Car brake repair....am I getting ripped off?

[slim]

So my car is making grinding noises whenever I press the brakes (from rear ir sounds like). Even after I let go the brakes, it continues to make grinding noises for a while and then stops. I take it in to Canadian Tire Auto Center and they tell me I need:

-both front and rear rotors replaced
-rear and front calipers replaced
-brake pads replaced
-flush complete brake system
-flush power steering fluid
- shampoo engine and install dye.


All this work is about 1200 bucks and takes about 3-4 hrs. Is this reasonable? WHy do I have to shampoo engine (what does that mean)? And do I need to flush power steering fluid?
Car is a 02 CRV and has 155K km (not miles).

I know nothing about cars and I feel like they are taking me to the cleaners. [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[sawseech]

that's alot of labor. + flushing/replacing the brake fluid is an expensive endeavor. iunno. if ur getting jammed, it's not by much.

[esad]

That grinding you hear is metal on metal which means the calipers are probably shot. So it makes sense that they would want to replace those, but they should only need to replace the rear ones if that is the trouble.

This:

-flush complete brake system
-flush power steering fluid
- shampoo engine and install dye.

Not needed at all. I mean wtf does steering fluid have to do with the brakes?

[slim]

[ QUOTE ]
That grinding you hear is metal on metal which means the calipers are probably shot. So it makes sense that they would want to replace those, but they should only need to replace the rear ones if that is the trouble.

This:

-flush complete brake system
-flush power steering fluid
- shampoo engine and install dye.

Not needed at all. I mean wtf does steering fluid have to do with the brakes?

[/ QUOTE ]

I guess it doesnt have anything to do with brakes but they probably checked it and thinks it needs to be done.If they have never been done and there are 155K km on the car, is it recommended? What happens if you never shampoo engine?

[SVTHORD]

Flushing the brake fluid system is a very good idea when changing the calipers. Air in your brake fluid is a bad thing.
I don't know what the power steering fluid has to do with anything. With that many miles it's not a bad thing to have changed though.
I would definitely question the shampoo engine and install dye thing though? I'm guessing they are checking for a leak but I don't know what leak?

[slim]

[ QUOTE ]
Flushing the brake fluid system is a very good idea when changing the calipers. Air in your brake fluid is a bad thing.
I don't know what the power steering fluid has to do with anything. With that many miles it's not a bad thing to have changed though.
I would definitely question the shampoo engine and install dye thing though? I'm guessing they are checking for a leak but I don't know what leak?

[/ QUOTE ]

I just got off the phone with them and told them to go ahead with the repair without the engine shampoo and power steering flush. Everytime I take my car to the mechanic, I get stressed out. They got you by the short and curlies if you don't know much about cars. They probably see me as a big fish.

[slim]

Anyone knowledgable about cars, please answer this. Is it cheaper to drive the car until the brakes grind and then pay $1K to fix them including the rotors and calipers or is it cheaper to replace the brake pads every so often. I assume replacing the brake pads will prevent the rotors and calipers from dammage? So if I drive the car for 200K, how many times will I go through rotors/calipers if I dont change the pads versus how many times will I need to change the pads over the course of 200K km?

[blinden84]

there are so many variables depending on the car and the breaks you have. Some rotors last a lot better then others, same with pads, on my old car I usually just let the rotors trash themselves because they cost $30. My new car, the rotors are like $200.

It's really easy also to replace yourself, but I don't know what your time/technical experience is like. $1k seems like a lot, but, like I said, depends on the actual car.

Also... wrong forum man!

[Quanah Parker]

I thinik you're getting screwed bad.

If your car hasn't been making these sounds for long(like months), you might only need new pads. I question the rotors and calipers needing replacement, and especially the engine shampoo. The suggestion of the engine shampoo alone means these guys are shady.

I would NOT let them do the work, and would take your car somewhere else for an appraisal. I know it's a pain in the azz, but unless paying 4 times as much as you should is OK with you, then shop around.

If you let these guys do the work, the DEMAND the old caplipers, rotors, and pads after the work is complete. Tell them now, so they can't BS you that they threw them away. They should be much less inclined to screw you if you make them produce some evidence that you really needed such thorough repair.
Then take the old parts to a friend, or another mechanic to verify the parts are worn, AND that they actually fit your car.

Disclaimer, I'm not mr. car, but I do change my own brake pads, and I haven't needed to do that more than that twice in 110k miles.

[Benal]

Just to give you an idea on prices, I paid almost $700 for a standard brake job on an Audi A4.