Do you think the BRAKE guys ripped me off?

[skyeblue818]

I took my 2002 325Ci to the brake specialist today and they got me to change the front rotors, in addition to changing the brake pads. I came in expecting only to change the brake pads.

I only have about 38,000 miles on my car and haven't changed the brakes in the front before. The sensor has not gone off yet either.

Do you think my rotors need to be replaced at all? He was saying that that rotors needed to be changed, because they felt a slight vibration when stepping on the brakes suddenly. He also said that it would be pointless to change the brake pads and not the rotors, and therefore wouldn't do work on it unless I changed both.

Therefore, I gave in and decided to let them change the rotors as well. I figured eventually I would have to replace my rotors anyways.

So my question is:

1) Do you think I was taken for a ride?
2) How often do brake rotors need to be changed? Is there any other option to replacing the rotors?
3) The total cost for changing the front brake pads and rotors, including labor will come out to about $350 ($400 minus a $50 coupon). Is that reasonable?

Btw, I asked to keep all parts.

Thanks for your help guys!

[FL325i]

Originally Posted by skyeblue818

I took my 2002 325Ci to the brake specialist today and they got me to change the front rotors, in addition to changing the brake pads. I came in expecting only to change the brake pads.

I only have about 38,000 miles on my car and haven't changed the brakes in the front before. The sensor has not gone off yet either.

Do you think my rotors need to be replaced at all? He was saying that that rotors needed to be changed, because they felt a slight vibration when stepping on the brakes suddenly. He also said that it would be pointless to change the brake pads and not the rotors, and therefore wouldn't do work on it unless I changed both.

Therefore, I gave in and decided to let them change the rotors as well. I figured eventually I would have to replace my rotors anyways.

So my question is:

1) Do you think I was taken for a ride?
2) How often do brake rotors need to be changed? Is there any other option to replacing the rotors?
3) The total cost for changing the front brake pads and rotors, including labor will come out to about $350 ($400 minus a $50 coupon). Is that reasonable?

Btw, I asked to keep all parts.

Thanks for your help guys!

At that mileage I'll bet your rotors could have been "turned" which means they make the surface flat again. Rotors can be turned until they reach a minimum thickness, then they need to be replaced. They probably sold you something you don't need with every brake pad changeout. If you never felt the vibration from slightly warped rotors, then I wouldn't have even turned them. It should have been cheaper, but now you know for the next time. The price they charged for what they did is reasonable. The nice part about doing it yourself is that it would have only cost you the price of pads.

[Hootie]

It's unlikely you were hosed since the price is reasonable. Vibration when "suddenly" stepping on the brakes can be due to any number of factors, including tire pressure, balancing, road conditions, etc. I recently replaced my rotors (front and back) because they had worn thin in the contact area with the pad, so much that a "lip" had formed. I replaced pads at the same time so that I would not recreate the problem again.

In the future, you should know that replacing just pads on your car is a snap, requiring a 7mm allen wrench, a flat head screwdriver, and possibly a 6mm box wrench.

When they replaced the front rotors, did they put anti-seize compound on the wheel hub? Speaking from experience, if the rotor rusts to the hub, you have to pound away with a steel hammer to get the old rotor off.