what to do?
03-12-2005 | 05:07 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Newbie - Just Registered
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8
what to do?
I took my car in for a brake check today and it appears that all of my calipers are leaking and the pads are getting thin. right now the estimate to fix it all is like $1300(all 4 wheels new calipers, back side new rotors, and the hosing for it), but he says he only has acces to 1/3 of his suppliers since its the weekend and to try back on monday. so it will probably be less.
I remember reading somewhere about someone did a fix on their calipers for cheap or something. I was wondering if anyone could help me out with ideas? or a place to get cheap parts? or are my only choices pay that price or find a new car? i really dont want to have to get a new car since ive already put so much money into the car, but 1300 is practically what it is worth.
i have 180000mi, rebuilt engine (155000), used transmission at engine rebuild,
my car is an 88 GXE.
Thanks
I remember reading somewhere about someone did a fix on their calipers for cheap or something. I was wondering if anyone could help me out with ideas? or a place to get cheap parts? or are my only choices pay that price or find a new car? i really dont want to have to get a new car since ive already put so much money into the car, but 1300 is practically what it is worth.
i have 180000mi, rebuilt engine (155000), used transmission at engine rebuild,
my car is an 88 GXE.
Thanks
03-12-2005 | 07:00 PM
#2
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 367
I put new front calipers on my car a little while ago. Mine still has some problem with it, likely just air in system but I'm not sure. Dan and I had problems with the rears, so I looked into prices for rear calipers.
Here are some prices I've found in my travels:
Front calipers: $40 ea.
Front hoses: ~$40 ea.
Front pads: $40 (raybestos semi-metallic)
Front rotors: ~$20 ea. (cheap ones)
Rear calipers: $85 ea.
Those are Pep Boy's prices, and some of the parts need to be ordered. Nissan wants $130 for each front caliper (also needs to be ordered), + $20 core, and that's excluding pads! I dare not ask what rear calipers run. You're probably looking at about the same price for rear hoses and rotors as for the fronts. I'd check around different shops, make sure you get the best price. Ask your buddies where they get their work done, and avoid the dealer like the plague.
It's alot of money--no doubt about it. On cars this old, it's easy to exceed the value of the car just by doing repairs. Old cars break, even well built ones. The question is how much you like your car and how long you intend to keep it. If there are other, newer cars you might prefer to own it's worth considering. Sometimes a monthly payment is cheaper than shelling out big bucks all the time to fix this or that. In the end, you're the only one who can decide how much you really like the Max.
Good luck.
Here are some prices I've found in my travels:
Front calipers: $40 ea.
Front hoses: ~$40 ea.
Front pads: $40 (raybestos semi-metallic)
Front rotors: ~$20 ea. (cheap ones)
Rear calipers: $85 ea.
Those are Pep Boy's prices, and some of the parts need to be ordered. Nissan wants $130 for each front caliper (also needs to be ordered), + $20 core, and that's excluding pads! I dare not ask what rear calipers run. You're probably looking at about the same price for rear hoses and rotors as for the fronts. I'd check around different shops, make sure you get the best price. Ask your buddies where they get their work done, and avoid the dealer like the plague.
It's alot of money--no doubt about it. On cars this old, it's easy to exceed the value of the car just by doing repairs. Old cars break, even well built ones. The question is how much you like your car and how long you intend to keep it. If there are other, newer cars you might prefer to own it's worth considering. Sometimes a monthly payment is cheaper than shelling out big bucks all the time to fix this or that. In the end, you're the only one who can decide how much you really like the Max.
Good luck.
03-12-2005 | 07:10 PM
#3
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 186
Originally Posted by turboast4
I put new front calipers on my car a little while ago. Mine still has some problem with it, likely just air in system but I'm not sure. Dan and I had problems with the rears, so I looked into prices for rear calipers.
Here are some prices I've found in my travels:
Front calipers: $40 ea.
Front hoses: ~$40 ea.
