Do Not Trust a Mechanic's Assessment of Your Brake Pads!

mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 19:24

So in May I put my car in for a service and the mechanic told me everything is fine except I probably have about 2000kms left on my rear brake pads. I say ok no worries, then I take it to another place because I have to get a wheel alignment and that mechanic didn't do it.

The next mechanic tells me the rear brake pads are actually metal grinding on metal, there is no brake pad left. So I have to immediately get both the rotors and the brake pads replaced, setting me back hundreds of dollars.

So I ask them ok what about the front, they say that is no worries, you have about 10000km left on them. So I drive around for another couple of months, I drive a lot so I did about 5000km, I hear a little screech when I am breaking so I take it in and say look, you told me I had 10000km left on my front brake pads but I've done 5000km but I'd rather be safe than sorry so I'll get them replaced, I don't want to have to pay for new rotors again.

They take a look at it and say sorry mate, the minimum thickness is 23mm and yours are 23.1mm, it's too close to machine them, you need new rotors and brake pads again. I say hold on mate, you told me I had 10000km left! I brought it in 5000km early and you are telling me they are worn to nothing again??

He said oh, you could probably drive it another 5000km until you wear the rotors down to nothing and your brakes will fail. I said are you kidding? So if I had of listened to his 10000km estimate, I would have been driving down the freeway, my brakes would have failed, slammed into a tree and died a horrible, fiery death basically…

"It's just a guess" he said. So be aware they do not err on the side of caution, they deliberately overestimate how many kilometres you have left on your brake pads, because they want you to wear them down to nothing so then not only do you have to replace the brake pads but also the rotors setting you back another few hundred dollars.

No worries about putting your safety at risk, mechanic will tell you you are fine to drive even if you have no brake pads left.

When your mechanic tells you how long you have left on your brake pads, it's "just a guess". It's a stab in the dark and even if you have nothing left they will tell you to keep driving.

Stay woke.

Automotive

closed Comments

  • ozhunter on 05/07/2016 - 19:26
    +6

    Don't some cars wear out the brake pads faster then others?

    • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 19:33

      Probably, I think it more depends on how hard you are on them but I don't speed or brake hard. The first estimate was a joke because there was no brake pad left at all so how you can say you have 2000km left on that is ridiculous. The next mechanic was 5000km out on his prediction… it's a con.

      • ozhunter on 06/07/2016 - 03:56

        It does seem like he was trying to get as much money out of you as possible, but I did think it's best to look around especially when it comes to professional services like accountants, electricians, plumbers etc.

    • lolmao on 06/07/2016 - 09:34

      than*

    • [Deactivated] on 06/07/2016 - 11:41
      +1

      some drivers also where out disk pads quicker then others too.

      • [Deactivated] on 06/07/2016 - 13:05
        +3

        Where?

      • pmupsinep on 06/07/2016 - 18:46

        agreed, some drivers break way to hard

  • whooah1979 on 05/07/2016 - 19:33
    +35

    nah.. it's not the mechanic's fault. brake pad wear depends on the driver's driving habits, cargo, urban vs hwy, etc. a sunday driver can use the same ld, md pads for years, while a courier may have to change hd pads in few months.

    • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 19:35
      -6

      ok so its not the mechanic's fault if he tells you after a service to get your pads replaced in 2000kms when it's metal on metal…

      its not your mechanic's fault to overestimate your brake pad life by 5000km… to just take a guess. Please.

      He is not out by a few hundred km's, he is out by 5000km.

      • whooah1979 on 05/07/2016 - 19:41
        +3

        i used to change bendix hd pads every year. there were rated between 15000 to 70000 km.

        https://www.bendix.com.au/news/asked-drivers

      • rigby75 on 06/07/2016 - 09:11

        Did the mechanic who replaced the rear pads show you the old pads?

        My experience is if you use the same mechanic all the time they have a better idea how long pads will last. They measure them every service and know that you use 1.5mm of friction material between services.

        • Euphemistic on 06/07/2016 - 11:21
          +1

          "They measure them every service". That's a funny one. A good mechanic will look over the car while its on the hoist during the oil change, but measuring? I think not. An estimate of whether they will likely last until the next service would be about it.

