Well it had to happen eventually..... - ClubWRX Forum - Subaru Impreza WRX and STi Community and Forums

SonicWagon · 08-20-2008, 03:31 PM

I finally had to do some unplanned repair to my car after 14 months.

i bought a used sight on scene 03WRX without driving it last summer and i have no records of maintenance. Today i started driving and my drivers side rear brakes were scraping Metal on metal, so i took it immediately to the closest brake place "monroe". I ended up needing 2 rotors and 2 sets of rear brake pads, $485 later (got an oil change and rotation while i was there also) and its as good as new.

besides gas and oil changes i have not had to spend one dime to keep my car running up until today.

still i think i am getting off easy seeing as i was totally uninformed when i bought the car and it is quite old 91,000 miles.

Mikie13 · 08-20-2008, 03:45 PM

crappy...sucks to have to drop an impromptu $500 on brakes. I had to do that for my STI back in June for the rear brakes...except I went with DBA rotors, and Hawk HPS pads...and it cost me an impromptu $700

idipskoalmint · 08-20-2008, 04:06 PM

I wore my brakes down to the backing plate on the front, and nearly the same on the rear

A local parts manager went to a conference a while back, and talked with the owner of ACDelco about their lack of support for a car group - Brembos. Three weeks later, he got a phone call at work, saying that they were R&Ding pads.

OEM STi brake pads: $800
ACDelco STi brake pads: $110

ACDelco stop as good (if not better) than OEM, and I haven't had to wash my wheels once since I got them (twice/week with OEM pads), and it's been about a month.

SD_GR · 08-20-2008, 04:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by idipskoalmint

OEM STi brake pads: $800
ACDelco STi brake pads: $110

This is going to make lots of people quite happy, or at the very least $690 wealthier.

**josnroh** · 08-20-2008, 05:02 PM

How much of that $485 was labor?

idipskoalmint · 08-20-2008, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SD_GR

This is going to make lots of people quite happy, or at the very least $690 wealthier.

I doubt they grip as hard as the Hawk HPS, but for those on a budget, the ACDelco can't be beat - and the quality is solid as well, considering they are OEM pads used on the 'vette

Quote:

Originally Posted by josnroh

How much of that $485 was labor?

I can see them charging 1.5-2 hrs labor to replace rotors/pads - that can be anywhere from $125-175

DUB · 08-20-2008, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SonicWagon

i bought a used sight on scene 03WRX

sight unseen?

I would have taken that opportunity to upgrade. You could have done better pads, rotors and SS lines all around for $485. A couple paychecks later, do the fronts to match.

devilfluff · 08-21-2008, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by idipskoalmint

I can see them charging 1.5-2 hrs labor to replace rotors/pads - that can be anywhere from $125-175

After 10 years in the automotive repair industry, and the last 4 negotiating repair costs, I can say with some authority: You are an optimist.

If they used inexpensive non-OE pads and "white box" rotors at twice retail cost, parts are about $200. It is possible they used a higher quality part, but I doubt it.

OP: Brakes are very easy to change, and a great way to save money on car maintenance. You could do that brake job in less than 2 hours for under $150 using decent OE-equivalent parts. I highly recommend anyone learn to swap pads out.

Mikie13 · 08-21-2008, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DUB

sight unseen?

I would have taken that opportunity to upgrade. You could have done better pads, rotors and SS lines all around for $485. A couple paychecks later, do the fronts to match.

That is exactly what I did...and upgrading on the STI isn't even necessary, but DAMN does it stop a whole hell of a lot better after all those goodies mentioned above

teflon_jones · 08-21-2008, 09:11 AM

It just amazes me how many people spend so much on brakes. I just did my front pads on my STi in under an hour with no instructions. Got the Hawk HPS pads off eBay for only $120 shipped. Swapping brake pads is such an easy job. There is no reason to replace rotors except every other brake pad change. And that is simple too. No need to remachine rotors either unless yours are in really bad shape, which is very rare.

JMack · 08-21-2008, 09:40 AM

+1

Brakes are easier than people think. They are just WAY more important than most people care.

UNLESS you're talking about other cars, some have pressed on rotors and what not, then

2.0Rs · 08-22-2008, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teflon_jones

It just amazes me how many people spend so much on brakes. I just did my front pads on my STi in under an hour with no instructions. Got the Hawk HPS pads off eBay for only $120 shipped. Swapping brake pads is such an easy job. There is no reason to replace rotors except every other brake pad change. And that is simple too. No need to remachine rotors either unless yours are in really bad shape, which is very rare.

It's generally good to get your rotors cut when changing your pads. Gives the new brakes a nice new surface to cling onto and break in properly. I've know people who haven't and their brakes don't bite as hard as they should.

