I heard the squeal indicator on one of my brake pads while breaking and realized my brake pads where getting thin. For those of you who don't know, brake pad manufacturers put a small piece of metal next to their pads, which will cause the brakes to squeal as it touches the brake rotor when the pad has worn to a depth where it needs to be replaced. I know this because I have changed the brakes on my wife's car and my own car at least 4 times, and happen to be a mechanical engineer.
I entered Just Brakes, for their 99.88 replacement of my pads, because I didn't have the time to do it myself before going on a long road trip. I know that you can purchase 4 new sets ofbrake pads for around $60 dollars and $40 dollars in labor sounds very reasonable. Even if they wanted to charge me $100 in labor I would have been willing to pay but NOT EVEN CLOSE. After Just Brakes "inspection", which should be called "pull apart your brake assemblies and point to stuff while spewing out BS about what needs to be fixed", their suggested amount to fix my "problems" was $1,200!!!
List of Things they tried to claim need to be fixed:
1. Front rotors below minimum OEM thickness and must be thrown away. $160 apiece. Recommended minimum thickness for Ford OEM rotors 1.12" which includes any where that might occur with a new pad change. Measured thickness at Just Brakes 1.117". That's 3 thousandths of an inch! They REFUSED to put new pads on my vehicle, without changing the rotors because the DOT will not allow them to if the rotors are below the manufacturer's recommended thickness. This is complete horse manure! PLEASE find me a set it stone DOT document that states this. Another reputable dealer put new pads on the next day! By the way a new rotor will cost you no more than $60 at autozone, if you own a full size pickup. Much less if you own a car.
2. My brake fluid has "sediment" in it an needs to be fushed. $147. And by the way this needs to be done once a year or your brake system might fail. WHAT?!? I can buy newbrake fluid for $7 and siphone out the old fluid with a turkey baster.By the way, if your brake fluid contains WATER, and you are doing heavy braking, like towing a trailer down a mountain, the water might boil when coming in contact with a hot brake cylinder and cause brake issues. Never in my life have I heard of "sediment" causing a problem and by the way, how do you suggest "sediment" got in my closed hydrolic loop?!? More horse manure.
3. My caliper assembly is sticking and needs to be replaced on the two back wheels. $247 a piece. After his BS about minimum rotor thickness and sediment I stopped listening to his explanation.
4. Brake fluid has seeped out of my back rear braking assembly and "contaminated" my parking brake assembly. $300 to replace assembly.
5. Etc, etc, etc,
Total: $1200.
When asked which of these "services" I wanted to have performed. I simply stated "I want you to replace my pads" after which they answered. "The DOT will not allow us to replace your pads if yourotors are below the minimum thickness, Your minimum bill is $462. At which time I said, fine, I'll do it myself, Please put my brakes back together. Then I left.
The next day, I went to a 5 Star rated, honest mechanic and had my brakes inspected. He said you need new pads on all four tires, but the rest of your brake system is fine. I had him replace them all and I gladly paid him $325.
DO NOT FALL VICTIM TO JUST BRAKES RIP OFF TACTICS!!! Go anywhere else! $99.88 is just a tactic to get you in the door so they can try and confuse and scare you into parting with your money. Beware! Beware! Beware!!
0 comments