Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
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Stories from the Sales Frontlines
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I can't stop watching HGTV.
That and being a stroke on Christmas tree lots....
There was a short period of time after college I took my vehicles in for service, but that only lasted a couple of years. I learned from those experiences that I cared more about my vehicle than the mechanic and am just as competent for the majority of common maintenance and repairs. It was recently mentioned on here that individuals take their vehicles in for brake service because it's such a critical safety item. I agree about the critical safety part, which is why I insist on doing them myself using quality parts I hand pick. No way I'd trust my brakes to a time-focused mechanic. Just a difference of opinion, is all. I do use a tire shop for wheel rotations, but I always check their work, and even then their use of impact sockets to remove the wheels is damaging my finish around the lugnuts. I'm thinking about inserting sleeves inside those holes when I take my cars in, or doing the rotations myself.
I rented an Outback for a few weeks and drove it a few thousand miles for business, and know exactly what you mean about that sound the parking brake makes. I'll update you on the Impreza as soon as I get a little seat time. That can't come soon enough
I do as well, but I'm blessed in that I have access to an excellent BMW dealer as well as a Mazda dealer- and I also use three great indie shops and a. first-rate tire dealer.
Here's an example of the quality of service my BMW dealer provides:
When new software became available for the automatic in my X3, I made an appointment at my dealer to have the upgrade installed. It turned out BMW NA was dragging their feet regarding putting the re-flash online, so my service adviser gave me a new X3 3.0si Sport for the weekend and overnighted the ECU to Woodcliff Lake to get it re-flashed.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
tyguy - my reason for not doing my own brakes vs a mechanic is knowing I didn't consider myself competent enough to do them. Now I'm just too old....
Maybe I should have written "Dear Abby" for advice? :P
No need. Bought a very nice 7 1/2 foot Douglas Fir at another Lowes the other day. Paid asking price. Had shopped competition... it was a good price.
A "stroke" is actually someone with no intention of buying. As long as you've been posting here, I thought you would know that. :sick:
The Sandman
2023 Hyundai Kona Limited AWD (wife) / 2025 VW GTI (me) / 2019 Chevrolet Cruze Premier RS (daughter #1) / 2020 Hyundai Accent SE (daughter #2) / 2023 Subaru Impreza Base (son)
OK, I'll correct myself and call you an extreme grinder.....
I take all my work to the same place and either they are very straight with me or I've spent a fortune on upselling... At least all the cars run...
There is a consumer writer in our local newspaper who writes on issues regarding cars. There have been a few lately where a friend did brake jobs and the work was not done well. The writer says you shouldn't do brakes yourself because if it isn't done correctly, and there is a serious accident, you will be charged and in a big way.
You guys might be very competent at doing your own brakes, and you could be better than the mechanics in many shops, but is it worth it if you do something wrong and get sued for $millions because you did something wrong?
Personally, I don't think it is worth the risk. Doing an oil change shouldn't be too harmful, but with brakes, something could go very wrong, no matter how careful you are. At least the mechanic carries insurance in case he does something wrong.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
If people only knew how easy it is to do brake work today on cars with disc brakes with calipers/brake pads they’d understand why guys like us do our own brake work. By the time we would go somewhere and wait to have it done, and risk a poor job at that, we’re finished and onto our next job. I grew up with the old drum bakes with all the springs that were use to hold them in place so that they’d work properly. Man, these disc brakes are so easy compared to them there is no comparison and that’s not my humble opinion, it’s a clear fact. Oh sure, there probably is a real doozie of a car out there somewhere with some quirky disc system but I haven’t come across it yet. You are so right about brakes being a “critical safety part” and that’s why some of us insist on doing it ourselves.
A little tale about Son #1 doing his own brakes:
Not too long after my son moved into his house, about 4 months after he was married, one of his wife’s brothers came to town for a visit. They were finishing breakfast and my son said he was going to change his brakes and then they’d go do what they planned to do that day. His BIL said, “I know you like to tinker with cars but since brakes are the only thing that stops you, don’t you think it would be best if you took the car to a shop for that? I’d like to see you and my sister grow old together”. My son said, “that’s exactly why I do brake work myself and some day I’ll teach my son/s how to do it if I’m blessed with sons”. Well he was blessed alright. He has three sons and the oldest (will be 10 in February) likes to watch EVERYTHING when his father works on his cars.
My son says the best part of his BIL commenting on him doing brake work came from his wife. She said, “don’t worry about us, he did brakes on my car when we were still dating, I trust him completely. You’re the one I worry about. You go to those quickie brake shop places. You should go down to the garage and watch how he does it”. This tale would have a better ending if I could tell you that his BIL listened to his sister but he had another cup of coffee then took a shower while my son did his brakes without an observer. :surprise:
Some people think it is way over their heads but we know it isn’t over ours.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
Insurance is only good for the survivors if it can even be proven that the work was faulty. I'm more concerned with my family and myself.
I'm not worried about my competence. Not in the least. That's the best insurance to have.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
You and Mrs. jmonroe.
That channel is the major contributor to her wanting a new bathroom.
My parents were right again when they said too much TV is bad for you. :mad:
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
Sorry to have left you off the DIY list. I found a good Firestone store where I got the Bridgestone’s for the Genny in the spring of 2010. I see them using an old fashioned hand held mechanical torque wrench. Not those torque sticks that have questionable accuracy. But I still check the lug nuts myself to be sure.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
I appreciate that nice comment, and the comments that others made about my wife. I am very blessed to have met and married this girl. She always thinks of other's feelings and genuinely loves people. I've never known a single perosn who didn't respect and like her. She has kept me grounded and focused all of these years. We don't always do the right thing, but we try as best we can. That's what I like about this forum. The guys here try to do the right thing, both ethically and morally. They also use their brains, have a sense of humor about life, share their experiences, and give good advice. I would be hard pressed to find another group like this in one place.
Richard
By now, I'm sure that you and the other posters would agree that I am the #1 candidate for service at a dealer's shop. :P
Richard
I totally agree. There's nothing gray about it. Regardless of who serviced the car regularly, it suffered a complete engine failure under warranty. It is preposterous to think that a major automobile manufacturer wouldn't honor such a catastrophic event under the warranty. Their decision in jmonroe's case speaks volumes about their integrity and sense of fairness. Whether they are concerned about their profit and loss margin or not, they are damaging their most important asset---their reputation. From the local dealer to the corporate board room, they need to reevaluate their thinking, and do every thing in their power to rectify this repeat customer's problem.
Richard
I admit to being addicted to one of their programs---House Hunters. Perhaps it is because we are on our 14th house. I have watched that program so often that 95% of the time I can guess correctly which house the couple will select.
There is one thing that irritates me about that program. The agents are forever telling the customers that the client must make sacrifices and that they can't always have what they want. My response would be, "Well, you need to find what I want and quit showing me what I don't want. After all, we're in a buyer's market."
Speaking of such things, we are in the process of having our laundry room, half bath, and garage renovated. These guys have been here three weeks today. They finish up on Tuesday. Believe me when I say that December is not the best time to undertake such a project. The contractor was to have begun in November but was delayed by two other jobs. One of us has been confined here every day, while the other one has been trying to get ready for Christmas. My family arrives next Friday morning. We're cutting it close. Wednesday will be cleaning day, and Thursday will be cooking day. We're leaving for Florida the day after Christmas. I'll be ready for a change of scenery by then.
Richard
When will you pick us up?
We are leaving on Christmas Day...we were told that is a great day to travel. No cross border shoppers because the stores are closed, and no trucks. Hopefully we can get to Kentucky the first day. Might pass you in your SRX the second day. :P
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
The way you explained it, installing new brakes sounds pretty easy and foolproof.
I think the people complaining about poor brake installations had a friend, neighbor, or unlicensed garage install brakes so it would cost less.
In most cases the brakes didn't work properly and the main reason is because they used very cheap replacements or they chose the wrong replacement.
The newspaper columnist always says if the brakes caused a major accident, the owner of the car and the person who installed the brakes would be sued because they knowingly drove a car with faulty brakes.
Maybe these were older cars with the more difficult brakes to install, since they did this to save a few dollars.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Well, if he's going to swing by to get you he might as well get me too. I'm closer and with the local weather man talking snow, Mrs. j is already saying I should take her Subie to work. It hasn't even hit the ground yet and she's scared. :sick:
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
It’s not foolproof but doing disc brakes is far easier than doing drum brakes. While being easier it does take a little knowledge because it isn’t necessarily intuitive but it ain’t rocket surgery either.
In most cases the brakes didn't work properly and the main reason is because they used very cheap replacements or they chose the wrong replacement.
I tend to disagree with that. I’d say faulty work is more likely the cause of problems. While I use what I believe are quality parts even the cheapest disc brake pads, if installed correctly will work; just not as long before they wear out.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
Perhaps it's because that's all they broadcast for the most part!!
That surprises me too. It seems the buyers look at 3 homes and they choose the one that has most of the features they want - or, they actually eliminate the 2 that have the fewest features they want.
I am sure they view more than 3 places in real life because there are not too many times when they say this house is perfect, they just take the one that matches them the best.
I found that you buy your first house thinking it will be right. Then you find all the things you can't live with (single car garage, lots of stairs, small bedrooms, etc) and the more houses you buy the better you get at finding what you want.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
for house hunters, I always wondered how they produced that. Do they follow the people all over filming houses with them, and then pick ones at the end (assuming they filmed the winner), or do they go back and recreate the visit to the one they ultimately pick?