        • Ashka on 06/07/2016 - 20:50
          +1

          @Euphemistic: Not that funny actual. I'm a mechanic and I measure every brake pad at each service it takes no time at all really.

    • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 19:41
      -1

      So exactly what I said, dont trust a mechanic's assessment as it is not worth a pinch of shit.

      • whooah1979 on 05/07/2016 - 19:49

        they give an estimate based on their customers brake pad replacements. you happen to be on the short-list of customers that wear out their pads prematurely.

        • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 19:53
          -3

          ok so if the brake pads are worn to nothing, no worries, let him go another 2000km… totally wreck his brake system then we will charge him through the nose to repair it all. if his brakes fail and he dies, it's not our problem.

        • Kangal on 06/07/2016 - 03:08
          +6

          @sirlothie:

          Don't make the issue larger than it has to be.
          At the end of the day, it's your car and you're the driver… so you're liable for your braking performance.

          If you feel like they are degrading, you need to take them into a mechanic like you did.

          Besides, as you've said it yourself the rate at which they degrade varies quite a bit.
          And you can look at it from the perspective of, the mechanic's estimates were great and close.
          Because he guessed 50%… and the difference could be as large as 800% in wear between a car:
          A) in traffic, with load, and a heavy-footed driver
          B) on away, lightweight, and smooth driver

          I would agree with you IF this was a guarantee made by a large company or governing body.
          As an example, if you bought a new car that is rated to go 9.0L/100km but you actually get 13.5L/100km… then you have a point, and you can sue them. Just like the VW owners in the States.

        • parisienne on 06/07/2016 - 19:16

          @sirlothie: I think you'll find that if a mechanic fails in his duty of care….to repair damage/wear noted that in any way could be found to have contributed to a death,he / she will face the full brunt of the coroner in an inquest.If they say "but they said they didn't want it done" that won't wash…they knew the risks involved if they didn't,and the coroner will ask a peer of equal experience what they would have done AND ask the facility that trained them what the curriculum taught was.Besides,if it isn't written down,it didn't happen (if you told the customer,it better be documented).The coroner,and the prosecutor will tear every word said to shreds,every action taken and will not accept "a guess" or an "estimate" (you claim to be a professional anything,you had better "know",otherwise you will be taken down for falsely claiming credentials).I am a nurse,so i know how all that stuff works.

  • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 19:45
    -4

    They are scammers, I asked for a full service, they said yeah we did it. But I got nothing in return, no condition report, no information whatsoever. For all I know they did nothing. The only thing they told me was I have 2000km on non-existent rear brake pads.

    • imc123 on 05/07/2016 - 19:58
      +3

      I'm sorry that happened to you :(
      I encourage you to do some reading on the make/model of your car; there's usually a community that has a forum or website where people discuss specifics of their car, and often there are threads that will outline the basic stuff like intervals for common parts that need to be replaced etc.
      There's actually a doco on this situation about mechanics taking you for a ride: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-avpx8UTakI
      It really irks me that mechanics still try to take advantage of people, at least no you know never to go back to these dodgy guys again.

    • [Deactivated] on 05/07/2016 - 22:15
      +5

      You'll have good and bad mechanics, just like in any profession.

      There are very few professions that revolve around being incompetent (they exist but they are not really professions… cough homoeopathy cough).

      If you're not happy with your mechanic, look for a better one. They're not necessarily the cheapest.

    • mezje on 06/07/2016 - 11:12

      Next time ask for a detailed receipt etc?

      If you are that skeptic check these things yourself…

  • whooah1979 on 05/07/2016 - 19:52
    +3

    you can check the pads yourself. just use a flashlight and look between the stokes. easy as.

    • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 19:56
      -2

      Not on my car, even they have to take the wheels off to see it they said. i still have 23.1mm and the minimum is 23mm, but nah sorry mate, can't machine it, it's too dangerous, new rotors, gonna cost you another $400. Even though I brought it in 5000km before their recommendation. Imagine I if took their word for it and drove around for another 5000km!

      • Kkuba on 06/07/2016 - 15:36
        +1

        You have to understand a few points:

        1. The rotors are considered safe down to 23.0mm
        2. If they were to be machined now, they might go down to 22.5, ergo, unsafe.
        3. If you continued driving and took it in 5000km later, they may have been 23.0mm (safe!)

