Did I overpay for new brakes?

[BrianB]

It's been a long time since I had to have brake work done. The car is a 2012 Hyundai Elantra Touring GLS. It's primarily driven by our daughter.

The car has 4-wheel disc brakes, original from when we bought it new, and has 88k miles. The pads were down to just 2 - 3 mm and the rotors were too thin to resurface.

The shop replaced all four rotors and installed new ceramic pads. Total cost out-the-door was $749.99. Lifetime warranty on the parts & 12k mile warranty on the labor.

The cost seemed high to me, but we want our daughter to be safe! What do you think?

Bonus question: We didn't have the fluid replaced. Should we do that too, considering the age & mileage?

Brian

 

[ajs56]

It seems like a lot, but I'm not sure it's too high. I replaced 4 rotors and pads on my 2013 F150 at the dealership and it cost about $650. No doubt my rotors and pads were larger, but parts on foreign cars do tend to run higher.

 

[pb4uski]

$750 for front and rear pads and rotors doesn't seem too bad to me.

I don't think I have ever replaced brake fluid and I've never had a problem, si I would pass on that. YMMV.

 

[street]

I think you got a good deal. If you just had the pads installed I would say a little high but that is what they charge around here.

I did mine a few years ago and the parts were less then 70$ and I did the work myself. It took me all day to do all 4 wheels. When you don't do these tasks often it takes twice as long. LOL

 

[Gumby]

Based on a quick Amazon search, the 4 new rotors and all ceramic pads would run you about $140 plus tax just for the parts, so you paid about $600 for the labor. Based on having done my own brakes a number of times on several different cars, it is a job that takes 3-4 hours at home. I'm sure they do it more quickly in the shop because they have all the proper tools and do it more often. If you don't have the proper space, the proper tools and the knowledge to do the job yourself, you are necessarily at the mercy of the shop.

I would also have replaced the brake fluid if I were doing the job myself. It is not difficult or expensive, but it is recommended every three years or so, because brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture) and moisture can decrease the effectiveness of the brake system. The hardest part about doing it at home was getting the young wife to help by pumping the brake pedal when I needed it.

 

[H2ODude]

I'll confess to not having to have to do brakes in a long time, we trade in before that's become an issue. We don't put more than 6-7k miles a year on vehicles last ten years or so. But, my recollection of earlier times was that it was rare to replace rotors....it was something that was only because you'd let the pads go down so far that they damaged the rotors. I've heard of more "warped rotors" and other reasons shops use to call for replacement. Is this a newer phenomenon that I'm missing? Any car nuts have observation?

 

[Gumby]

In the old days, you would turn the rotors on a lathe if they were warped. But new rotors are so cheap and easily available now that they just replace them instead.

 

[pb4uski]

My understanding is that rotor replacement is more common today because rotors are built with cheaper steel and in many cases recycled steel.... and in the NE they get torn up by salt and brine.

I recall about 10 years ago DS brakes were making noises and we took it to our local shop... who I trust and have treated me well over the years... the guys says he needs new rotors... I respond that the shop had put new rotors on about a year ago and less than 10k miles ago... the guy checks and sure enough that was the case.... he replaced them for free.... I suspect he then make a claim against his parts supplier under the 12 month warranty for the rotors or he ate the replacement.

 

[ls99]

Last year on a 2012 Cadillac cts, 4 brake rotors, most expensive NAPA brake shoes, tire balancing and rotataion was around $450 at favorite independent shop. Am getting too lazy to do stuff on cars. Besides it would cut into my skating or kayaking or dancing time.

 

[Amethyst]

I think a lot depends on how labor rates run where you live. We have always lived in higher-priced areas, so your price seems fair to me. Repair shops usually post their labor rates per hour (what you pay, not what the mechanic makes) and you can compare one shop with another.

 

[Jerry1]

Yes, you paid too much. Now if your daughter was in an accident and got even a minor injury, you’d be ecstatic to pay what you paid for the brakes to make that go away. Right? God forbid something worse happen. You did the right thing. Don’t look back. No matter how much you overpaid, it’s not much in the grand scheme of things and it was done right. Yes, I would have the fluid changed. Probably won’t worry about it at this point, but next time it’s in. Haven’t bought a used car in a long time, but when I did, I always figured $1K to $2K for the basics right out of the gate. Tires, brakes, suspension and check the belts and hoses. Just the cost of driving. Go enjoy dinner with your daughter.

 

[RobbieB]

Brake rotors are made from cast iron.

 

[BrianB]

Thanks all for the comments.

Jerry1, you said almost exactly what my Wife said. Yes, it's a small thing in the Grand Scheme. I guess I'm the frugal one (cheapskate?) in our house for fretting over the idea of paying too much.

 

[Car-Guy]

Rough guess is you paid about $500 on labor, the rest was for parts (give or take $50) Most disk brake jobs are extremely easy (IMO) and usually only required basic hand tools and a couple of hours. Much easier than working on drum brakes. Unless a disk is wrapped, or damaged in some manner, I typically just resurface them myself with sandpaper. Is $500 to much for such labor? Certainly not if you try to do it yourself and don't know what your doing and then have an accident (or worse) because of it.

