Brake Service - Is this a fair price?

AsianXL wrote: ↑ Car: 05 Toyota Matrix
Service: Rear Brake Service

My mechanic said I need a rear brake pad replacement. He said there's very little left and quoted me $430 for parts and labour.

Is that a fair price?

Just the pad? Pads are like 30-40$. I bought mine for $28 from Rock Auto and installed them myself (front). If it includes rotors, then I think it's fair as those are an extra $100.

MrBungal wrote: ↑ Just the pad? Pads are like 30-40$. I bought mine for $28 from Rock Auto and installed them myself (front). If it includes rotors, then I think it's fair as those are an extra $100.

Yup it includes rotors.

seems a bit steep, from the rockauto website, the best aftermarket rear drums are like $55 each and shoes $60. So I am guessing $250 or so in parts with shipping and taxes.

OP: If the price includes taxes and shop charges and it's for quality parts, it's fair - not super great but fair. I personally prefer coated rotors and ceramic brakes but if you have steel wheels and can't see your rotors - and given that they're rear brakes - it doesn't matter. Just don't go economy. I like Power Stop, Centric, and Raybestos. Also, OEM.

Jigsaw wrote: ↑ seems a bit steep, from the rockauto website, the best aftermarket rear drums are like $55 each and shoes $60. So I am guessing $250 or so in parts with shipping and taxes.

OP is citing pads/rotors not drums/shoes.

Drum brakes are a bit more complex to replace than disc as the shoes and the extra springs take a bit of time. However, the replacement of the drum is dead simple as literally, instead of putting the old drum back on, you take the new out of the box, spray it with brake cleaner and install in the place of the old drum. Anything more than a few bucks for labour to replace a drum when the shoes are being replaced is pure highway robbery. Things were different when they used to turn the drums as there was actually much more of the mechanics time involved as well as equipment.

One thing that you should ensure that the mechanic does and is included in the price is a bleeding of the brakes to replace the brake fluid especially if you don't remember the last time you had that done.

Brakes and rotors typically allot 1.5 hrs of labour per front/back. So assume $150 of labour if the shop rate is $100 + parts. If he's using OEM toyota stuff... probably not far off.

Unless OP has an XRS trim 2005 Matrix/Vibe he is talking about drums.

Sounds like mechanic has judged the drums need replacing, not just the shoes, so quote is fair for OEM parts.

If it is an XRS with rear discs, quote is OK but maybe a bit on the high side for an indy.

Which brand rotors and brake pads? If he is using cheap ones price is too steep. Best to buy the parts and pay him for labor. Most places will change all 4 rotors and pads for $150-$200. Amazon has the Centric Rotors for $50 each so $100 and Bosch Quietcast brake pads for $54. So $174 for parts and labor should be $100. So no more than $300 total.

craftsman wrote: ↑Drum brakes are a bit more complex to replace than disc as the shoes and the extra springs take a bit of time. However, the replacement of the drum is dead simple as literally, instead of putting the old drum back on, you take the new out of the box, spray it with brake cleaner and install in the place of the old drum. Anything more than a few bucks for labour to replace a drum when the shoes are being replaced is pure highway robbery. Things were different when they used to turn the drums as there was actually much more of the mechanics time involved as well as equipment.

One thing that you should ensure that the mechanic does and is included in the price is a bleeding of the brakes to replace the brake fluid especially if you don't remember the last time you had that done.

You in BC? If the car has seen salt, it's going to be seized. Removing drums frequently can turn into a 30 min smack down

Sounds fair for a dealer price, every car i ever took back to the dealer for service on brake pads and rotors come in at or very close to the $450 plus tax range. Add tax into that and you can see why i never go to the dealer unless my vehicle is new in order to have future documented hassle free warranty service should it require.

Once out of warranty range or on a used car i take it to my local trusted mechanic, brake rotor and pads are $250 - $300 out the door as they say...lol.

AsianXL wrote: ↑ Car: 05 Toyota Matrix
Service: Rear Brake Service

My mechanic said I need a rear brake pad replacement. He said there's very little left and quoted me $430 for parts and labour.

Is that a fair price?

@AsianXL

These types of posts with vague descriptions are not very helpful to get a reasonable estimate.

Are you using OEM Toyota parts or aftermarket? If they are OEM Toyota, then I would say $430 tax in may not be bad. I don't own a Matrix, but a 2012 Camry and the cost for OEM parts are $90 per rotor and $90 for the pads. Factor in some labour time and Around $400ish is not bad. Now, if they are using aftermarket parts, than $430 is pretty expensive as decent quality parts could probably be had for about $150 given Rotors and pads are around $50 each. Factor in about hour labour and $280 would be a more fair estimate.

So what parts is the mechanic going to change out? Pads and Rotors only?

Kasakato wrote: ↑ You in BC? If the car has seen salt, it's going to be seized. Removing drums frequently can turn into a 30 min smack down

But it's the SAME required to remove the old drum whether or not it's going to be replaced. So, it really doesn't matter in terms of labour to remove the drum. Even if there is excessive salt or rust damage, that damage would need to be repaired regardless if it's a new drum going back on or the used one.

craftsman wrote: ↑ But it's the SAME required to remove the old drum whether or not it's going to be replaced. So, it really doesn't matter in terms of labour to remove the drum. Even if there is excessive salt or rust damage, that damage would need to be repaired regardless if it's a new drum going back on or the used one.

If the drum has a spindle nut holding it on and it's being replaced, the bearing or hub will need to be pressed out of the old drum and swapped into the new drum which adds to the labor time. It's possible it comes with a bearing and hub already installed, but I haven't seen one so far.

Or if you install a new bearing or hub without swapping from the old drum,it still has to be pressed in, which still adds labor.

If the drum to be replaced just sits on the hub, then there's slightly less labor to replace, as there is no cleaning/machining of the old drum.

So it really depends on the vehicle design.