        Either way, you would be replacing your rotors, and either way you would be driving around safely.

        These numbers are just examples, but my point still stands.

      • YellowDieselGolf on 06/07/2016 - 16:07
        +1

        Another 5000km? Yeah, you'd likely get increased noise and reduced performance. If your car has wear limit sensors, you'd get an annoying warning light on the dash.
        And that's about it. Your brakes won't suddenly fail when you hit 29.9 mm.

        It's your car. You need to make sure it's safe to drive.

  • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 19:57
    -1

    Sorry it's just a guess. A GUESS. I can guess too, my guess was a lot closer than theirs..

  • spackbace on 05/07/2016 - 19:58
    +16

    You wouldn't have driven for that length of time unless you were an idiot, you'd notice your brakes losing their grab and arrange for them to be replaced. Do you need someone to tell you when you need fuel too? Because that's what this thread seems like.

    • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 20:01

      Well thats what I did today obviously but they sting you for new rotors every time which is the point of this thread in case you had not gathered.

      The point is when you take your car to your mechanic and listen to their advice and put your life in their hands in regards to the safety of your vehicle, it's just a wild guess. So what is the point of asking them?

      • spackbace on 05/07/2016 - 20:32

        Brake usage varies with brand/type of brake pad and different driving conditions.

        Again, if you didn't already know that, you can't really have a go at someone else's judgement. You know, people in glass houses…

        • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 20:44

          I am not a professional mechanic charging for my services mate.

      • JIMB0 on 06/07/2016 - 08:40
        +1

        Rotors are cheap these days, usually it doesn't cost that much more to replace them vs machining them. Plus if your doing brakes yourself at home it's much less hassle then running around to get them machined.

  • whooah1979 on 05/07/2016 - 19:58
    +2

    if his brakes fail and he dies,

    what are you on about. you can still brake without pads. it'll be metal to metal. the braking distance will be longer and very noisy, but the vehicle will stop.

    • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 20:08
      -3

      I was very clear, I said I do not want to have to pay for new rotors again so how long can I drive it before I should come in and get new brake pads. 10000km.

      He was wrong by 5000km. Then they shrug their shoulders and say oh well I just guessed.

      I don't pay him to guess. His guess cost me $400. Professional advice should not be that far out and driving on bald brakes lengthen braking distance considerably so considering the wet road conditions it could easily cause an accident and a lot of people drive around with screeching brakes.

      • whooah1979 on 05/07/2016 - 20:14

        they gave you an estimate. it was not correct. what do you intend to do about it?

        • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 20:16
          -1

          Well they lost my business forever along with the previous mechanic and lesson learnt to take anything a mechanic says with a grain of salt because their opinion is bullshit. All they see is dollar signs when you walk in.

        • captobvious on 05/07/2016 - 20:46
          +2

          @sirlothie: learn to do it yourself. Save yourself half the costs. Sometimes its cheaper to get new discs off ebay than to machine your old ones

        • [Deactivated] on 06/07/2016 - 11:43
          +1

          @sirlothie:

          They see $ signs because they didnt sell you something earlier?

          really

        • YellowDieselGolf on 06/07/2016 - 19:50
          +2

          @sirlothie:
          And you'd be complaining if he insisted on replacing them "early" at 23.1mm.

          Go elsewhere mate. Your mechanic will be thankful.

      • spackbace on 05/07/2016 - 20:34
        +2

        His guess didn't cost you $400. Brakes really shouldn't be skimmed anyway, and either way you would've had to pay for new brakes when they wore down…

        • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 20:46
          -7

          But not new rotors which are twice as expensive as the brakes. Comprehension and logic are not your strong suits, are they?

  • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 20:20
    -1

    When he told me I had 10000km left he did not tell me he pulled that number out of his arse like he did today.

    • spackbace on 05/07/2016 - 20:33

      You'd rather he didn't say any number? Or underestimated so he'd get your business sooner?

      • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 20:47
        -1

        Yes I would have preferred he underestimated so then I would not have to pay $400 to get new rotors installed as well, and if he has no idea well say I have no idea yes. Then I just would have replaced them sooner of course and only have to pay for the brake pads.

        • db87 on 06/07/2016 - 20:32
          +2

          I've read enough of this thread to bite……. Your rotors were F'd!!!! Stop being a big crying baby and suck it up.

          YOUR logic is flat out stupid! If your rotors were worn, you were due for the cost regardless. Whether you got 0km, 5000km or 10000km. EDIT: putting new pads on earlier wouldn't have magically saved your rotors. In case this isn't obvious enough for you already.

          If you're replacing rotors as quick as pads, 1) change your driving style and/or 2) stop buying the cheapest parts on offer and expecting the world in return.

          God help your mechanic if you only got 9,999.999999999km out of your pads before needing to replace them.

          Far out…. This world! SMH!

  • captobvious on 05/07/2016 - 20:41
    -5

    its a guesstimate.
    Most mechanics haven't finished highschool
    What did you expect?

    • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 20:49

      I expect that if provided professional advice it be somewhat accurate. But it isn't, in fact it's total bullshit so I thought I would make others aware that even if your mechanic says you have brake pads left, you might not. And that will cost you big dollars. If you wait for a noise or less responsiveness, it is already too late and what your mechanic tells you is not true.

      • captobvious on 05/07/2016 - 20:54
        -3

        They are not professionals per se. They are just grease monkeys that have the right tools for the job. They really dont know shit, dont expect much with their estimates, he probably couldn't count, even worse probably got his apprentice to look at it who probably couldnt spell his own name.

        Go to a female mechanic next time, they are much better at counting and giving a shit.

        • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 21:06

          If you have to do an apprenticeship I consider you a professional but all I ever get is lies from mechanics. Not just independents either but from franchises also, half of them cannot put on a wheel nut without threading it. But they are in control of our safety on the roads. If you take a car in to get roadworthied without fail there will be a list of defects as long as your arm and if you take it in to get one thing done without fail they won't let you go without adding a further, more expensive repair that is urgent. It is a fully unaccountable and fraudulent industry, as is panel beating.

        • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 21:09

          If you go to one he will say you need to replace this, then go take it to another he will say nah you don't have to do that, but you have to replace this, take it to another he will say nah but do this, and so on and so on… An idiot threaded my wheel nut so I was driving on 3 out of 4 nuts so I take it in and one mechanic says I need an entire new wheel hub assembly and charge me hundreds to install it, then I go to another one and he said you can just drill a new hole… they are total con artists.

        • captobvious on 05/07/2016 - 21:16

          @sirlothie:
          Skilled tradesman who has done a skill trade as an apprentice and now qualified.

          A professional is someone with a duty of care.

          Clearly no duty of care for your safety and the safety of your vehicle and others on the road.

          I'd put your mechanic in the unskilled trademan category.

        • captobvious on 05/07/2016 - 21:20
          -1

          @sirlothie: honestly most of their trade is guess work and elemination and most of the time luck.

          Not so evident with the old dogs who have pride in their workmanship. Unfortunately none of these oldies are around anymore so you are stuck with these 2nd grade tradesman just winging it most of the time.

          My suggestion is not to expect much and eventually when you find a good one keep going back to them.

          Its like your missus, if she was a shit operator you would rather look for a new one,

      • [Deactivated] on 06/07/2016 - 11:45

        How did it cost you anything?
        whether you replaced them that day or the 5000km weeks later you spending the same amount

  • pauper on 05/07/2016 - 20:45
    +3

    I have had the exact opposite happen to me where the service centre manager called during the service telling that the brake pads need to be changed immediately. I politely declined and drove another 15K and even then while replacing(at a different service centre) was told that I still had some kms left in them.

  • [Deactivated] on 05/07/2016 - 21:12
    +2

    So at the service you would have needed new rotors anyway, the disc would've been around 23.5-24mm, which would need to be replaced anyway. Or would you prefer he replaces the pads with a close to minimum disc and you drive with undersized disc rotors for 90% of the pads life. Most cars from the last 10 years will need pads and discs anyway so it's no loss.

    • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 21:15
      -1

      No I saw it at the last service, there was still about 3/4 of an inch left. If I listen to them every time I need new brake pads I need to get new discs as well, it's driving me up the wall. I drive a lot for work so I might need to get the front brake pads replaced 4 times a year, the back 2 times a year and they keep telling me it's fine but I have to get new discs every bloody time…

      • [Deactivated] on 05/07/2016 - 21:24
        +1

        So you saw a disc that was 19mm (3/4inch in ancient times) when minimums are 23mm?
        Lots of city driving, more wear
        Lots of hills around you, more wear
        European car or SUV, lots more wear.
        The mechanic might be basing his assumptions on 'old school' falcodore or Jap brake pad wear, or until you hit metal on metal, which are both wrong estimates for modern cars. Best way to quote is in mm remaining, that way you could make better assumptions. (Pads start ~10mm, you drive 30K and have 5mm left, you can assume you will get another 20k out of them safely with your previous driving history) and remember that pads become less efficient at dispersing heat the thinner they get.

  • mskeggs on 05/07/2016 - 21:13
    +20

    Sirlothie, you have lots of anger about things that happen to you that aren't really grounds for such rage.
    Take a breath, consider you might get better results with honey than vinegar.

    • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 21:17
      -2

      I don't know how you can gather that from words on a screen but do you think if I go back to the mechanic with a smile on my face that I won't need to spend an extra $400 tomorrow on my car? I'll give it a shot.

      • Euphemistic on 05/07/2016 - 21:32
        +10

        Yup, sounds like you need to take a deep breath. In addition it also sounds like you need to find a good mechanic and try to treat him with some respect and get some trust going. Unfortunately finding a good mechanic is the hard part.

        I have used a couple of mechanics as I tend to do my own work, but the three that I have used recently would all get return business. When I go to a mechanic I prefer to have an idea what is wrong with the car, and am reasonably educated on how things work. One place is on the banned list after some attitude one visit, all of the dealerships I have used will never get return business from me, they were hopeless or cheats.

    • mr626 on 06/07/2016 - 07:47
      +8

      Instructions unclear- applied honey to my brake pads, now bears chase my car.

  • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 21:18

    If I smile politely at the junkie living outside my front door will he leave I wonder?

  • watwatwat on 05/07/2016 - 21:21
    +3

    OP is silly to hold mechanic accountable for an estimate on a component where it would be hard to guess mileage left.

    • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 21:36

      So why did he offer estimate then with no clarification, why assure me I have at least 10000km left. It's not good enough. If there was honesty I would not be upset, but they continually give me false information and blow smoke up my arse that leaves me severely out of pocket. So my trust factor with mechanics is at zero with good reason.

      • Euphemistic on 05/07/2016 - 21:59
        +1

        The difference between 5000 and 10000km left on brake pads would be impossible to determine by eye. Did he warn you that the discs were almost out of tolerance when he told you the 10k? Probably not because it wasn't important given there was plenty of pad life left.

        When brake pads squeal it's usually the metal wear indicator scraping on the disc warning you there isn't much pad left giving you some time before disc damage is done. Discs don't always need machining, typically only if there is a warp in them creating a brake shudder. You should get several sets of pads out of a set of discs.

        Sounds like I wouldn't be going back to that mechanic after being to,d your brakes needed work twice.

        • mrluke on 05/07/2016 - 22:35
          -1

          No he didn't tell me anything about the discs, I copped it on the chin the first time around about the new discs but then I said specifically when it comes to the front brakes should I get them replaced right now because I do not want to have to buy new discs again, he said you will be right for 10000km. So I took his word for it. I didn't get half that before I damaged the discs, I haven't really damaged them, he reckons he would have to shave 3mm or something off them and that would be too much as the minimum is 23mm and I have 23.5mm. I don't know, I'm not a mechanic but I trusted their advice and I'm angry to be told later it was a guess when they should have said that it is impossible to accurately predict but they were adamant I could drive a further 10000km on these brake pads and I would not have to change the rotors. So when they told me I would need to after driving 5000km after they promised I wouldn't fair to say I was not happy with them. I just said look, you gave me bad advice, your bad advice has left me out of pocket, you've lost my business. They didn't tell me they were just guessing. They said you will get a good 10000km out of the front brake pads. And sent me off to drive it into the ground.

