Have I been ripped off?

[Dan_R]

Hi,

 

I had to have my car serviced and MOT'd a week or so ago. I used the main dealer as I usually do.

 

Now last year on my MOT as an advisary they said my car would need new brake pads and discs on all 4. It wasnt a failure, just an advisary.

 

As they were quoting a lot to do the work I got it done elsewhere a week later.

 

Now last week when my car was MOT'd they said I needed new pads and discs on the front? Surely that can't be right? I have only done 13,000 miles since they were last replaced. My problem was that I was working in Brum so couldnt go in and look.

I have asked them to give me the old discs back but I can't be sure they were even mine.

 

Surely brake discs should last longer than 1 year/13,000 miles?

[tzijlstra]

Depends on your driving-style, if you are on the M1 a lot, like me, you will know that there are plenty of emergency stops/slow-downs during rush hour, they are not kind to brakes. Also I had a similar situation some years ago, turned out the disc was damaged by something caught between the calliper and disc that had cut a groove in the disc over time.

 

I also believe that the balancing of the wheels can have an impact?

[Supertramp]

Depends how you drive. But I would expect the discs to go on the rear before the front due to corrosion.

 

Pads can go quickly. Especially if its an automatic as there is less engine breaking.

[Dan_R]

I'm a pretty steady driver, do a fair few motorway miles and the commute to work without doing too much heavy braking. Just seems a bit odd when the last ones lasted 2.5 ish years.

[top4718]

As soon as I saw the words "main dealer" I thought, yes you have been ripped off.

 

A mate of mine took a Mercedes into a main dealer for a service a few years ago and was charged an extortionate amount for an oil change, prior to taking the vehicle in he had checked the oil for an unconnected reason, when he checked after it still contained the old discoloured oil, total rip off merchants.

[jemson]

I had something similar (but worse!)with the garage near Graves Park (Waggon and Horses?). Never went back again!

[autumn]

I like you use to take my car to the dealership one year there was an advisory note saying something was very close to needing replacing .I ignored it ,the following year nothing was mentioned . Now if something was so close to the edge how come the following year it was ok .

[ryder8904]

I'm a pretty steady driver, do a fair few motorway miles and the commute to work without doing too much heavy braking. Just seems a bit odd when the last ones lasted 2.5 ish years.

 

If you got the work done at a cheaper place then you should expect them to use cheaper parts. Hence why they only lasted one year this time.

 

its not rocket science.

[Supertramp]

As soon as I saw the words "main dealer" I thought, yes you have been ripped off.

 

A mate of mine took a Mercedes into a main dealer for a service a few years ago and was charged an extortionate amount for an oil change, prior to taking the vehicle in he had checked the oil for an unconnected reason, when he checked after it still contained the old discoloured oil, total rip off merchants.

 

And independent garages are the salt of the earth. Don't trust any of them, I diagnose my own problems, if I have the tools to fix it myself I do it, if I need a garage to do it, I tell them exactly which parts I want replacing not what the symptoms are otherwise the end up changing parts at random.

[geared]

If you got the work done at a cheaper place then you should expect them to use cheaper parts. Hence why they only lasted one year this time.

 

its not rocket science.

 

Even a cheap set of discs and pads should last more than a year.

Unless there is a mechanical issue with the brakes causing them to stick on, or the OP has been driving with one foot covering the brake pedal at all times.