Unnecessary work on brakes (possibly)!

[type49]

The pad warning wire is only on one pad. Although we would all "expect" pads to wear 100% evenly, in reality, they don't. It is easily possibly that the pad with the wire in was low but OK & a different pad was 99% worn, thus replacment of pads would be needed.

 

[Andy Wr]

I had a Fiat van serviced and they said the front pads were worn and wanted £116 to change the pads and this was 5 years ago, on questioning the reception guy he said they were 75% worn, I said so it leaves 25% friction material then, why do they need changing? he could not answer me. I later purchased a set of Feredo pads from Halfords for £38 and the guy who changed my front tyres fitted them for £10.

 

[lulu]

Hi all,

Brief follow-up.

I received an appropriate letter this morning from the dealer concerning this matter and feel fairly confident that something has been learnt (hope it's not just don't get caught!).

Given that they've resolved it to my satisfaction, I shan't name them here. The only thing I will say is that they are nowhere near st13phil !


Thanks
Lulu

 

[st13phil]

Given that they've resolved it to my satisfaction, I shan't name them here. The only thing I will say is that they are nowhere near st13phil !

Quite understand, and thankfully they're obviously a long way from me

 

[jberks]

Its not just dealers. I had a 'free check' done at a local speedy fit type place years ago (on my Astra) and they came to tell me that the brakes were worn and needed changing. His face dropped when I asked him to show me. He proceeded to show me a perfectly fine set of pads ands asked if I wanted them changing. I just looked at him and said 'what do you think?'.
He put the wheels back on.

 

[television]

Its not just dealers. I had a 'free check' done at a local speedy fit type place years ago (on my Astra) and they came to tell me that the brakes were worn and needed changing. His face dropped when I asked him to show me. He proceeded to show me a perfectly fine set of pads ands asked if I wanted them changing. I just looked at him and said 'what do you think?'.
He put the wheels back on.

Many people get caught out like this,females on their own and any one not mechanically minded

 

[grpar]

What's interesting here is that when I paid a monumental £760 a couple of months ago to have all 4 pads and discs replaced, the MB dealer in west London told me the fronts were 95% worn and the rears 80%.

However, there was never a warning light on the dashboard !

Have I been done twice, I ponder. Once on the price, obviously. But twice on the fact that the percentage worn (95%) didn't correspond with the lack of a warning light.

I'm slightly conscious that 65% of all figures quoted are made up on the spot. That's right, 47% of all figures are just made up on the hoof.

 

[type49]

What's interesting here is that when I paid a monumental £760 a couple of months ago to have all 4 pads and discs replaced, the MB dealer in west London told me the fronts were 95% worn and the rears 80%.

However, there was never a warning light on the dashboard !

Have I been done twice, I ponder. Once on the price, obviously. But twice on the fact that the percentage worn (95%) didn't correspond with the lack of a warning light.

I'm slightly conscious that 65% of all figures quoted are made up on the spot. That's right, 47% of all figures are just made up on the hoof.

You're "probably" only about 47.6% correct:roll:

 

[grpar]

Then I'm 100% unsettled, "type49".


In the interests of name and shame the dealer was:

MERCEDES BENZ BRENTFORD on the A4 at Chiswick Roundabout.

Won't be going there again. Mercedes Benz Park Royal now has my business.

 

[television]

Then I'm 100% unsettled, "type49".


In the interests of name and shame the dealer was:

MERCEDES BENZ BRENTFORD on the A4 at Chiswick Roundabout.

Won't be going there again. Mercedes Benz Park Royal now has my business.

And you are not the first to shame this one, I have heard some bad expensive stories about them

 

[Richard Moakes]

I do have to wonder about wear indicators and dealers claiming pads are worn out.

I recently had the wear indicator light on my W124, I didn't do it immediately, in fact I waited a week or so until I got the pads I wanted at a price I wanted to pay. When I took out the old ones the pads were indeed worn, but there was a good 5 to 6mm of friction material remaining. So did they really need changing?

Having got new ATE pads and wear indicators, I simply fitted them and the job was done for less than 40 quid, so it wasn't exactly a worry, but I do wonder whether its a nice little earner for dealers and fast fit tyre and brake centres.

