Did I overpay for new brakes?

[NW-Bound]

Here's another Youtube video at the same NRS brake pad factory as the previous video.

This one goes more into the making of the brake pads, and not into as much depth of testing. You will see the same red-hot rotor.

At the end of the video you can see how easy it is to change out the brake pads and rotors. Usually, for me it is not as clean an operation as that because something is always sticking and requires some hammering and prying. But among car repair and maintenance activities, brake jobs are among the simplest.

 

[RetMD21]

I use a local shop that seems to be good about standing behind their work. They can beat the dealers. I am pleased about how long brakes last since they are all better than the Chevette I drove in the 80's. It needed brake jobs at 15-20,000 mile intervals. Although it was cheap it was disruptive to have it in the shop so often.

 

[catii]

Find a local repair shop that you can trust. I just had the same work done on my Chevy truck, & the cost out the door was $307.75. Two-day service.

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

Here's another perspective on brake pads

Personally, I replace my own brakes, and always use Akebono. Even Scotty agrees, FWIW.

One thing to watch for, if you pay for a brake job, is if they completely replace the brake fluid, or just use the turkey baster approach, as Eric the Car guy explains.

 

[usafmd]

DIY

As many have said here, changing pads and rotors is easy. Bleeding brake fluid is easier still. If you are really focused on the cost, you should consider learning how to do it yourself. Few people make $150/hour in their leisure.

 

[JoeWras]

Brakes burn up descending long mountain grades, especially with a trailer or a load.

Every time we are in the NC mountains on I-40, headed east out of Asheville, the smell of friction surfaces obtaining high temperature fills the air.

Yes. And I don't know if young drivers know to downshift anymore going down long grades.

Great point!

My DW can downshift and knows how, she drives a manual. But she is clueless on downshifting my automatic CVT car. I always drive the mountain roads. (Hint, Dear, there are paddles on the wheel.)

PRNDL123 is gone. PRND mostly. The L or 123 seems to be history. I've got PRNDM, although I don't need the M to downshift, just hitting the "-" paddle is good enough for a temporary downshif.

 

[JoeWras]

This mountain thing reminds me of the runaway truck ramps you see on many mountain roads. I've seen them in use on I-40 near Asheville. Less than in the past, but they still get occasional use.

A bit farther north, on US-52 near Mt. Airy (Mayberry) NC, there is a NC welcome center on the state line. This occurs after a 15 mile downhill run out of the mountains in SW VA. It is kind of humorous, maybe not really, that the welcome center has signs saying "Check Brakes", and then as a final backup plan, they have a sign and road saying "Runaway truck lane". Basically, if a vehicle comes through and has no brakes, you are supposed to just run through the lane (which has truck parking) and proceed to your manifest destiny down later on the road. Just don't crash through the rest area...