Mikie13 · 08-25-2008, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by teflon_jones

It just amazes me how many people spend so much on brakes. I just did my front pads on my STi in under an hour with no instructions. Got the Hawk HPS pads off eBay for only $120 shipped. Swapping brake pads is such an easy job. There is no reason to replace rotors except every other brake pad change. And that is simple too. No need to remachine rotors either unless yours are in really bad shape, which is very rare.

I got HPS pads real cheap as well...and got hooked up on DBA rotors for cheap from the King of Parts. My front pads got bad and I had some grooving on the rotors. They could have been machined, but I'd rather have better rotors anyway. When I replaced my rears a little later, the right rear rotor was getting ground into, so it needed replacing...So in essence...they were in bad shape.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMack

+1

Brakes are easier than people think. They are just WAY more important than most people care.

UNLESS you're talking about other cars, some have pressed on rotors and what not, then

STI brakework is very easy. I did the front rotors/pads/and SS lines in a matter of 2 hours total. And it was pretty fun. Bleeding the brake lines is messy as hell though

Nat · 08-28-2008, 07:13 AM

I just paid around six hundy for new Hawk pads, SS lines, and some fancy fluid on all four corners, and my car only has 15K miles on it. I spent a day at the track and afterwards my brake pedal felt really soft. Enough tracking for me.

SonicWagon · 08-28-2008, 08:14 AM

I have to admit I panicked it was metal on metal sounded real bad if I had forsight I would have upgraded oh well.

The point of this thread was more my thankfulness that my car is reliable

08-20-2008, 03:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
Mikie13 Registered User Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Florence, NJ Posts: 5,315	crappy...sucks to have to drop an impromptu $500 on brakes. I had to do that for my STI back in June for the rear brakes...except I went with DBA rotors, and Hawk HPS pads...and it cost me an impromptu $700 __________________ -Mikie The Hawk-Eye Alliance #90'07 STi Limited #90/800 UGM Intake Information BOV Information

08-20-2008, 04:06 PM	#3 (permalink)
idipskoalmint Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Albany, NY Posts: 3,683	I wore my brakes down to the backing plate on the front, and nearly the same on the rear A local parts manager went to a conference a while back, and talked with the owner of ACDelco about their lack of support for a car group - Brembos. Three weeks later, he got a phone call at work, saying that they were R&Ding pads. OEM STi brake pads: $800 ACDelco STi brake pads: $110 ACDelco stop as good (if not better) than OEM, and I haven't had to wash my wheels once since I got them (twice/week with OEM pads), and it's been about a month. __________________ CarDomain WRXModders 2005 DomTuned WRX STi "Never trust anything that bleeds for a week and lives ..." Last edited by idipskoalmint; 08-20-2008 at 05:28 PM.

08-20-2008, 05:02 PM	#5 (permalink)
josnroh n00b moderator Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: O-HI-O Posts: 12,711	How much of that $485 was labor? __________________ Flying Under The Radar WRX Shooting-Brake Club#001 Lone Wolf Race Team#001 Owner:The Legendary Hammerdown Wagon Winner:Buschur Shootout/June2006

08-21-2008, 09:11 AM	#10 (permalink)
teflon_jones Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Colorado Front Range Posts: 2,227	It just amazes me how many people spend so much on brakes. I just did my front pads on my STi in under an hour with no instructions. Got the Hawk HPS pads off eBay for only $120 shipped. Swapping brake pads is such an easy job. There is no reason to replace rotors except every other brake pad change. And that is simple too. No need to remachine rotors either unless yours are in really bad shape, which is very rare. __________________ Scott - Cobbed '04 STI fast=good slow=bad My last 300 HP awd car (miss it every day) Forum about my other car addiction

08-21-2008, 09:40 AM	#11 (permalink)
JMack Registered User Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 313	+1 Brakes are easier than people think. They are just WAY more important than most people care. UNLESS you're talking about other cars, some have pressed on rotors and what not, then __________________ Success is the ability to go from one failure to another with no loss of enthusiasm. - Winston Churchill Ah, the patter of little feet around the house. There's nothing like having a midget for a butler. I am free of all prejudices. I hate everyone equally. - W.C. Fields

08-28-2008, 07:13 AM	#14 (permalink)
Nat Registered User Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bend, OR Posts: 297	I just paid around six hundy for new Hawk pads, SS lines, and some fancy fluid on all four corners, and my car only has 15K miles on it. I spent a day at the track and afterwards my brake pedal felt really soft. Enough tracking for me.

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes	Rate This Thread
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode	Rate This Thread:

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
whats the worst that could happen?	Dhbamby	Engine Modifications	9	03-04-2008 10:47 AM
I knew it would happen sooner or later	mike05STi	General Maintenance, Troubleshooting & Accidents.	7	08-17-2006 12:37 PM