Topic: I hope this isn't a sign of things to come.

[tpl]

^^ I remember being poor etc. but in those days, old British cars were held together (!) with old fashioned nuts and bolts and were simple to fix AND the parts were also small and fairly easy to get from the breakers. 

[mmret]

Sledgehammering brakes... in a condo parking lot, kneeling down for hours, hammering away with the car on a Jack + stand? No thanks.

You've obviously have never been young and poor, gotta get the car fixed to get to work tomorrow.

On the contrary. But I was very young, then, a child actually.

Once I graduated, I have to admit that I was lucky to never be under any real financial pressure relative to most 20 somethings. Even when I only had $1500 in the bank.

[mixmanmash]

A sledge hammer is needed to remove the rotors and sadly is also needed to put them back on. And if you are not aligned perfectly when you slam them back in place you can ruin the bearing. Freakin' disaster. That one I will not hesitate to pay someone to do; good thing this is "ancient" history.

Ever try a 3 jaw puller?  Had to use it to get the rotors off my mom's old Taurus wagon.  Way safer and easier.

[mixmanmash]

Why is it whenever I see this topic come up I cringe......  $2000 for a pad change?!?!?!? No way.....welll....maybe...

pad and rotors. Buy I hope to be in the left field for Sailor's sake.

Well just had a quick boo on rockauto.com and pads and rotors, Powerstop drilled and slotted rotors to boot, ~$600 for parts front and rear. For stock replacement, under $500......this is why I do my own work.

The Nissan dealer quoted us $1300 for pads and rotors for all 4 corners.  I did it for $350 in parts and about 2-3 hours.

[normancw]

Replacing pads and rotors at the BMW dealer for 1 and 3 series is ~ $800 - pretty reasonable for an FGC.

[mixmanmash]

Replacing pads and rotors at the BMW dealer for 1 and 3 series is ~ $800 - pretty reasonable for an FGC.

For all 4 or two?

[Benhaze]

A sledge hammer is needed to remove the rotors and sadly is also needed to put them back on. And if you are not aligned perfectly when you slam them back in place you can ruin the bearing. Freakin' disaster. That one I will not hesitate to pay someone to do; good thing this is "ancient" history.

Ever try a 3 jaw puller?  Had to use it to get the rotors off my mom's old Taurus wagon.  Way safer and easier.

The recommendation back then was to use the sledge hammer. The 3 jaw puller may have worked but you would not have been able to put the new rotors on. I will always remember the clerk at the tool rental store asking me if I was doing a brake job on a Mazda when I asked for the hammer. He wished me good luck, gave me his sympathies and told me don't even think about putting the rotors without the hammer.

[Benhaze]

Sledgehammering brakes... in a condo parking lot, kneeling down for hours, hammering away with the car on a Jack + stand? No thanks.

You've obviously have never been young and poor, gotta get the car fixed to get to work tomorrow.

It was indeed that time.

[normancw]

Replacing pads and rotors at the BMW dealer for 1 and 3 series is ~ $800 - pretty reasonable for an FGC.

For all 4 or two?

All 4.

[tpl]

The last year I had my 330, 2007 the standard BMW dealer cost for all 4 corners, pads, rotors, labour was $753 +tax.  I obviously drove far too gently as mine were done for the first time at 90,000 kms.

But it was a manual transmission so far less use of the brakes.

[sailor723]

So, the results are in...I need the rears done (fronts still at 30-35%)

Dealer quote for the rear was $980....local Euro car indie (using as he put it "good quality parts, not ultra cheap Chinese junk").....$500.

[Benhaze]

I was spot-on 

[Triple Bob]

So, the results are in...I need the rears done (fronts still at 30-35%)

Dealer quote for the rear was $980....local Euro car indie (using as he put it "good quality parts, not ultra cheap Chinese junk").....$500.

Wow, $1K just for the rears!

[sailor723]

So, the results are in...I need the rears done (fronts still at 30-35%)

Dealer quote for the rear was $980....local Euro car indie (using as he put it "good quality parts, not ultra cheap Chinese junk").....$500.

Wow, $1K just for the rears!

Yep, and just about exactly the same (within $20 or so) for the fronts.

Car's going in tomorrow for the work........guess where. 

[Ex-airbalancer]

So, the results are in...I need the rears done (fronts still at 30-35%)

Dealer quote for the rear was $980....local Euro car indie (using as he put it "good quality parts, not ultra cheap Chinese junk").....$500.

Wow, $1K just for the rears!

Yep, and just about exactly the same (within $20 or so) for the fronts.

Car's going in tomorrow for the work........guess where. 

Dealer 

[Benhaze]

So, the results are in...I need the rears done (fronts still at 30-35%)

Dealer quote for the rear was $980....local Euro car indie (using as he put it "good quality parts, not ultra cheap Chinese junk").....$500.

Wow, $1K just for the rears!

Yep, and just about exactly the same (within $20 or so) for the fronts.

Car's going in tomorrow for the work........guess where. 

No kidding!  I wonder if the "high end" companies charging outrageously more than the market price ever study the possible loss of business.

[johngenx]

No kidding!  I wonder if the "high end" companies charging outrageously more than the market price ever study the possible loss of business.

No.

[johngenx]

Even with losing the odd customer I bet they doing great overall. Many people would just go to the dealer no questions asked!

There is a misconception that under warranty cars must be serviced at the dealer - and this is subtly reinforced by dealers.  Also, dealers of high-end brands like to act like your S-Class' oil is being changed by a master tech that spent time in Germany learning the mystic arts from the mothership in the motherland - instead of a 19yr old kid.

[sailor723]

Don't get me wrong. Our local MB dealership has always treated me fairly (often giving loaner cars, squeezing me in on short notice, washing and vacuuming the car each time  etc) and have given good warranty service. I know I'm over paying somewhat for the routine services but accept that in return for the level of service.  I'd almost certainly be having the brake work done there if they were even close in price. I like them but not to the tune of paying $400-500 more for the job.

[Benhaze]

Even with losing the odd customer I bet they doing great overall. Many people would just go to the dealer no questions asked!

There is a misconception that under warranty cars must be serviced at the dealer - and this is subtly reinforced by dealers.  Also, dealers of high-end brands like to act like your S-Class' oil is being changed by a master tech that spent time in Germany learning the mystic arts from the mothership in the motherland - instead of a 19yr old kid.

So true, unfortunately. And this is still true because of Vmango's remark is still applicable to the typical owner of these cars who might be proud to pay these high prices. But this used to be also the norm across all dealers: about 10 years ago dealers faced the reality of lower warranty work income and decided to be competitive for tire replacement and brake jobs (it used to be a joke how much it was overpriced for domestic cars which is no longer the case).

Now that high-end brands are expanding by going down market they may eventually have to adapt to not lose their new clientele (buying entry models or used traditional models).