brake question

[stuffy]

i come here to hopefully cure my ignorance regarding brake service,

my 06 hatchback has about 100,000 kms (60,000 miles) on it and has never had any brake service done,
i had them checked about 20,000 kms ago and apparently they were fine- how fine i'm not sure.

i just had them checked at the dealership yesterday and apparently the front brakes are in terrible condition (i haven't noticed anything from a driving standpoint, either feel or noise)
they said the pads have to be replaced as well as the rotors, because the rotors are too rusty???
just some background on my car and driving habits- i have a manual which i downshift at every stop- i coast to stops and am very conscious about using my brakes.

so they want to ding me for about $700 cad to do the job ( as well as adjust the rear brakes).

does this sound reasonable to brake experts out there?

[Yaris Hilton]

That's about what I had to pay at a Goodyear store over the Christmas holidays a couple of years ago to fix my daughter's Echo when she let the pads wear beyond the point of needing replacement and they dug into the discs. I could've gotten it done cheaper at an independent shop had it not been in the holiday season.

[AND189]

to rusty ??? bullshit mate if you drive this car every day... your car should have a log book service evry 10000km or 6 months where they check brakes. worst case your rotors a fucked from a worn pad in witch case if you are handy with your tools get the parts your self it is very easy to do it may well be cheaper to get new disc / fixed and pads knockem out one arvo dont take no crap from the dealer... ask to see the rusty parts and take it to an a brake fixer see what they say

[stuffy]

well problem is i'm not handy with the tools...

i appreciate the input, i think i'll get a second look at these brakes.

i just checked and it was just under a year ago, (at 16, 000 kms ago) that they were checked- there's been no indication from a driving standpoint that the brakes were in poor condition, that is why i'm at a loss. as for rust, i'm not sure what that's all about- my car is driven almost everyday.

[severous01]

too rusty is a BS case. unless they talkin rear drums and you've been 4-wheelin in the yaris...i dont think you'll have a problem

now, on second thought, they could be talking drums. if you slow down slowly and only use rear brakes (they apply first, and you can notice when the discs kick in) to stop in most slow-stop applications, you may need drums. also, if something harsh got in there it is possible to weaken the shoe material and make it softer than normal and wear much faster ... i.e. mud and saltwater...

if he's talkin discs and pads, he's trying to get a sale. too rusty??? the only thing on the rotor that should rust is the hat, where the hub goes into the rotor and the wheel presses against. that's normal. it's gonna rust on day 1 on a fresh install...just happens.

you can spray paint (do NOT powder coat rotors...it retains heat) the hat and the fins inside the rotor to prevent/postpone rust. looks good black in my opinion...or silver.

[stuffy]

yeah, it's not the rear drums as these are the front brakes- the rear drums need an adjustment which i think it probably the case

[bobolinko]

There is no way the area riding on the pads get "too rusty", and that's the important part of the brake system. Otherwise it would be only cosmetic. If the brakes stop the car now, the pads are rubbing on the disk, and that means they actually tend to clean the same surface they touch.....

Rusting, that's absurd !!!

they want to probably change the rear view mirror oil too.....

I'd advise you to get another quote from a reputable place like Les Schwab Tire Ctr or Midas, even.......

[stuffy]

will do! thanks for all of the input!

[Yaris Hilton]

But if the pads have worn completely out and steel caliper parts are digging into the discs it may be valid. You'd be hearing a grinding noise when you put the brakes on.

[stuffy]

no grinding noise at all-no squeaking, no grinding- the brakes feel fine too, no grabbiness or softness

[ctrj]

You can check your brakes yourself. Pull the front tires off and unbolt the caliper and pop the pads out. It takes less than 15 mins to do. I have 97k on my original pads and they still have quite a bit of life left.

[Lucas13]

You can remove the front wheels, take some good close up pictures from the rotors, brake pads and post them here. I’m pretty sure that many of us that have some knowledge in brakes can help you better, many shops or stealers like to take advantage on people especially when it comes to brakes or stuff that compromise your safety.

[RedRide]

Rotors have to be repaced becaue they are too rusty?
This should be a tip off to you that they are flat out lying to you!
Rotors are cast iron and there is no way to prevent them from rusting. The braking surface itself wiil rust after a rain storm and are wiped clean again when the brakes are applied.

A dealer is the worst possible place to get brakes as they will brutally rape you for them.
Brake jobs are a big money maker and just about every repair shop does brake jobs.

Example:
I recenly had new brakes all around installed on my Celica.
The dealer wated $650
The small, privately owned repair shop near me wanted $225 for the same exact thing.

So, shop around for a good price after making shure they acually need replacing as milage is not a good indicator of brake wear.
:smile: