Making sure the vehicle you drive is safe is imperative, and safety begins with brakes.
Unlike a dent you haven’t fixed or an engine that’s running a little rough, you can’t ignore bad brakes. However, with so many franchise brake shops around, where do you start? Or is an independent garage your best bet?
Here’s what to look for in terms of finding a brake service, and what you should expect to pay.
Experts say the first step in maintaining your brakes is to have them checked regularly.
“About 10,000 to 12,000 miles is a good time to check brakes on a new car to see if there’s any unusual wear,” said Robert Flosi, manager for Midas Muffler and Brakes in Schaumburg. “Depending on your driving habits, most front brakes need to be replaced somewhere between 25,000 to 35,000 miles.”
“One of the biggest problems is people not paying enough attention to their brakes until it’s too late,” said Scott Jansen, manager of a Merlin’s Muffler and Brakes in Elk Grove Village. “We sometimes offer tire rotation specials just so people will bring their cars in, and when the tires come off, the technician can see the brakes.”
Tires are generally rotated every 6,000 to 8,000 miles, so ask about a brake inspection along with it.
Brake specialists said anti-lock brakes haven’t revealed any unusual patterns related to wear, but Jansen said there are a lot of misunderstandings related to the popular sport-utility vehicles.
“People drag boats, trailers and a whole lot more weight than they realize with these sport vehicles and their brakes are wearing out a lot sooner,” he said. “Their mistake is thinking the brake wear will be the same as on their car.”
People often rely on brake sensors to let them know brakes are wearing out, but make sure your car has them, said Flosi. “It’s only in the past few years that more of the car companies are using them,” he said.
A high-pitched squeaking sound coming from your tires may indicate a metal tab is rubbing against your rotor, letting you know only 10 percent of break pads are left. “But winter is probably the worst time and people don’t even hear it,” Jansen said. “You’ve got the windows rolled up, the radio on and the heater blowing, and some people don’t even realize the sensor is screaming.”
Braking typically stops the noise, so don’t think the problem is solved; Flosi says it should start again once you begin driving.
Craig Black, manager of Car-X in Schaumburg, says front brakes almost inevitably wear out before rear ones, so don’t expect to have to replace a whole set.
“Most of the weight in the car is in the front end, and when you stop, the car dips, and that’s why those brakes wear faster,” said Helmut Roy, who owns Schaumburg Motor Works.
Roy said many consumers may be led to believe an initial brake job requires replacing only the front pads and resurfacing the rotors.
“But you can’t regrind many rotors today because they’re not made thick enough,” Roy said. “There used to be about 1/16th of an inch of metal you could take from each side of the rotor, but to save weight on cars, they’ve reduced it to about 1/64th of an inch,” he added.
Changing a rotor can set you back anywhere from about $25 to about $150.
If you’re the owner of a foreign car, you’ll probably save money on brake replacements, according to both Flosi and Jansen.
“I’ve seen Hondas and Toyotas go 70,000 to 80,000 miles with the original rear brakes,” Flosi said.
Jansen and Roy both add that driving at least 60,000 miles before replacing rear brakes isn’t uncommon for a number of foreign cars they have serviced.
All dealers said the cost for front brake service should be around $90. A complete brake replacement, front and rear, was estimated to cost between $195 and $215.
“You need about 1 1/2 to two hours to do a professional job on the front brakes, and with something like rear disc brakes, you’re talking more labor,” Black said.
Quality of brake pads is a part of the service worth asking about. Black says cheap pads that squeak are the cause of more headaches and return trips by customers wanting to know what went wrong.
“We use Bendix and Raybestos pads, and they’re (Raybestos) used by NASCAR drivers,” Black said.
Flosi and Jansen both said their franchises use Bendix pads as well, and all the franchise dealers interviewed offered a lifetime guarantee on the pads.
Getting a lifetime warranty on brake parts may be a reason to go the franchise route, because if you move, you’re likely to find another outlet wherever you go.
Roy says the parts bought by a large franchise versus those purchased by an independent garage can vary in cost for a number of reasons. “The buying in bulk by franchises certainly results in a savings,” he said. “But there are some independents that know suppliers and can eliminate one or two warehouses and obtain parts cheaper, too.”
Roy suggests that because independents don’t have large advertising budgets driving them, they may be able to give you more customized service and offer a wider range of affordable options.
“Someone like me is more likely to sell service than parts,” Roy said. “I can repair certain parts and tell the customer, `This will work or last for another year’ instead of having him replace everything new. You can buy a cheaper pad that may squeak, but it will be safe and it will work. Sometimes, with an older car you might be trading soon, that’s the best way.”
In the end, Roy says, where you take your car comes down to the same thing as going to the doctor: “You’ve got to go with someone you trust.”
