14 years old Calipers - rebuild them?
03-26-11, 06:57 AM
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14 years old Calipers - rebuild them?
I retrieved my 1997 SC300 from the dealer, who wanted $2800 to replace the front pads, rotors and calipers. A local mechanic is offering to do the work for $1000 using Lexus OEM parts and rebuilding the calipers instead of replacing them with new ones. The dealer tells me that 14 year old calipers should not be rebuilt as the metal turns brittle. Is this a lot of bull?
If I switch to LS400 calipers will they be compatible with my stock 16" wheels?
If I switch to LS400 calipers will they be compatible with my stock 16" wheels?
03-26-11, 08:22 AM
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Of course, if I get the LS400 calipers I avoid that but have to pay for the calipers.
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03-26-11, 09:20 AM
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I retrieved my 1997 SC300 from the dealer, who wanted $2800 to replace the front pads, rotors and calipers. A local mechanic is offering to do the work for $1000 using Lexus OEM parts and rebuilding the calipers instead of replacing them with new ones. The dealer tells me that 14 year old calipers should not be rebuilt as the metal turns brittle. Is this a lot of bull?
If I switch to LS400 calipers will they be compatible with my stock 16" wheels?
If I switch to LS400 calipers will they be compatible with my stock 16" wheels?
How can they look someone in the face and tell them its going to be $2800 for a brake and rotor job?
Makes me sick to be honest---they are basically ripping off and stealing from their customers over and over again and yet people still go back there, i dont get it.
To the op if you source out the parts yoruself and than source out a mechanic with reasonable rates your can get this job done for well under a grand.
good luck
03-26-11, 02:31 PM
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To your original question, yes I think that's a lot of bull. Metal is metal, and the calipers are pretty think and don't ever really get that hot, so I don't think they get brittle. Case and point: mine are 18 years old with 235,000 miles on them and work perfectly. Besides, you're not going to HURT anything by rebuilding your old calipers, you're just gonna save some money. So why not do it? $2800 for the job is absolutely outrageous, $1000 is still way too high. I know that the cost of labor+parts for replacing the pads and rotors is about $300; the labor for replacing the calipers is negligible because it doesn't involve anymore work (except to bleed the brakes), but I don't know about the cost of the calipers; labor for rebuilding current calipers can't be that much, maybe $100? Hope this gives you a little more insight into what you should expect to pay!
Last edited by RSTSpeed; 03-26-11 at 02:33 PM. Reason: Typos...........
03-26-11, 04:51 PM
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Hey guys,
Thanks for all of your input. The dealer was going to charge me $650 per caliper, plus about $100 per rotor and $100 for the pads. That totals to about $1600. I guess the rest was for labor, which doesn't really make sense. The Service Advisor called me at 3 PM to say that the mechanic was just starting on my car but that he should have it done in time for me to pick it up before they close as 7 pm. Now that gives him a maximum of 4 hours to do the work, converts into $300 per hour! But their advertised hourly rate is $110 per hour.
Now that I think about it, they price repairs by the job, not by the time spent. Still, this is the most outrageous instance of gouging that I have ever experienced at a dealership. Even worse than when a Porsche dealership tried to charge me for two oil filters!
Thanks for all of your input. The dealer was going to charge me $650 per caliper, plus about $100 per rotor and $100 for the pads. That totals to about $1600. I guess the rest was for labor, which doesn't really make sense. The Service Advisor called me at 3 PM to say that the mechanic was just starting on my car but that he should have it done in time for me to pick it up before they close as 7 pm. Now that gives him a maximum of 4 hours to do the work, converts into $300 per hour! But their advertised hourly rate is $110 per hour.
Now that I think about it, they price repairs by the job, not by the time spent. Still, this is the most outrageous instance of gouging that I have ever experienced at a dealership. Even worse than when a Porsche dealership tried to charge me for two oil filters!
03-26-11, 05:20 PM
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P.S. - You can get brand new Supra calipers for @ $300 each... so screw that $650 noise!
http://www.titanmotorsports.com/tooembrcafor.html
http://www.titanmotorsports.com/tooembrcafor1.html
03-26-11, 06:23 PM
#14
Hey guys,
Thanks for all of your input. The dealer was going to charge me $650 per caliper, plus about $100 per rotor and $100 for the pads. That totals to about $1600. I guess the rest was for labor, which doesn't really make sense. The Service Advisor called me at 3 PM to say that the mechanic was just starting on my car but that he should have it done in time for me to pick it up before they close as 7 pm. Now that gives him a maximum of 4 hours to do the work, converts into $300 per hour! But their advertised hourly rate is $110 per hour.
Now that I think about it, they price repairs by the job, not by the time spent. Still, this is the most outrageous instance of gouging that I have ever experienced at a dealership. Even worse than when a Porsche dealership tried to charge me for two oil filters!
Thanks for all of your input. The dealer was going to charge me $650 per caliper, plus about $100 per rotor and $100 for the pads. That totals to about $1600. I guess the rest was for labor, which doesn't really make sense. The Service Advisor called me at 3 PM to say that the mechanic was just starting on my car but that he should have it done in time for me to pick it up before they close as 7 pm. Now that gives him a maximum of 4 hours to do the work, converts into $300 per hour! But their advertised hourly rate is $110 per hour.
Now that I think about it, they price repairs by the job, not by the time spent. Still, this is the most outrageous instance of gouging that I have ever experienced at a dealership. Even worse than when a Porsche dealership tried to charge me for two oil filters!
Please tell me im mistaken