I never scrimp on brakes or tires. Typically I'll buy the best and replace them well before most folks would say they are needed.

I usually don't replace the brake fluid unless I'm having a problem "like a spongy brake pedal". (Which usually means air and/or water got in the system.) If you do, just be sure you don't get any contaminates in the system and bleed the air out of the lines. The basic brake stuff....

Which reminds me, if you are doing your own brake job, then don't add any brake fluid until the rest of the job is done. Then check the fluid levels and add "if necessary". Anyone who has done their own brake job "should" understand why.

 

[JoeWras]

Which reminds me, if you are doing your own brake job, then don't add any brake fluid until the rest of the job is done. Then check the fluid levels and add "if necessary". Anyone who has done their own brake job "should" understand why.

Uh, I once discovered "why". BTW, I still do my own brake pad and rotors, at least for now. I stopped working on the lines though. Years ago, I replaced a master cylinder, and let's just say bleeding that sucker was a nightmare! So I seem to not like opening lines since then.

As to the OP and the deal. It is what you paid. If the job is done well, then move on.

I still suggest for brakes that people shop around a bit and try independents. I've noticed the dealers are really charging a high premium for this work. It is very necessary work and one of the few things they can get you on the schedule for these days because frankly cars have become really reliable.

It is easy for the dealers to tap into an emotional element with brake work. So, check the independents. For simple pad and rotor, they should do a fine job.

 

[flyingaway]

I paid $1,000 for 4 rotors and break pads a few years ago.

 

[davebarnes]

Brake rotors are made from cast iron.

Not always.
Brake Rotors: The Six Different TypesNAPA Know How Blog

 

[ziggy29]

To some degree it depends on local cost of living, but that sounds like high end of normal range to me. Not outrageous, but perhaps a bit on the high side.

Agreed with the above about not pinching too many pennies when it comes to my tires and my brakes.

 

[SonofCohoes]

Getting 88k out of pads and rotors these days is pretty good. For 749 you did ok, does that lifetime warranty travel to a new owner?

 

[ziggy29]

Getting 88k out of pads and rotors these days is pretty good. For 749 you did ok, does that lifetime warranty travel to a new owner?

It has been about 20 years since we've had a brake job done. In 2015 we traded in a 2006 Civic with 120,000 miles on it. Last year we sold my 2005 Toyota Matrix to a friend in Texas before we moved to Oregon; it had 112,000 miles on it. Both of them still had their original brakes and were inspected at every oil change. The last time I had brake work done was probably around 2000, when I had a '94 Thunderbird which had a frustrating habit of warping rotors.

 

[My Dream]

Having worked at Goodyear and Firestone as a service advisor in my younger years, and doing all my own automotive work from rebuilding two engines and doing a body off restoration (1800 hrs) on a classic car here is my take on this.

As with brake pads as well as rotors there is a good, better, best quality. Also knows as Economy, Coated, Daily Driver, Performance in each brand of rotors as well as pads. Cost of each rotor can range from $15.00 each to $100.00 each, depending on whether you purchased, Raybestos, Durago, Centric, Power Stop, AcDelco, Wagner, Bendix, Brembo, Bosch, etc.

To give and educated answer, we would need to know the manufacture as well as the quality of both the rotors and brake pads, as well as any other materials used, such as seals, guide pins, etc, in order to give you an informed answer.

 

[Gumby]

Which reminds me, if you are doing your own brake job, then don't add any brake fluid until the rest of the job is done. Then check the fluid levels and add "if necessary". Anyone who has done their own brake job "should" understand why.

Well, yeah, if you're just topping off, you won't have to, because the new pads are thicker than the ones you took off. But if you're replacing the fluid, it doesn't matter. I still change my brake fluid every 3 years, alternating between yellow and blue (I still have a substantial stock of ATE Super Blue Racing).

 

[ERD50]

...
I would also have replaced the brake fluid if I were doing the job myself. It is not difficult or expensive, but it is recommended every three years or so, because brake fluid is hygroscopic (absorbs moisture) and moisture can decrease the effectiveness of the brake system. ...

+1 My Uncle was an airline mechanic, and he felt this was important due to that hygroscopic nature you mentioned, and I've read from other reliable sources.

When I asked our independent guy about having the brake fluid flushed, he said they always did it for us as part of a brake job, so he didn't feel it was needed at that time, for us (based on the timing of the most recent brake job, or anticipating it in the near future).

In old days, you would turn the rotors on a lathe if they were warped. But new rotors are so cheap and easily available now that they just replace them instead.

I've also heard that they are just thinner, to reduce un-sprung weight and maybe increase mpg by 0.01 (which all adds up with a hundred different things like that).

-ERD50

 

[REWahoo]

OP, I've found the repair cost estimates on this website are reasonably accurate: https://repairpal.com/

Here are the results when I plugged in your car and the brake repairs you specified using my zip, and I live in a LCOL area. Looks to me like no, you didn't overpay.

 

[freedomatlast]

Brake work has to a huge profit maker for these shops. I've always done my own brake work and if you have basic hand tools and some mechanical ability, there is nothing difficult about it. There has to be at least $600 profit in the OP's job and using a lift and using pneumatic tools, the shop couldn't have more than 2 hours total in that job.