My brakes went out on my car, so took it to the Ford

dealer where I bought it. The total bill was $571 for front and rear brakes. What a rip off. When I purchased my car, I also purchased what is called a wraparound warranty for an extra $1000. But as I found out, it does not cover brakes because that is considered normal wear and tear, which the warranty does not cover. My advice to anyone purchasing a Ford, either new or used, is to not purchase that wraparound warranty, which does not seem to cover anything. The only thing I got free of charge is when I got a flat tire and the road service was covered.

I can understand if those aren't covered, because they deteriorate by their very use. Now, if your calipers or brake lines were replaced, that's a different story. As to the cost, for something like that, you're much better off going to a brake shop of some kind, rather than a dealer who will charge a premium for non-warranty work.

I know it sucks, but there you have it.

They didn't have to replace calipers. And only had to replace one rotor in the front. Well, I couldn't get the car to a brake shop at the time, so was sort of stuck with having the dealership fixing it. And I didn't know what was wrong with the car and took it to Ford because I have that warranty. And the car was making so much noise, there was no way I was going to drive it anywhere for a second opinion.

But rotors aren't typically covered under warranties, because they do wear out. That was a helluva lot to pay for a single rotor, too. I feel for you. But sometimes you've gotta do what you've gotta do...

.. you got ripped off. Pads and one rotor, $500+? Ouch.

Let this be a lesson to others - never, ever, ever use the dealer for repairs unless you have no other choice.

They're not rocket science; they're friction. The first time I had to have my brakes done on short notice, I panicked. Now I replace them myself. It's easy.

Also, I'm driving a used Ford (Aspire,) and it's running great... but I'd never buy the warranty. If the warranty was a good deal for you, would they be selling it?

There's only a few things I know about dealers... and I am a Licensed Vehicle Salesperson...

1. They hate you.

2. They think you're stupid.

3. You are a revenue source, not a "friend."

4. They hate you.

5. They know exactly how much you can and will spend before you do.

6. They really hate you.

Drive whatever car you have until it won't go any more, then push it a few miles more. THEN buy a car. You can't win buying a car. You aren't even playing the same game as these people.

but use a local shop instead?

I've already got an appt. set up with a local place, but have been wondering if the dealer would have more 'expertise' on it. Replacing a clutch isn't a simple job..

I did that in the evenings just as a hobby. Saved a bunch of money in car repairs. I also agree the the pads and rotors are your expense.....Good Luck...

If they are disc brakes, it is actually pretty easy.

It cost me about 80 bucks for pads for my 94 Acura, and took me 1 and a half hours on my first try.

You just raise the car up,take the tires off, take the old pads out, snap the new ones in, bleed the brakes(slightly tricky, gotta do it in the right order), put the tires back on and you are done.


You can get the rotors spun if they arent too bad but if they need to be replaced, thats 100 a pop usually. Should get a shop to do that though.

So you could have done it all for 180 bucks, plus a little brake fluid, and an hour and a half of your time. That is if they are disc brakes and not drum brakes...drum brakes are a bitch.

FYI, I am no mechanic at all. But changing brake pads is really easy on disc brakes, saves a lot of money.

Use a jack to raise the car. Support it on jack stands. NEVER work on a car supported by jacks. Find a suitable structural member to do this..

If you want to do a cheapie brake job fine.
When I do this on my family cars. I make it a point to have the rotors removed and turned. They also need to be checked for minimum thickness. On certain vechiles the rotors are around $35 so I just replace them. I agree doing a brake job is simple, but you shouldn't make certain simple mistakes. Ohh and some cars have pistons you turn in rather than squeeze in, so you may have to buy a specialy tool. Just about all cars are disc brakes in the front. The rear can go either way....And no the drums aren't that diffcult to change with a little bit of practice...

It used to be that rotors cost about $100 each, but now they make them so cheap (thin) that they can't even be turned once. The price for new rotors had come down quite a bit in the last few years.
Just for fun, I'd take the invoice to a brake shop, and see if they'll give an estimate for the same repairs. If the bill is much lower, go into the dealership and make a big fucking scene. Car dealers are so sensitive. They know they're thieves, and that we all know it. They just don't like to be reminded of it.

my wife drove, it has rotors made from a lightweight alloy to save on gas mileage. My wife brought her car in for her first brake job and paid $400 just for 2 front rotors and pads. The pads wore through the rotors in about 25,000 highway miles.

I think that the price of auto repair(s) is equal to the time it would take for you to learn then practice then make mistakes then redo.Your FIRST brake job would take a week of learning,investment in tools,slow careful work and then a trip under the car again because you did not use a torque wrench.Auto part stores are the worst retail experience in my opinion,they will put a "close enough" part on the counter to make a sale.My original thermostat was 78C and guy gave me 84C which is fine since there is proper one on eBay for less.I wonder if SUV owners who want to project a tough image would be tough enough to drive after doing their own brake work.