Hello,

A local mechanic wants to charge me the following:

$75 - Front ceramic brake pads (2). I don't know which ones he mentioned, but he said they're "good and ceramic".
$100 - Labor for removing and replacing front pads and resurfacing both front rotors.
$85 - Welding the crack on the exhaust manifold that goes around and behind - must be removed to properly weld it.
$135 - Replacing the cracked flex pipe.

He quoted me $395 for the entire job which includes labor. I thought I could save some money on the pads by purchasing new ones myself and bringing them over for him to install, but they seem to be about $30-$35 each... so I guess it's about right.

Is this a fair deal? And, he'll only charge me $5.82 for tax...

Thanks, folks.

 

That actually isnt too bad....Heck a normal brake job alone at many places will cost you more than that...I payed over $100 for the flex pipe fix 6 years ago...I say go for it..

 

I don't know much but I figure it wasn't too bad. When he told me $135 for the flex pipe fix, I asked, "Just for the pipe, huh.." He said, for the whole thing - labor and parts. I was a bit surprised.

I'll give that guy a call later today to schedule.

Thanks!

 

If that's 2 sets of front brake pads (4 in all), that's fine. You shouldn't replace only 2 of the front 4 pads.

 

Well, I honestly didn't know they sell just one side of a pair of pads. I understood it as 2 pairs (so 4 actual pads).

 

I don't think it's legal to sell only one side of brake pads.

 

For symmetrical braking issues you want the same material (constitution) ... tires, wheels, rotors, pads ... but the hydraulic brakes have had radical impact. Variation in thickness of pads is no longer an issue.

I am not encouraging to mix and match, but pointing out some old time myths which have hung around.

[history: With old time mechanical linkages, one had to have the brakes adjusted fairly regularly and the technique was to examine the symmetry of rubber left on the road when brakes were applied.]


Salim

 

The car was fixed for the $400 I was quoted. The guy rotated my tires for me for free, so that was cool. Exhaust manifold was welded nicely. The flex piped was cracked to hell, and it was removed and replaced with basically this:


(not mine, but it's very, very similar)

Front rotors were resurfaced and brakes were changed with ceramic pads. No more squeaking/screeching noise and heavy vibrations when braking. No more ugly revving noises from the exhaust leak when pressing on the accelerator.

The brakes/rotors and exhaust manifold crack and flex pipe leak had been tormenting me for the last 3 years. I am SO glad to have gotten all of this finally taken care of. I'm quite embarrassed I didn't fix these sooner.

Now, all that is left are my:
1. Foggy headlamps (got Meguiar's headlight restoration kit).
2. Clogged windshield spray nozzle (driver side fixed, passenger side not).
3. Broken drive gear indicator (will order from irontoad.com)
4. Missing cabin air filter and holder (but I honestly don't even know what the holder part is called - I guess I'll ask irontoad).
5. Peeling wood grain trim (irontoad...?).
6. Missing center wheel cap (I'll ask irontoad again).
7. Very ugly dent on the left side and scratch marks all over the car.

Ugh... the list goes on! I would probably never fix the ugly dents, scratches and whatnot because I might as well use that money for a down payment on my next Rx.