        • Euphemistic on 05/07/2016 - 22:55
          +3

          @sirlothie: I think you might have misunderstood the mechanic, they wouldn't be"adamant" you could drive another 10k. It was most likely stated "you should get…" Or "probably…" And they wouldn't "send you off to drive it into the ground"

          Anyway, you had a bad experience here, learn from it and move on. The title of your post is a bit over the top, but unfortunately some mechanics see a way of making money out of motorists while others want you to come back a happy customer.

  • [Deactivated] on 05/07/2016 - 22:28
    +1

    I think people should know the difference between a technician and a professional/expert.

    A mechanic is a technician. They have the skill and the knowledge to operate his tools to get the job done correctly. They do not have the knowledge to make an assessment on any matter that requires consideration. They may acquire some knowledge as part of their personal achievement and interests, but as part of their trade, they are not expected to have the knowledge. A mechanic does not have the ability to issue a road worthy certificate by default.

    A mechanical engineer is the professional you had in mind. He understands all the factors at play and can give you a professional estimate. For a cheap item such as brake pads, you'd be better off financially to just change the pads out if you're in doubt.

    Brake pads are about $50 to replace yourself and it is just a step more difficult than changing tyres.

    • airzone on 05/07/2016 - 23:17

      Rotors are just one further step, and not much more $.

      • [Deactivated] on 06/07/2016 - 10:39

        I change them myself too, but with rotors, there is potential for things to get messy, ie over torquing the bolts and snapping them or undertorquing them and you get wobble.

  • [Deactivated] on 05/07/2016 - 23:23
    +2

    I never replace rotors on my car, I'm a mechanic I don't follow minimum thickness it's just another way for them to price gouge you. I'd personally keep using my rotors until they had cracks in them lol

    • airzone on 05/07/2016 - 23:29

      I believe it's more about having a higher thermal mass to prevent brake fade in heavy driving conditions… But still, there are plenty of photos of people driving around with the rotors worn down to the cooling vanes.

      • [Deactivated] on 05/07/2016 - 23:35

        I've never had a drama wearing mine down to nothing, I only change them when they warp, if they warp.

    • fruit on 06/07/2016 - 11:11

      photo?

      • [Deactivated] on 06/07/2016 - 11:23
        -6

        Why would I waste my time taking a photo for a knob such as yourself?

        • Daabido on 06/07/2016 - 14:34

          Who mentioned anything about gear knobs?

  • airzone on 05/07/2016 - 23:26
    +1

    So, the rear pads and rotors are worn, and you change them. And then the front pads and rotors are worn soon after? Sounds reasonable.

    The minimum thickness will be on the rotor and your 0.1mm will last a while (and even if you go under by another 0.5mm it will still brake fine in normal conditions). The squealing will likely be the pad replacement alarm spring contacting the rotor - which is normally indicating a few mm left of material. Depending on how you drive the car, you probably would have gotten another 5000km out of it.

    It doesn't hurt to make a habit of checking consumable items (such as brakes, washer water, oil levels, light bulbs) on a regular basis.. Especially if they're coming to the end of their service life.

  • smpantsonfire on 06/07/2016 - 00:15
    +6

    My girlfriend told me I had to change my underpants, but jokes on her I got another 4 days out of them! Sucker!

    • spackbace on 06/07/2016 - 00:24
      +3

      And now they're on fire :P

    • Euphemistic on 06/07/2016 - 11:24
      +5

      Bet it put the brakes on other activities though

  • Lancerx on 06/07/2016 - 00:25
    +1

    Could never really find a mechanic I could really trust yet.. Unfortunately none of my friends are mechanic

  • aussieprepper on 06/07/2016 - 02:08

    Meh you worry way to much! Even if you had metal on metal it will still stop fine you will just ruin the rotors! It is normal to change the rotors every so often but not every time you change brakes. Other issue may be the pads they are using. They might be cheap pads and may not be lasting any where near as long as a brand like bendix.

    In some cases it is cheaper to buy to buy new disc then send them away to get machined. Then you have the hassle of waiting for the machining to be done although usually quick if the mechanic doesn't do it him self could take a few days. Depending on him and who he uses.

