hey guys
got the "brake wear" light on my car this week, so i was at the dealership today for an oil change ($45 which includes a car wash and vacuume!) and they gave me a price of $327 if the rotors don't need replaced.
what do you guys think? i thought it was pretty reasonable.
don't tell me to do it myself cuz i'm NOT mechanical at all....

 

Ha ha I was going to say to do it yourself - but - If that price includes replacing the sensor(s), pads and turngin the rotors if necessary then I think you are getting a good price.

 

Just go to a brake specialty store instead of the dealer.. its a basic job. Not one needed at the dealer.

 

Parts +labor Cost
pads:60 (front)
Sensor(1):~65
Rotors Turned: $8/each= 16
Total: $141 if you do it yourself

its EASY!

 

I have to agree with drift here -- The brake job on these cars is easier than most.

However, if you don't have a jack (not the little dinky trunk jack), jack stands, tools/torque wrench and so on, it just isn't cost effective even if you did want to replace them yourself.

I find that dealer price to be well on the high side for a 2 wheel pad job.

I would bring it to any other place that does brakes.. I might inquire that you want OEM parts used, and see how they handle that. (Be clear you don't want NON-toyota/lexus parts that match OEM specs, but you want OEM parts). If they jack the price up, or say they don't have them. I would buy the parts myself online and then get any mechanic to do the job. There isn't anything a mechanic of any type is going to mess up with this brake job,.. they are put together in a very, very simple manner and the change is anything but complicated.

Drift quoted parts.. So take that and add in labor charges and you have your 'fair' price.

Lets say the mechanic charges $65 an hour. The brake job is at most an hour, and in reality 30minutes. So we'll say an even 50$ for about 35-45minutes.

That puts it at roughly 200$ with tax. $220 or so wouldn't be a bad price. $320 is a good 100 dollars and really a touch more than that high.

Though, it is being done by lexus, and you know (99% of the time) it will be done right, OEM parts used, and the sensors etc will be replaced.

To keep it in check, for $327 you could nearly put on 4 new rotors and pads yourself. (If you found the right deals, which exist) =)

 

I did this job on my brother-in-laws' 99 LS400 a few months ago. It is a very straight-forward job.

We changed rotors and pads, and that worn-through sensor. Such a shame to ruin that part. I have heard that some people can repair these things, but I am not sure if it is worth it.

The best way to avoid damaging the sensor is to regularly check the brake pads for wear, and to change the pads before the sensor contacts the rotor and breaks the fine wire inside the sensor.

 

you can, you add in solder to the broken contact at the tip.

 

These sensors I imagine cause a 'light' to come on in the vehicle telling you change your brakes?

 

Im sure the guy doesnt want to / doesnt know how to do it himself. Dont push him to DIY himself some ppl are just not willing or able to.

Take it to any brake place and save at least $100 from dealer

 

Use the same place i mentioned before or wait until it is warmer and i might have time to change them reasonably.

 

you can also get pricing from toyota i know they work on lexus for a significantly lower price. but if anything just bring it to a small auto shop to get done.

 

hey, thanks a lot guys.....i 'm gonna check with my wife's mechanic.

 

ok guys.....took your advice.....i have an appointment tomorrow with my wife's mechanic....a "ma and pa" shop in the town where i live....we've been taking our cars there for 20 years.....but when i bought my car and drove it over there, i opened the hood and the old man says, "oh, i can't work on this"...LOL..

anyway, he's gonna put the brakes on.....i didn't even ask him how much cuz it'll be ridiculously cheap....i bought the pads today for $69.99 at the dealer....they were out of the sensors so i'm hoping they can reuse the old one or repair it like puredrifter said (with some solder).

i'll let you know the total cost tomorrow.

 

PADS: $70
INSTALLATION AND REPAIR OF BRAKE WEAR SENSOR: $70
TOTAL: $140!

rotors were fine...

you guys saved me $187!

THANK YOU.

 

^ no vibrations or squeals from the rotors? Technically you should clean the rotors with a scotch pad and some brake cleaner to get surface clean and fresh for the new pads. Pads leave crap on the rotor and for most cars, the brakes squeal and judder if the rotors aren't cleaned/turned.