalas an AMC Javelin and I think a couple older mercury's.
Classic car customers are an entirely different customer base than the owners of 20 year old economy cars.
This is absolutely true and not always considered. I'm working on a '97 Outback right now. At a minimum it needs three wheel bearings, front struts and a new rear d/s or some way to replace one of the staked u-joints.
If you pay me to do all that, it's well beyond the value of the car. Now, if you shop smart for parts and DIY it would be well worth repairing.
The Ford dealer near me is $185/hr on customer pay. My indie is $65/hr and will happily use whatever parts I take him.
I also assume the 70's and older cars are simpler to work on, and have nearly no vehicle specific plastic parts to break on most repairs?
I'm not challenging you and I hope I'm wrong but I have to question how long an indy can maintain $65/hr in today's economy? Obviously there are other factors like location, and maybe he doesn't really need the $ and just enjoys keeping busy.
I'm not even that good and I'm not lifting a finger at $65/hr.
Firestone just quoted my friend with an 07 Expedition $1200 for brake pads and rotors all the way around. He brought it in for a suspension noise, nothing to do with the brakes...
Those brakes are nothing special, we did them a while back, fresh pads and rotors are like $149/axle at the parts store. So that's $900 for an hour of work. Insane! Obviously he told them no thanks, just figure out the noise.
Those brakes are nothing special, we did them a while back, fresh pads and rotors are like $149/axle at the parts store. So that's $900 for an hour of work. Insane! Obviously he told them no thanks, just figure out the noise.
A quality front and rear brake job will take a lot longer than an hour.
Maybe an hour is pushing it but I think it took us 2-3 hours last time? And that's casual DIYers jacking up one corner at a time and hunting for tools in a mess. I suspect we could have knocked it out in an hour if we were professionals in a shop with a lift.
If you didn’t clean the hub flange and caliper bracket down to shiny metal and impacted every fasteners to factory spec, then an hour is definitely possible.
No rust on the truck. When I do brakes I am fairly thorough and do a good job. I will admit I've never used a torque wrench. That said, if Firestone can't even identify the suspension noise, what makes you think they would do a thorough, perfect job on the brakes?
I just did an '06 Expy so I knew this sounded a little off -- although it looks like things changed in '07.
If you're shopping from a local chain as a Firestone probably is, I mock up a cart at O'Reilly at $515 for two front rotors, two rear rotors, semi-metallic front and rear pads.
I think it's important to note this doesn't take into consideration slider pins, slider pin boots, or ANYTHING to do with what could be a nightmare of DIH parking brake components. I think a shop has to assume the parking brake is fubar, or at least be ready for that.
OTOH, does Firestone pay less than retail at O'Reilly with a commercial account? Probably? Do they pass those savings on to the customer? Probably not...?
$500 retail parts, plus mark-up, plus labor.....$1200 total seems in the ballpark of reasonable
He's been open for probably 30 years. The shop charges actual hours, not book hours, but are very honest about the time taken. When he was at $55/hr, he changed both halfshafts on my '06 Odyssey for 2 hours billed. Would have taken at least 4-6 doing it with hand tools and jack stands.
On my '05 Outback he did all the bushings in the front control arms with Whiteline parts, and installed both front and rear Whiteline sway bars with Whiteline bushings for 4 hours, $220. It would probably have taken me at least a day and a half with hand tools... it was totally worth it.
When I had him do the halfshaft and rear brakes on my car, somehow they had popped the shaft back out of the trans and the car wouldn't move. When he said he'd like til the next day to make it right, I remembered I had the front brakes as well to do. I took them in, and he did the front brakes for free due to the halfshaft issue. I went ahead and paid him the 1 hour time anyways, because honesty & good service is worth every penny!
Wonder if he has everything paid off and is doing it more for fun? Beats me, bucks the tread TBH--but what the heck, if you have this option, by all means, run with it.
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On a lift and if I rushed, I would be willing to bet I could slap new rotors and pads on all 4 wheels of either Nissan in my signature (brakes are the same for either) in an hour. - I don't work that way so no matter, but there likely the easiest brakes I have ever touched. No rust here either. Wheel off, 2 bolts and the caliper is off, one whack and the disk if off, compress caliper, slap on new pads and the coat hanger spring thingy - back together. Maybe have to adjust the e-brakes on the back and that takes a little more, depends. I
Of course then I would need to go find a friend help bleed them. That would take an hour by itself. Ha.
Its very vehicle dependent.
Now if I had to do a drum brake again it would likely take me several hours to chase down the shoe springs that went flying on attempted install.
OP already tried that and it didn't work out. Surprised to see a shop quote a go away price for brakes, those are usually the gravy jobs they love.