  • Dr Techno on 06/07/2016 - 02:57

    This is all apart of car ownership, if your unable to do the work yourself. One good reason to keep shopping around until you find a mechanic that your comfortable with and conveys information to your expectations, which you can generate trust with.

    Might be a good idea if you can find your cars workshop manual, so you can read up on required work and ask questions before someone works on your car ?

  • [Deactivated] on 06/07/2016 - 07:03
    +4

    I don't trust anyone, except the advise on internet. Has worked well for me. YMMV.

  • kanter on 06/07/2016 - 07:40
    +1

    The mechanic doesn't know how you drive, if you do mainly city driving with lots of starts/stops it will wear your pads a lot quicker than if you drive all day long on the highway and brake once every 2 hours they'll last forever.

    When you're down to the point where your pads don't look like they're going to make it to the next service, every 10.000km, it's better to change them anyway.
    One, because it is your safety we're talking about
    Two, because if you keep try to wear them until there is no meat left, you'll have to spend more for rotors.

    Don't be a cheaparse, do you replace your shoes only when the whole sole is gone? "Yeah I know there is a hole but there is still some rubber left around it!"

    • mrluke on 06/07/2016 - 10:32

      I'm not trying to wear them to nothing, mechanics are telling me to.

      • kanter on 06/07/2016 - 11:34
        +1

        What I'm saying is that you're complaining that he said 10000 and you did only 5000 and they're gone and it's a scandal. You should have had them replaced in the first place, knowing they were getting close to be completely worn out.

        • db87 on 06/07/2016 - 20:52

          I don't really get the OP either…. Mechanic: Hey mate your rotors and pads are gone, want me to change them now or would you like to get a "few" thousand kilometres out of them, then I'll change them?!

          OP: Nah, give me a definite mileage left on my current brakes or I'll hold your daughter for ransom!

  • ThithLord on 06/07/2016 - 08:03

    The mechanic made an estimate - it's probably pretty close to spot on 90% of the time.

    Can someone find OP an OzBargain for tissues?

    • mrluke on 06/07/2016 - 10:30
      -2

      Lol yeah good estimate, 2000km left on metal on metal. Spot on.

      • mezje on 06/07/2016 - 11:17
        +2

        If you think it is so easy to look at a disc and a brake pad and then gauge how many Ks it has left then do it yourself. I pity this mechanic who had to deal with you…

        As already stated, depends on; AWD, RWD, driving habits etc etc…

        • mrluke on 06/07/2016 - 16:24

          But everyone is saying its simple!

      • Euphemistic on 06/07/2016 - 11:26
        +2

        Yuo should have had some warning screeching from the indicators before it got to metal on metal. Do you drive around all the time with loud music and windows up? You need to listen to the car too.

  • cashless on 06/07/2016 - 08:13

    Some useful tips on this subject here

  • Ozimodo on 06/07/2016 - 08:16
    +1

    It's a con. At one service Honda told me the pads needed to be replaced immediately (which I ignored), the next service I noticed on the report that they were only worn to 50%. Have had a similar experience with Ford.

    • mrluke on 06/07/2016 - 10:32

      They don't even look.

    • knasty on 06/07/2016 - 12:31
      +1

      Had a very similar experience at Honda. Told me my rear pads needed replacing; I chose not to given I'd done less than 30k and would take it to a specialist if actually required. At the next service they mentioned nothing about the pads being worn. I wrote the service manager a letter and asked if they were money grabbing or sending customers out with unsafe brakes - must be one or the other? To their credit they took it seriously - gave me the next service free and then began to include the 4 pads' thickness on the service report including the minimum so people can see the numbers.

    • onetwothreefour on 06/07/2016 - 13:29

      Same with window wipers

  • inherentchoice on 06/07/2016 - 08:28
    +1

    I'm waiting for a deal on brake rotors. Hopefully SCA or Repco will have a deal soon. Last time SCA had 40% off rotors it was only for the floor stock in store.

  • JIMB0 on 06/07/2016 - 08:55

    What model of car is it? Usually they tell you to replace them when there is still lots of pad left just to be safe, plus it's easy money spinner for them.

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