How often do you need new brake rotors?

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Elkins45

Elkins45

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It sounds to me like it was either in very heavy traffic all the time or beat on, just based on clutch and brake jobs. I'd stay away.
 
It was owned in PA and Ohio, two states known for severe rust. A little over 25k per set of pads/rotors. Two years is enough time to get lots of rust (and non-coated rotors rust overnight!) I always replace rotors along with the pads.

In addition, these cars were known for clutch problems, especially in the early years 03-04, but the 05+ aren't 100% immune

It's also possible that it's a shady dealer hosing a customer, especially if the owner was old.
 
I tend to get 5 years from rotors. That might be one or two pad sets (my truck eats brake pads, my daily drivers don't). They get all sorts of grooves but I just wait for the pads to wear out and do them at the same time. Road salt.
 
Rotors life is very dependent on multiple things - rotor metal quality, brake pads used, vehicle itself, driving habits and maybe more. Organic and most ceramic pads are easier on rotors than semi-metallic pads. Heavy stop and go driving is worse than mostly highway when your really not even using them. A heavy truck or suv requires more stopping power and wear on the braking system but they also come with heavier duty brakes normally except for Lexus. Those tiny pads surprise me they even stop the big Lexus.

Most likely an 05 Vibe had ceramic pads from factory and shoddy/cheap brake jobs need repaired more often. They might be better at first but quickly return to a state of not performing well.

Looking at that Carfax might have been an older or younger person that possibly did whatever was recommended to them not knowing what it really needed. Oftentimes service shops will recommend money making jobs that someone more knowledgeable of vehicles would know is not needed. brake jobs are easy money makers with immediate customer satisfaction as they rarely are not smoother or better than what they were so an easy good upsell item with high markup / margins.
 
Originally Posted by Elkins45
Here's a link to a carfax for a 2005 Pontiac Vibe with 110K miles that is apparently on its fourth set of brake rotors.

https://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory/p/Report.cfx?vin=5Y2SL63865Z481301&partner=CAA_0

What I find most interesting is that apparently the old ones were occasionally resurfaced right before they were replaced. Hmmm...

It's also on its second clutch. All work appparently done at the same shop.

Originally Posted by Elkins45
Here's a link to a carfax for a 2005 Pontiac Vibe with 110K miles that is apparently on its fourth set of brake rotors.

https://www.carfax.com/VehicleHistory/p/Report.cfx?vin=5Y2SL63865Z481301&partner=CAA_0

What I find most interesting is that apparently the old ones were occasionally resurfaced right before they were replaced. Hmmm...

It's also on its second clutch. All work appparently done at the same shop.



I had a 2003 Pontiac vibe with a standard transmission. I sold it at 276,000 miles. It needed brakes about every 100,000 miles (I changed rotor too since they are so cheap) and still had the original clutch which was functioning fine. The driving was 60% highway and 40% in town. I live in the rust belt so I doubt it was corrosion that got the rotors. Likely lots of in town driving or someone who rode the clutch and brake.
 
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My daughter had a Pontiac Grand Prix of that vintage that required multiple warranty rotor replacements due to pulsation. After about 3 OEM resurfacings/replacements that failed, I finally replaced the rotors with Autozone rotors and the problem went away. Go figure.

But, the Vibe is more of a Toyota than a GM platform, so who knows?
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I have replaced them once on my '98 LS400 around 200K and twice on my '02 4Runner around 175K and 185K. I did it twice on my 4Runner as the first time I got replacements from NAPA and they warped in about 10K so I replaced them with Toyota rotors and have not had a problem. I would only get OEM. Also, I have never been happy with any resurfacing I had done. Now, that may be because I didn't go the the "right" shop. I don't know. But as for me and my house, I will always buy new OEM Toyota rotors and never resurface. Unless Trav would do it for me.
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I bought my jeep brand new. @6000 miles it developed a shake when stopping. The dealer turned the rotors and sent me on my way. @11000 miles it happened again.

This time I bit the bullet and bought new autozone gold pads and Duralast rotors. These worked flawlessly until 110000 miles. The pads were getting thin so I just threw a cheap set of pads on it.

The cheap pads made so much black soot on my rims that I took them off @130000 miles. Now my rotors we're too thin so I replaced them with more duralast ones with gold pads. Now @177000 miles.
 
Rotor wear is mainly influenced by pad materials. Despite the hoo ha most all rotors are comparable materials, just machining accuracy/quality varies wildly.

I have run rotors for the lifetime of a 3500 van that weighed 9200 pounds every day. That's 250k miles plus.

Just like ice cream, over a million flavors...
 
Good question. I changed out my pads on my truck at 135,000 miles and noticed a great deal of difference in stopping power for about 1,000 miles. Now they are horrible and squeak when not even on the pedal. There is plenty of thickness on the rotos, but I think they were supposed to be roughed up some with sand paper or something.
 
Not sure about the Vibes, but many GM rotors can't be resurfaced, they would be too thin. On many small cars, rotors have gotten cheaper than the cost to resurface them anyway!
 
Years ago it seems the rotors would thin out and shimmy at 90K. Now my experience is all over the place, usually they last longer.

I'd always get a kick out of "trophies" displayed at brake shops.... rotors that have worn down to the fins!
 
Originally Posted by slacktide_bitog
It's also possible that it's a shady dealer hosing a customer, especially if the owner was old.

My Prius came with receipts from a dealer in Plattsburgh, NY. Original owner spent $480 for rear shoes and drums. That's it. Work order said "OMG the drums are rusty" and the customer went along.

I mean, jeez, it's a car for stingy miserly people, why would they put up with that?
 
Chris 142, paint the wheels dark grayish black matte. Soft cheap pads save rotors, but they sure ugly up an alloy wheel. Most of my rotor replacements were due to not paying attention. Rusty rotors clean right up after a few stops.
 
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