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
You make it sound like a breeze. I learned how to do drums and it was a pain like you said especially if you got involved with the wheel bearings.
Maybe I'll give it a whirl next time and blame it on you if I screw it up. :P
Hey is richard64 still looking at trucks? There's a local screamer dealer offering $5500 off the now discontinued Ranger PU from Ford.
http://www.autonews.com/article/20111216/VIDEO/312169761/1219
Might be the time to check out a local dealer.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Hmmmm... I've heard it as brain surgery or rocket science but rocket surgery is a new one.......
I think rocket surgery is what the astronauts have to do if one of their fellow astronauts needs an appendix removed or a heart bypass while in outer space.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Like don't let the caliper hang from the hose (support it with a wire).
And clean the piston outsides before pushing them back in to the caliper.
2013 Mustang GT, 2001 GMC Yukon Denali
Maybe I'll give it a whirl next time and blame it on you if I screw it up.
It surprises me that if you did drum brakes, you haven't tried doing disc brakes. Most of the people I know that did drum brakes never gave it a second thought when they got their first car that had disc brakes. They just jumped right in.
As for blaming me, go for it. It never bothered anyone else I know. I'm an expert at taking the blame. Although I don't know a thing about getting any credit.
BTW, don't screw it up...screw it down. That's probably where you've been making your mistakes. :P
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
I'm not touching that one !!
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
The last brake job I did was over 45 years ago and if I knew what I was doing back then I've long since forgotten now. I get scared by modern vehicles with all the electronic gizmos. I also fear getting the dang thing apart and finding I need that special tool to finish the job.
I don't bend like I use to either. :sick:
I think when I finnaly retire in a few years I'll keep busy getting some auto tech training so I can monkey around on cars a bit like when I was a kid. I do enjoy it.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Exactly; I can't tell you how many times I've helped someone swap pads at an HPDE. I can do it in 15 minutes per axle if the car has fixed calipers like my son's 2002. If changing pads/rotors was such an arcane and difficult task we'd have brake failures left and right on most any track day...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
In all the years I've done my own brake jobs - I actually got bit once by faulty parts. I changed the front pads on a 95 Chrysler Cirrus, using a brand I normally don't use (House brand from chain store). Couple days later, I was traveling a mountain back road on a business trip, using the brakes a bunch on long downgrades, and one of the front pads broke in half, and, half the pad sheared off. I heard the piece come out through the spokes on the alloy wheel. I nursed the car home, and, did the brake job again with a different brand (Bendix).
Regards:
Oldbearcat
I give you guys a lot of credit for being able to do your own brake jobs.
One rule I have is; If it can come back and bite me, I leave it to the experts...that is anything medical, electrical, financial, or mechanical especially having to do with cars. If I try to fix it, it will cost me a lot more in the long run.
My other rule is dollar cost averaging. Say, one flat screen 50 inch TV costs $1000 but the much better one is $1200. I would probably say to myself, the both TVs will last for at least 10 years, so the TV that is $200 more will cost me $20 a year to watch. Is it worth less than 50 cents a week for the TV that I really want to get? Probably yes.
I don't gamble or buy lottery tickets too often but my rule for casinos is; If you ever get ahead then only play with half your winnings...save the other half. Casinos count on you throwing all your winnings back in. If you only give back half you will walk out a winner.
Rule of playing tennis. You just have to get the ball back each time. The one who gets the ball back over the net the most will win. Most points are made when the one hitting the ball loses a point.
I should write a book...."Driver's Rules to Live By".
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Each couple looks at many houses, as you normally would. They pick their top three choices. IF the current owners agree, the filming takes place. If not, the prospective buyer has to make another choice. Sellers are given some money for allowing the filming to take place. Many deals never work out, and we rarely see those couples. There is a lot of legal mess and paper work that goes into the filming, remarks made, advice given, etc. There is also some staging and dialogue that the couples follow. You don't see many really high end houses---people with money don't like publicity.
Richard
"Insurance is to insure one from catastrophic losses, not ones that pinch"
That is an all time great!
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
so even the first impressions for the camera are recreated?
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Thanks for the insight. I wondered why they only looked at 3 houses, especially if none of them seemed perfect.
That gives me a great idea for a cable network show. It will be called "Car Hunters" and you follow a couple around to car dealerships as they search for a new car! I think it would be best to use a hidden camera.
I wish I had filmed Rocko, the manager at Dealer A. He would be surprised when he finds out I got my car for $1000s less than he wanted to sell a 1 year old demonstrator. lol
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
'oldbear'...That's the kind of lesson that we like to learn from others.
