So it’s time to do something about your car’s brakes. They have been squeaking awhile now, and now it’s making uglier noises. Before you go searching for a repair shop, let me impart some knowledge so you are better armed.
First, no one can give you an accurate price until they inspect your car. Because things are subjected to intense heat from friction, while braking, stuff wears out. The only way to know whats worn is to look at it. The initial inspection should be free, but if you decide not to buy, they may want to charge you for time spent. Which brings me to Point #2….the person who talks to you should be able to explain what’s worn and WHY it needs replacing. If the price seems unusually high, ask questions. Ask for a breakdown of all the parts, and why each particular part requires replacement.
Another thing to consider is whether or not the brake rotors are being machined. The quality of this operation depends on a lot of things…sharpness of cutting bits, quality of the machine and the experience of the operator. If not done right, it can cause more problems than it can solve. Sometimes just replacing the rotors is the better option.
Make sure the repair shop is using high-quality parts and offers a good warranty. Beware of lifetime warranties on brakes, they are just designed to bring you back to sell you more parts when the brakes wear out again.
Don’t get me wrong…there a lot of shops doing high quality work. But brake repair is one of those things that the Bad Apples like to scare you into doing. Everyone wants to stop quickly and safely, it’s just the cheapest may not be the best, and the most expensive might be more that the car actually needs.
Here at Tri-Valley Automotive, we try to educate the customer on why something needs repair or replacing, in a way that you can understand without talking down to you.
