QuestionHi Harold,
Thank you for taking my question. I just had a brake job done on my 1999 Cavalier LS and I'm curious to know if you think I got a fair price. I live in the Los Angeles area (if that makes a difference).
My invoice says "replaced frt and rear brakes turn rotors and drums". Cost $510.66, including the following parts - 2 Brake Cln @ $5/each, 1 Pad Kit @ $89 and 1 Shoe Kit @ $60.
What is the difference between having my brake pads replaced and having my brakes replaced? I didn't really know there was a difference but a friend of mine thought there was. She thought the price was fair if I had had my brakes replaced but if it was just my brake pads, then I was overcharged. She also said that brake pads should regularly be replaced to avoid having to replace the brakes.
Based on the description above, what has happened to my car? I know these are things I should ask my mechanic (but alas, it is late on a Saturday night and I'm anxious to know).
Thanks,
Susan
AnswerHaving the brakes replaced and having the brake pads replaced are the same thing. There can be more things that need to be replaced during a brake job like, rotors, drums, hardware, huses, etc. But a basic brake job usually includes replacing the pads or shoes and resufacing the rotors or drums.
I took the total minus the price of the parts and I figured 2 hours of labor on the front and 2 hours on the rear and figured that the labor rate is between $80-$90 per hour. I'm not sure of the labor rates in LA but here in Ohio they are around $75 per hour. So it sounds like they charged you a fair price.
What was done to your car would be: the front calipers, pads and rotors were removed, the rotoors were put on a machine that cuts them to make them smooth again, the pads were replaced and basically the same thing on the rear except that the shoes were replaced and the drums were cut.
Now you can relay this info on to your friend so that she will know when she is getting ripped off.