I buy the name brand parts if I haven't heard good things about the house brands. There are plenty of house brands that are good and I've tried them without problems. I even put on the better grade of house brand pads once when they were out of what I wanted, since the car was on jack stands with the calipers hanging on a wire (like 'mako1a' mentioned). I didn't want to put everything back together and go with the pads that were pretty much gone, then start all over again the next day. They weren't bad but they didn't last like the name brand that I usually used. So now I call the auto parts place first and if they don't have what I want, I wait until they get them the next day to do the job.
Sometimes you have to learn from your own mistakes.
FWIW, if I was on a "mountain back road" and I saw half a brake pad break off on my car, I'd have to check my shorts.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
The only experience I had with brakes is helping my BIL do the rear drums on one of my old HS beaters (maybe the duster?). And I have seen it done plenty of times on TV (Ed on Wheeler dealers always shows the steps), so I know it is not something conceptually too difficult.
It just ends up being one of those things where I don't have the right equipment (jack stands, etc), time, or comfort level (in varying degrees) to make it worth taking on the job.
Besides, for the miles I put on, I do a brake job every 5 years maybe (across the entire fleet), so it's not like I am going broke on it!
2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.
Personally, I start with a close visual inspection looking for hot spots, surface cracking, and any other defects that might be cause for alarm. If the rotor looks structurally sound, then I'll consider having them resurfaced at the local parts store. More often now, though, I simply recycle them and install new rotors. I've switched to ceramic pads, which have provided excellent braking with minimal dust and long life, but at the sacrifice of rotor life.
Have a great trip and enjoy the sunshine! We recently returned from a week in the Caribbean, and believe me when I say it was difficult stepping off that plane into sub-freezing temperatures back home. Florida sounds awfully nice right about now. We may be lacking snow at the moment but cold temperatures are in no short supply.
I was out and just got back to this site. I wasn’t ignoring you.
I’ll echo what ’tyguy’ said about doing a good inspection before you jump into doing any brake work.
If the rotors aren’t scored and aren’t causing a shimmy I just leave them alone. If it ain’t broke I don’t fix it. Besides, I found out, like on my ’95 Bonneville, some rotors can’t be turned because they are manufactured borderline thickness to begin with and they wear out on their own at about 50K miles. Then again, on my ’06 Sonata they could be turned (under warranty when they shimmied at about 9K miles) and the tech said they could even be turned again.
It was very interesting how they warped too. I just returned from visiting my brother in Florida in January and had just picked up the car at the parking lot. It was about 9 PM and darn cold too (around 5 F, IIRC). I let it warm up completely while I waited for the front and rear defrosters to warm up the ice on the front and rear glass before I scraped it away. The car was pretty toasty by then so I started to drive home. I’ll bet I didn’t go ten miles before I noticed a pretty good shimmy while driving on the interstate. I took it to the dealer 2 days later to have the front rotors turned and I never had another problem with them.
But like I said if the rotors are OK, I just put on new pads after a good inspection and cleaning. However, I do bleed the brake system when I change pads then I wait till the next time they wear out and repeat the process. Bleeding is very important because it gets the old fluid out which has picked up moisture that is fatal to caliper pistons. I’ve seen cases where friends were charged by shops that said they bled the brake system when they changed the pads but when dirty brake fluid comes out a week later I know they didn’t do what they said they did. The only way you know if something is done is to check it. Just another reason why I do it myself. Why take it somewhere then do the checks to see if it was done right? You might as well just do the job and be done with it, if you know how to do it. Of course if you go to a trustworthy shop you get what you pay for but to know they’re trustworthy I’d have to check their work.
Just takes a little time on my part to satisfy myself.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
OK ’judge’, now tell us how long you waited for the rotors to cool off before you could touch them after those cars did a few laps around the track. I’m willing to bet it was a good bit longer than the brake job took.
jmonroe
'15 Genesis V8 with Ultimate Package and '18 Legacy Limited 6 cyl
I saw this weather warning on the news tonight:
AUSTIN. Texas. — A blizzard watch is in effect until Tuesday for parts of Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas as a severe winter storm is expected to bring high winds and up to a foot of snow there on Sunday night and Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
Temperature here is warmer than usual at just above 32. They don't expect any snow for the next week. But, Tampa is 75 to 80 every day this week. That is sounding really good to me right now.
Hope we can go and on time. Got one family personal matter that may make us change our departure date, but I hope not.
The older you get, the more that warm sun sounds really good.
2017 MB E400 , 2015 MB GLK350, 2014 MB C250
Two things:
1. NEVER touch the brakes on the cool-down lap(s)
2. ALWAYS wear a good pair of mechanic's gloves.
In any case, you usually have an hour or two between sessions, so there's no time crunch.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
That was awesome!
I do as well,
I'm starting now that I got my new Wrangler. I just swapped the snow tires myself too.