Is $718 too much for brake repair?

Question

I just went and did a brake inspection, transmission inspection, and got new brake pads and stuff for my front and back ones... (it was making a squeak so i knew i had to get it done) and my friend goes "$700?????? what a rip off" and someone else said something ilke $150? i dunno...:(

Well it's a 92 infiniti g20 and the whole repair came to $320 or something but it was also like $350 for the labor and it was in there fore about just over 2 hours

lol... well thanks for the positive attitude... you could have just told me instead of callign me a moron... geez.... anyways.... my transmission is messed up too.... thats why i asked for it. When i go to second gear it shakes the car (other gears are ok)....

Kim i'll agree with you.... *sigh*.... well lesson learned... and in the short term i lost a few hundred... long term... my brakes didn't fail while driving on the highway!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 1

It all depends on the quality of parts you got and what parts were replaced. As far as labor goes, very very few customers actually understand how the technicians get paid or how they get charged.

Each job on a car pays a specific time, no matter how long it takes the technician to do the job, the customer will be charged the same. If a tech gets a 2 hour job and it takes him 1 hour, he gets paid 2 hours and the customer pays 2 hours. If he gets the same 2 hour job and it takes him 3 hours, the customer still only pays 2 hours and he gets paid 2 hour, although he worked for 3. It's the flat rate pay system.

So depending on the flat rate time for the brake job on your specific car and the quality of parts, it could have easily been $700 without being ripped off.

Just as a side note, it seems that most everyone on this site is all over techs about honesty, when the real cause of the problem is the customer not fully understanding the tech pay system, and some customers not realizing that the parts they get at Auto Zone for a fraction of the price are also a fraction of the quality.

Answer 2

For only a brake repair, $718 sounds a little steep. However, you had more than just a brake repair. The inspection should only cost the price of putting the car on a lift and eyeballing the pads and rotors; not much. Transmission inspection is a whole other ball of wax, which begs the question, why, if brakes were the issue? This is either a mechanic's "add-on" to inflate the job price, or your transmission also had some work done, therefore the higher tab.

Answer 3

ok look ur car is an infinity basically nissan made not to agree with the charges but parts are extremely expensive is like buy a lexus part its toyota but they mark it up cause its lexus. anyway they did rip u off i own a repair shop i dont know exatly what they did to the car BUT they charged 300 in labor because they charged u flat rate meaning if the chiltons book says it take 1.6 hours labor to do brakes on just one wheel and 2.4 to do both either just front or just rear then what they did was took shop rate which was prolly 65/hr and charged u this way they took 2.4 times 65 which is 156 and that was the labor for just front now if u had rear done to im sure they did the same thing there and basically gave u the labor for free on the tranny flush. that is why u had 300 in labor now if the car had taken a mechanic 8, 9 or even 10 hours either because of a problem or wrong part or whatever the labor would have still been 300 so what they did was flate rate charging common for alot of shops doesnt matter how long they have the car labor is one cost and the parts sound like they were marked way up but still thats what they do i would have fought them alittle more on price but its ok at least if it breaks u can take it back and make them eat it.

Answer 4

If anyone ever charges you more than $100 for parts and labor for a brake job, they're ripping you off. Changing brakes on any automobile these days is as simple as removing the tires and then using a hex wrench to remove two bolts (assuming you have disc brakes all around). Brakes RARELY require bleeding the hydraulic fluid, only in cases of a mushy pedal or changing brake cylinders, so if a mechanic tells you anything about bleeding your system, he's more likely trying to bleed your wallet.

I'm able to change the brakes on my Hyundai, front disc brakes rear drum brakes, in a little under an hour. If you have that sort of time, a few tools, and a small amount of mechanical know how, you should be able to do them completely on your own. Don't ever let ANYONE charge you such a high price on such a simple job. Changing the brakes on a car is honestly a rather simple task that a lot of people are scared of.

My suggestion if you don't have enough confidence in your mechanical skills would be to get a Chilton's, or other manual for your car, and follow the easy step by step instructions for it. You'd be amazed at how easy it all really is when you get into it and convince yourself that you ARE competent enough for the work. It's also very satisfying to know that you are capable of doing the work on your own automobile to keep it maintained.

Happy Wrenching!

Answer 5

You got ripped off. Over $300 for labor and they only worked on your car for 2 hours. Most garages charge $60 - $100 an hour for labor.

Answer 6

You were ripped off. Never get anything done without an estimate. An honest mechanic will always tell you first if something unexpected comes up.

Answer 7

Also, if you took it to the Infiniti dealership, BY "company" LAW their mechanics HAVE to use infiniti factory parts. Where-as any other machine shop mechanic will use cheaper parts, hoses, pads, rotors, etc.

I would recommend finding a GOOD local mechanic, take him the repair order form and see what he woudl have charged.

Answer 8

it really depends on what needed replacing,if it only needed pads then its high,if it needed hoses ,calipers ,rotors etc then it could be in line,also the type of vehicle makes a difference as well.my own tbird has 300.00 each calipers so it can add up

Answer 9

are you a moron?????? do you have no initiative??? its not that hard to change pads and rotors. it beats 800 dollars id do it for 40 and parts