Gene

yeah, bought the pads from trinity..great price

Trinity Autosport

$250 is too much I think...but I am in Cali so not sure how it is in NY. They should of installed the pads/flushed your system for $250.

aresh

Yea he didn't flush anything just replace the pads I bought. I do think I have been ripped off. But seems like everyone has mixed opinions. Also is there a way to determine if rotors need changing by visual inspection?

exx1976

I don't know where you are in NY, but in my area, independent shops are getting like $65-70, and that's on the high side. The BMW dealer here is $98/hr. I don't know what book time is on the job, but I highly doubt it is 1 hour per wheel...

skylolow

So you gave him the pads. Did you give him sensors also or where sensors not worn through?

It takes about 1.5 hours to a 2 hours on avg.. So if you figure two hours of labor at $80 an hour your at $160. If he had to get sensors for you I'm sure he marked those up double and your up to low $200 to $215 so $250 isn't crazy. Maybe a little high. Maybe he added the "BMW guy" charge.

Sometimes shops just have a flat charge for certain items like a pad swap, radiator flush, resurface rotors, etc. etc. Call up and say you got a 2005 Ford Explorer and bought pads and want them installed and see what he says over the phone. His pad swap may included resurface of the rotors. Most shops will resurface the rotors on a pad swap. If you took rotors in to get resurfaced chances are they'd charge your around $10 to $15 a rotor to resurface (maybe more or less depending on the shop).

On the rotors its hard to tell without the wheel off. They measure it (can't remember the name of the measurment device right now) and compare it too the legal specs of that rotor. In most cases you can go through two sets of pads for every rotor(general rule). So every other pad job you get chances are your rotors will need replacing. If you run your finger on the disc and at the outer edge you'll feel a lip as it wears that lip gets bigger. If your a long time mechanic by doing just that many can tell you if its time for new rotors. But they always measure to make sure and look over the rotor as using your finger isn't exactly a science.

aresh

nope no sensor replacement either, strictly PADS. Is it possible to wear out the rotors, with one cycle of OEM pads?

skylolow

Well you can but for normal driving its hard unless you put alot of miles on those brake pads. It may still meet specs but resurfacing takes some depth off the rotor also. Sometimes it maybe worn to much too resurface and then they need to be replaced. Its possible you could have a deep score in the rotor also or severly warped rotor. You'd know the later as you'd be getting vibrations through the car. So its not impossible.

Many places will automatically replace your rotors with your brake job. Its an easy up charge that doesn't take them hardly any more time to do. So they make more money off you.

z06bigbird

Heck, I would have done it for 2 quarts of beer.

mpena

my fronts are squeaking real bad, i got a quote from an aftermarket BMW/Audi repair shop and they said that since i've got a sport i need to replace discs/pads all the way around at the same time and wanted $700 out the door for parts/labor.

how truthful is this?

aresh

i think thats a good price if its rotor and pads for all wheels.