The Max started making this real nasty metal-on-metal grinding noise from the front left wheel so I figured I should take it in to have it checked out. I figured it was the brakes but I have never heard the indicator sound before so I wasn't completely sure if that was it. So I took it over to Les Schwab and by the end of the day I was out $650. I took a couple pics, but since a camera phone is all that I have at my disposal, they aren't very good at all.

It's kind of nice to have all new brakes, they're clean and ready to go. Although I really can't stomp on the brakes for 1,000 miles so they don't make squeeks later.

Sorry if I bored you guys, stuff rarely happens to my Max so I figured I post about it.





I'll get some different pics up in a little bit...these kind of suck.

 

congrats! i think...

 

Yeah I'm happy that I got new brakes The way they were before hand was getting on my nerves so it'll be nice to have brakes that feel like new.

 

$650.00?!?!?!

You need to do this yorself and save $500.00!

 

Should have just gotten the Blemco BBK instead!!!!

 

u sure it just wasn't the brake pads???

 

Well, the problem came on rather suddenly and my dad immediatly made an appointment at Les Schwab. Plus my dad doesn't exactly trust me with major do-it-yourself jobs. If I did it myself I would've gotten slotted rotors and hawk brake pads. Oh well, nothing I can do now though. They did a nice job though, and everything looks nice now with it all brand spanking new. They even replaced my parking brake (which I didn't expect) but I realized it when I got home that there was a lot more tension on the lever so I'm assuming that it's new as well. My car has 100K miles on it and my parents are assuming that the brakes have never been replaced (save the brake pads). How long on average should all this stuff last?

 

that "metal on metal" screeching could have been the end of the brake pad grinding...

 

Yeah, it could've been. Having all four replaced was kind of an accident, my dad asked the guy to just check out the one wheel that it was coming from. Turns out the guy called our house and spoke with my mom (who doesn't know what's going on but couldn't get a hold of my dad) and said that all four needed to be replaced so she finally gave him the go ahead. :\

 

Good thing they didn't ask about the VQ!!!

 

Think again: http://www.zeckhausen.com/bedding_in_brakes.htm

Also, you got ripped off.

 

my god, $650 for brakes.. that's almost as bad as taking it into the dealership for new pads and rotors...

 

same rims I have on right now (winter rims). Sorry to say you got bent over...

 

ouch!12345

 

Great write up !

 

Damn $650.

 

did you get brakes rotors all the way around, brake flush and replace a caliper or 2?

650 is real steeeeeeep?

 

My 13" BBK costed less than this!!!

 

^^ HOw??!? and how much?

$650 for stock brakes?

 

That price sounds about right for a dealership, hard to understand since this is an EASY job for a skilled mechanic who has all the tools and a lift and a warm A$$ shop to work in. They should just put a gun to your head while they give the estimate.

 

For that price, they should have given you new rotors too. But even with new rotors and new pads, they shafted you good on labor! I bet they didn't touch your parking brake. Perhaps they adjusted the cable. But the new rear pads is what gave you more tension (less clicks) til stop.

 

Damn! I just cant stop thinking about that bill!

 

yeah, you definitely got ripped off BIG TIME... happy to hear your problem is fixed though

 

Did they come with a lifetime warrenty?

 

They came with A warranty, I don't know how long it lasts though. I'm pretty aware that I got torn a new one though. And no, I didn't get ALL new rotors, just the rears. And the only other stuff I'm aware of is new calipers all the way around as well as new pads.

Had to take it back today cause the right-rear caliper locked up and started smoking. Turns out they over tightened an adjustment screw or something.

The stupidest part is my parents just told me at dinner today that they're coming up with jobs for me to do so I can pay off this "debt". That kind of upset me a bit since it wasn't my fault to begin with and I'm not the one who decided to give them the go ahead on redoing all four brakes. :| I guess I owe them none the less.

Thanks for the write up mzmtg.

 

Damn that sux, your dad stuck you with the bill for his ignorance (no pun intended). You show him who knows better by reading up on the stickies and how-to threads. Then tell him that the huge bill could have been avoided.

 

ok
if it's not broken why fix it.
my caliper with 160k works just as well as your brand new one....

 

Well the front rear brake needed repairations or replacement. But the other three didn't [yet]. My mom didn't know this and my dad wasn't available to consult.

Oh, and I already told my dad that we could've saved a buttload of money by letting me take care of it but he just gets mad at me for some weird reason, and starts ranting about the fact that I was mad about my car making a funky noise I guess what's done is done. There definitly won't be a next time though, no matter what car I own.

 

That's odd. I've never heard of the front rear brake failing...

 

HAHA, sorry bout that, I meant the front-left break. Jumbled my thoughts...my apologies.

 

hrm, i woulda sold you my wilwood big brake kit for 700 bucks....lol

 

Did they bed your pads properly?
http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/tech/...procedures.jsp
Jae

 

http://doug.maxima.org/showpost.php?...2&postcount=11

 

wow dude you got *** ****ed!

 

IF you got new rotors and pads all the way around, the price was fair to a bit high. I could do it myself for about half that going with some stock and some autozone parts; $300 tops for all the stuff and then it would take me a few hours, but on a lift with good tools surely no more than two professional hours. SO I guess he charged $150/hour or used better parts than the crap I'd have used

Enough rambling. I have had brakes go on two of my cars and the warning tab go off on neither occasion. On my 93 sentra I heard simply a nasty scrunching sound that eventually was there all the time. The pads had worn into the rotors and everything needed to be replaced. On my 00 max two weeks ago I heard a loud sound of metal on metal, but it was as if it was a small piece of metal. I figured the pad must have been low (because I could see it was pretty low even with the wheel on) and part of it rubbing the rotor. It was exactly that. The rotor was otherwise fine, so I got new pads on the back for under $40.

In regards to the hand brake, it can be adjusted, and so that is why you think it's new. It's not, but just has been adjusted. In fact it uses the same rear pads as normal braking, and if otherwise it was working fine there would be no reason to replace it.

Re; How long brakes last it depends on driving. Rears will last much longer than fronts. I think my rears went about 79k (not first owner of the car), and fronts a good bit less.