Front pads: $40 (raybestos semi-metallic)
Front rotors: ~$20 ea. (cheap ones)
Rear calipers: $85 ea.
Those are Pep Boy's prices, and some of the parts need to be ordered. Nissan wants $130 for each front caliper (also needs to be ordered), + $20 core, and that's excluding pads! I dare not ask what rear calipers run. You're probably looking at about the same price for rear hoses and rotors as for the fronts. I'd check around different shops, make sure you get the best price. Ask your buddies where they get their work done, and avoid the dealer like the plague.
It's alot of money--no doubt about it. On cars this old, it's easy to exceed the value of the car just by doing repairs. Old cars break, even well built ones. The question is how much you like your car and how long you intend to keep it. If there are other, newer cars you might prefer to own it's worth considering. Sometimes a monthly payment is cheaper than shelling out big bucks all the time to fix this or that. In the end, you're the only one who can decide how much you really like the Max.
Good luck.
Here are some prices I've found in my travels:
Front calipers: $40 ea.
Front hoses: ~$40 ea.
Front pads: $40 (raybestos semi-metallic)
Front rotors: ~$20 ea. (cheap ones)
Rear calipers: $85 ea.
Those are Pep Boy's prices, and some of the parts need to be ordered. Nissan wants $130 for each front caliper (also needs to be ordered), + $20 core, and that's excluding pads! I dare not ask what rear calipers run. You're probably looking at about the same price for rear hoses and rotors as for the fronts. I'd check around different shops, make sure you get the best price. Ask your buddies where they get their work done, and avoid the dealer like the plague.
It's alot of money--no doubt about it. On cars this old, it's easy to exceed the value of the car just by doing repairs. Old cars break, even well built ones. The question is how much you like your car and how long you intend to keep it. If there are other, newer cars you might prefer to own it's worth considering. Sometimes a monthly payment is cheaper than shelling out big bucks all the time to fix this or that. In the end, you're the only one who can decide how much you really like the Max.
Good luck.
Unless it was RWD, then it makes sense to keep it. The newer cars are so overrated, nowadays, sad to say
03-13-2005 | 06:37 AM
#4
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 548
I dunno about anyone else, but I'd prefer to buy a car used (preferably one before '96 to avoid the emissions testing) and pay for it upfront and get the title... then it belongs to me. and put a little work in on the side.. than make monthly payments and pay for full coverage. plus, parts for older cars are generally less expensive and more readily available. some manufacturers withhold aftermarket parts from store chains intentionally just so that you can go to the dealer, bend over, and get raped. Hyundai and Kia are notorious for that. I work at Auto Zone and no aftermarket parts for any 2000-model or up hyundai/kia are available to me other than like batteries and MAYBE brakes. I know it's horsesh**, but for now, they can get away with it.
anyway, this is off the topic. my advice is get some prices together for the parts that you need.. calipers, pads, and rotors. it's actually not hard to do the work yourself, and you can sometimes buy what's called "loaded" calipers which means they already have the pads installed, all you gotta do is bolt em on and you're done. but $1300 seems awfully steep to me.
Dan
anyway, this is off the topic. my advice is get some prices together for the parts that you need.. calipers, pads, and rotors. it's actually not hard to do the work yourself, and you can sometimes buy what's called "loaded" calipers which means they already have the pads installed, all you gotta do is bolt em on and you're done. but $1300 seems awfully steep to me.
Dan
03-14-2005 | 06:39 AM
#5
$1300 is a raping...
You can rebuild all four calipers, if you're handy, and have the tools for it...the fronts are very easy to do...the rears are a b*tch...I have done a write-up in the stickies on this procedure...
rebuilding the cheapest way out, and is perfectly fine, as long as you take your time, and make sure it's done right...hone the cylinder walls well, and make sure you do NOT break off the bleeder screw...
