Have I been ripped off?

[mrslum]

Took ours to a main dealer. Told I needed brakes and pads. Replaced them to the tune of 400 quid. Following year was told the same. Took them to an independent and only had to change them 3 years later. The main dealer told me they were 75% worn and the independent told me they had 75% left!!! I do 25000 per year too and they were genuine parts from the main dealer...... They must have been low on the figures when I took it in.

[Miyk]

I service my car, and the brake pads should last way longer than 1 year or 13k miles. Typical garage (wasn't Kwik fit was it!)

[Bojolo]

Take it to an impartial garage and explain you would like them to assess your brakes because of this. Offer to pay and you'll find out.

[baron10]

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?

 

what does it say on your mot certificate under the advisory section.

Also the mot tester doesn't take your wheels off to visually inspect the brakes the brake efficiency is tested on a rolling road and either pass or fail if they pass the tester has no reason to say you need new brakes and will only advise if the discs look worn/pitted or scored.

The tester will fail your car if the pads look less than 2 mm thick and this is a visual look through the wheels and only estimated.

so conclusion is you should have only needed new discs & pads if your car failed its mot ,

[jrowl]

Hi,

 

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

 

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?

ooooopps............

[hitman]

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.

 

see your point,but we have lots ov people come in to garage were i work with there self diagnosed problems and parts to fix,but once we fit there parts to cure there diagnosis and it dont cure it its then our fault for not checking,cant win some times ha!ha!

[SqueakyPete]

I have seen some drivers on the road that use their brakes excessively,instead of selecting the right gear.

One person in front of me had their brakes on almost all the way down Herries road(probably a couple of miles),right to the bottom,where as I was driving behind,and maybe tapped the brakes a couple of times.

Im not suggesting this is what the OP's doing.

[bullerboY]

Her we go again another main dealer bashing thread,its always the same on here people want it cheap and then when it goes wrong they moan, they take it to a main dealer and when the price is a lot higher they moan do you lot not stop to think the difference in overheads a main dealer has ,do you not think of the training costs for the employees of coarse it costs more.Just who do you think trains the other smaller garage personnel,Father Christmas.After my 50 yrs in the motor repair business most of them are self taught and have not got a clue and yes there are a lot on here who have no clue as well.I never believe any of these stories ive heard them a million times.It would pay you to remember the quote: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.Just for a change lets hear Plumber ,electrician,tiler, gardener rip offs and lets hear about your mistakes at work,oh yes we all make them even the liars.Would you have your house rewired by an unskilled electrician or your plumbing done by someone on the dole if so then you are a mug.I did a seven years apprenticeship for my qualifications day and night classes and yes you would pay for my expertise as you would a main dealer.i appreciate that not all garages are fair and some are better than others but if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.I now await the flack in anticipation.

[Cyclone]

Her we go again another main dealer bashing thread,its always the same on here people want it cheap and then when it goes wrong they moan,

 

We can only assume that you haven't bothered to actually read the OP.

 

they take it to a main dealer and when the price is a lot higher they moan do you lot not stop to think the difference in overheads a main dealer has ,do you not think of the training costs for the employees of coarse it costs more.Just who do you think trains the other smaller garage personnel,Father Christmas.After my 50 yrs in the motor repair business most of them are self taught and have not got a clue and yes there are a lot on here who have no clue as well.I never believe any of these stories ive heard them a million times.

 

So now the OP is lying about the main dealer changing the pads and discs when they were only changed a year and 13k miles before.

It would pay you to remember the quote: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.Just for a change lets hear Plumber ,electrician,tiler, gardener rip offs and lets hear about your mistakes at work,oh yes we all make them even the liars.Would you have your house rewired by an unskilled electrician or your plumbing done by someone on the dole if so then you are a mug.I did a seven years apprenticeship for my qualifications day and night classes and yes you would pay for my expertise as you would a main dealer.i appreciate that not all garages are fair and some are better than others but if you pay peanuts you get monkeys.I now await the flack in anticipation.

 

Do you rip people off by lying about what work is needed?

[Supertramp]

see your point,but we have lots ov people come in to garage were i work with there self diagnosed problems and parts to fix,but once we fit there parts to cure there diagnosis and it dont cure it its then our fault for not checking,cant win some times ha!ha!

 

True, I go to the same garage all the time so I guess they know that I'll be right more often than not. They still check it out because i was wrong once! Thought I needed a new ball joint, turned out the tyre was misshapen.