After having my max sit at the dealer all day for a new alternator (recall) & a brake inspection, the service advisor calls me and says "we looked at your brakes, the rears are just about gone and it'll cost $183.. if you keep driving it as is, you'll need rotors soon" and I told him to hold off on the brakes for now until I got back to him, but, should I pay that much to the dealer to fix the rear brakes or have midas or some other brake shop fix it for a lesser price? btw I have a dealer coupon for at least 10 to 20% off parts and labor so I may consider taking it back to the dealer to use the coupon but feel free to suggest

 

Personally - I would never take it to a Midas or a Brake Check etc. This would be a real easy job if you wanted to spend the time to do it. It's really not that hard. However if you are uncomfortable doing it, I would find a local mechanic that would do it for cheaper and you buy the pads (recently switched to Raybestos Quiet Stops and never been happier).

Just my $0.02

 

DO IT YOURSELF!!!!

all you need is a 14mm socket, 17mm socket, caliper compressor tool, brake cleaner, and brake quiet spray.

I did mine last week for a total cost of $37

$20 for resurfacing the rotors at a local auto parts store and $17 for new pads (friction grip).

 

Pass... if you don't want to do it yourself get a quote form somebody else. My dealer charged $130 for the front rotors to be resurfaced/turned and pads replaced.
-Cyrus

 

Ummmm what did you use the 17mm for? You only need the 14mm to take the caliper off. Regrease the pins (the pins are what the caliper bolts onto) with high temp grease, take them out, clean and regrease them. The piston screws in, don't try to force it, just use a pair of needle nose, grab the notches and twist it clockwise. The piston will screw back in. Make sure you put the notches in the correct position again. Just as they were before you started turning the piston. This is very important. If the notches don't line up with the nub on the pad, the caliper will sit cocked on the pad.

It's also a good idea to flush the fluid in your brake system with every brake job you do. Brake fluid absorbs moisture and needs to be changed every few years. I change my brake fluid with every brake job.

 

njmaxseltd,

It's for the torque member. You know, the 14mm is to loosen the caliper pins, but you need the 17mm to take off the bracket. That way, you could access the rotors and replace them.

For the original poster, please remember that you might have difficulty in getting the rotors off.

So, what you want to do is, after receiving your new rotors, bring them to the autoparts store and BUY the screw that will fit into the holes on the rotors.

That way, you will save a lot of trouble (in removing the old ones).

 

Are the OE pads semi-metallic?

 

Forgot about that And I just did this last week too.

Quick note - The screws are different for the front and rear rotors. I found that out the hard way!

 

I JUST got my rear pads replaced at the dealer...the OEMS are semi-metallic, yes. It only cost me $135 though?? Why is yours $183. Anyways, trust yourself OR the dealer, but don't go to some quacky place. Goodluck

 

The OEM pads are not that expensive like $80?

Should take you about an 1-2 hours.

http://www.seas.ucla.edu/~cheston/brakepads.html Harder to

 

Isn't rear brake supposed to be last longer than front brake at normal driving condition. My car has 62K miles, and I replace front at 59K, and rear brake at 40K. Yesterday, while I am getting alternator replaced, dealer told me I have about 2000 miles left for rear pads. That means, my rear brake last only 22K miles. Does anybody have same problem?

 

find out what brand and type of pads/rotors the dealership uses. I work for an auto parts store, and at least half of our customers are dealerships, and i know the **** that they pull. For instance, one ford dealership we deliver to uses the cheapest brands of rotors, which wind up costing them $12 or so, they then charge the customer $50 bucks a piece, plus labor. The real kicker is that these rotors are so cheap, they wind up disintegrating within a month, so the customer has to come back again. Another thing is **** Midas. They demand that our delivery drivers park their vans behind the store so that customers don't see that they are using third-party parts...nevermind the fact that Midas charges an obscene mark-up on parts. I've seen some major **** pulled by shops, which is why i try to learn as much as possible that i can do myself, that whay you don't have to risk getting screwed over.

Also, semi-metallic pads suck. Your best bet, (as far as OEM) although they're real expensive, is ceramic pads. Metaliic and semi-metallic pads suck because they squeal as soon as they get hot. Ceramics will squeal only after hard braking, or if they're worn.

 

pass. about 7k ago I got my front calipers and pads replaced, my oil changed and a tire rotation for $200 including genuine nissan parts. sommai auto @ dempster and crawford (in skokie), if you're wondering.