The hoses are also easy enough to swap out...the rear rotors are the hardest, since the rotor is integrated into the rear hub...but the fronts are very easy...they slip onto the front hub...
even if you replace all four rotors, you should be able to do the whole job for around $650 or so, if you're able to do it yourself...
You can rebuild all four calipers, if you're handy, and have the tools for it...the fronts are very easy to do...the rears are a b*tch...I have done a write-up in the stickies on this procedure...
rebuilding the cheapest way out, and is perfectly fine, as long as you take your time, and make sure it's done right...hone the cylinder walls well, and make sure you do NOT break off the bleeder screw...
The hoses are also easy enough to swap out...the rear rotors are the hardest, since the rotor is integrated into the rear hub...but the fronts are very easy...they slip onto the front hub...
even if you replace all four rotors, you should be able to do the whole job for around $650 or so, if you're able to do it yourself...
03-15-2005 | 06:12 PM
#6
Thread Starter
Newbie - Just Registered
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 8
Ok well I have an appointment with my regular mechanic this Friday to see if he makes it out to seem as bad as the other guys did.
I did manage to find on e-bay both front and back calipers for much less than I was quoted. Now I just need to find rear rotors (my fronts are fine) and the cables/houses, what ever you want to call it, and the pads.
For the pads, I dont need the best, but is there a certain type that I should aviod?
Is the process for the repairs in the Chilton manual? Explained well? I would check mine but mine is current MIA.
Thanks for the help guys
Oh one other thing...I posted earlier about my car stalling bad a lights and stuff. Anyways I finally found a replacement TPS sensor from the junkyard, installed it and it works much better. No more 200rpm idleing. However the ECU still says there is a problem. I tried clearing it and It came back, any ideas on that?
I did manage to find on e-bay both front and back calipers for much less than I was quoted. Now I just need to find rear rotors (my fronts are fine) and the cables/houses, what ever you want to call it, and the pads.
For the pads, I dont need the best, but is there a certain type that I should aviod?
Is the process for the repairs in the Chilton manual? Explained well? I would check mine but mine is current MIA.
Thanks for the help guys
Oh one other thing...I posted earlier about my car stalling bad a lights and stuff. Anyways I finally found a replacement TPS sensor from the junkyard, installed it and it works much better. No more 200rpm idleing. However the ECU still says there is a problem. I tried clearing it and It came back, any ideas on that?
03-15-2005 | 07:07 PM
#7
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 548
maybe this wouldn't even help, but it's a suggestion -- have you ever cleaned the TB and air intake? carbon can and will accumlate on the throttle plate and all the small holes in the air intake and clog them up, causing a bad idle. to give an example.... I bought this 94 sentra from the original owner a few weeks ago, with 209,000 miles on the odometer. I opened up the intake duct and there was a nice thick black layer of carbon at least 1/8" thick. it took a while to spray it out but I could feel the difference in the idle.
also, have you checked the idle speed setting and the timing?
and to answer your question about brakes, I've never really had any bad experiences with any particular brand. a few people have told me that the so called "lifetime warranty" pads some stores offer will chew up the rotors. I have ceramic brakes on both my vehicles and I LOVE them. not one screech or squeal, and no brake dust at all. I'd stay away from cheap brakes... but that's just me.
Dan
also, have you checked the idle speed setting and the timing?
and to answer your question about brakes, I've never really had any bad experiences with any particular brand. a few people have told me that the so called "lifetime warranty" pads some stores offer will chew up the rotors. I have ceramic brakes on both my vehicles and I LOVE them. not one screech or squeal, and no brake dust at all. I'd stay away from cheap brakes... but that's just me.
Dan
03-16-2005 | 06:15 AM
#8
On the rear of mine, I have Autozone's generic $14.99 pads...but on the fronts, when I replaced my rotors, I got the best pads I could get locally...carbon metallic pads...I paid about $35 for them...they cause a lot less wear and tear than regular semi-met's, extending the life of my new rotors exponentially...