car problem 2000 plus no brakes help?

Question

today my car lost all brake fuild . nearest and only place was canadain tire. so took it there they say to fix brakes will 1100 dollars but they say i need new ball joints as well so 2000+
i have no credit and only 500 in savings. cost 52 dollars to get to work in taxi no other way . what if anything can i do.oh i live in apartment cant work on car here and its winter. canada

1994 buick regal custom 3.8L
243000km

Answer 1

Sounds like a potential rip-off. I would definitely put off the ball joints until later.

Luckily, there's an easy way to check if you really need new ball joints. Jack up one end of the car so the wheel is off the ground. Grab the top of the tire. If you can't make it move inward or outward, your ball joints on that corner are good. Repeat for all four tires.

And if they are worn out? The car will get more and more unstable, but it's not likely that they will outright let go.

Answer 2

you don't say what car and mileage, it may not be worth it, maybe worth more then the car, get a complete inspection as there may be more work soon down the road. $900 for ball joints sounds crazy high anyways. Keep in mind that Canadian Tire is mostly new apprentices that work on piece work, no work ,no pay and always looking for things to point out to customers, be very careful at the very least get a second opinion.

Answer 3

could be a mix of issues even though it sounds to me like the brakes have been given a tough time of it earlier, you are able to soometimes escape with taking the pads out and scuffing them back with some sand paper {no longer too corse approximately 240 grit} additionally try this to the discs, a competent indication of this being the subject could be if the discs seem somewhat shinny by way of fact the smoother and shinnier a floor the fewer friction there is so the greater violent you're able to be with the brakes to get them to artwork, it may additionally be by way of different subjects like a in part siezed piston in between the calipers inflicting the pads to placed on un flippantly {greater than a number of pads placed on tappered so there thicker on one side than the different} this takes away the exterior portion of the pad on the disc face inflicting undesirable overall performance, it may additionally be a siezed slider too or possibly a vacum help subject {might desire to be the servo or only the vacum pipe or one way valve going from the engine to the servo. i doubt they want bleeding by way of fact in the event that they did the subject could be that major your sister does notcontinual the motor vehicle because it may only experience a techniques too dangerous. in case you have a extremely attainable pal/kin member then ask them to take each and every wheel off in turn and supply the brakes a common inspection if no longer something is particularly incorrect then i think of your in all probability superb off only changing the discs and pads {if something is siezed it is going to likely be picked up on while the discs and pads are replaced and if some thing is siezed then you certainly extremely desire discs and pads besides by way of fact the old ones would be erratically worn so your no longer dropping your money via having them replaced}

Answer 4

ask if they do financing. Tell them you're problem and try to get something worked out. I would start out with the absolute minimal amount of repairs and then continue repairing when you get the money. I would personally leave the ball joints for a later date, unless they are basically falling out.

Answer 5

Year make and model?
Sounds like a rip-off to me.