 

[television]

I do have to wonder about wear indicators and dealers claiming pads are worn out.

I recently had the wear indicator light on my W124, I didn't do it immediately, in fact I waited a week or so until I got the pads I wanted at a price I wanted to pay. When I took out the old ones the pads were indeed worn, but there was a good 5 to 6mm of friction material remaining. So did they really need changing?

Having got new ATE pads and wear indicators, I simply fitted them and the job was done for less than 40 quid, so it wasn't exactly a worry, but I do wonder whether its a nice little earner for dealers and fast fit tyre and brake centres.

I think that it is a nice little earner Richard, think of the ladies going in to have tyres and the guy says "your brakes are worn out"

 

[3146bj]

I do have to wonder about wear indicators and dealers claiming pads are worn out.

I recently had the wear indicator light on my W124, I didn't do it immediately, in fact I waited a week or so until I got the pads I wanted at a price I wanted to pay. When I took out the old ones the pads were indeed worn, but there was a good 5 to 6mm of friction material remaining. So did they really need changing?

Having got new ATE pads and wear indicators, I simply fitted them and the job was done for less than 40 quid, so it wasn't exactly a worry, but I do wonder whether its a nice little earner for dealers and fast fit tyre and brake centres.

And it is not unknown for mechanics/technicians to maintain their own and their mates' cars with the "worn out" bits from customer's cars!

 

[television]

And it is not unknown for mechanics/technicians to maintain their own and their mates' cars with the "worn out" bits from customer's cars!

This must happen with company cars where no one checks the bills

 

[BlackC55]

And it is not unknown for mechanics/technicians to maintain their own and their mates' cars with the "worn out" bits from customer's cars!

I know a place where they get £2 per disc they sell.

When this scheme was put in place the amount of disc sales went up massivly.

 

[Dosco]

My wife had to have two tyres replaced following her MOT, cracks in the tyre walls. She took it to a local branch of a 'very quick' tyre company who replaced the tyres then advised that the car needed new discs and pads as they were "well worn me dear and right on the edge and by the way we can do them now if you wish and save you some labour, cos we have em in stock!" What for a 1990 Polo!

The fact that it 'needed' new discs etc did not upset her it was the reference 'me dear' however I WAS upset as I had replaced the very same 'well worn discs and pads' 'three months earlier. Just imagine what happened next!

 

[television]

My wife had to have two tyres replaced following her MOT, cracks in the tyre walls. She took it to a local branch of a 'very quick' tyre company who replaced the tyres then advised that the car needed new discs and pads as they were "well worn me dear and right on the edge and by the way we can do them now if you wish and save you some labour, cos we have em in stock!" What for a 1990 Polo!

The fact that it 'needed' new discs etc did not upset her it was the reference 'me dear' however I WAS upset as I had replaced the very same 'well worn discs and pads' 'three months earlier. Just imagine what happened next!

Maybe she is a hard driver

This does go on in so many trades, I wonder why very few traders are honest anymore

 

[Dosco]

Maybe she is a hard driver

This does go on in so many trades, I wonder why very few traders are honest anymore

You only have to take a look at me Malcolm to see how hard she really is!

 

[jberks]

And it is not unknown for mechanics/technicians to maintain their own and their mates' cars with the "worn out" bits from customer's cars!

Don't knock it. I got the engine for my escort via that route!
Felt rather sorry for the poor sod who had to pay for a brand new engine when all it needed was a skim and a head gasket.

 

[st13phil]

This must happen with company cars where no one checks the bills

Most (though not all) company cars are administered by fleet hire companies such as Autolease who baulk at paying for anything other than routine maintenance on the vehicles they lease out. They maintain a database of average lifespan for pretty much all the wear parts by vehicle type, and dealerships will have a very hard time getting authorisation to change parts significantly inside those lifespans. They also generally pay reduced labour rates.

On the other hand, Joe Punter who runs his own car pays the published rate for labour charges and unless he's pretty savvy can relatively easily get suckered into replacing parts unnecessarily because he doesn't have the information to hand to challenge what he's told by an unscrupulous dealer.

"Information is Power" should be every consumer's motto.