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I agree with longnecker and jambo, have a conversation with the mechanic and business. Unless you have a real heavy foot on the break, you should get more out of the rotors. Even with non OEM stuff, it does seem a bit short lived. That span of time may not get you a refund or warrantee, but I would push it
If only the driver's side pad is now worn out, you most likely have a bad or sticking caliper.
I the mechanic didn't clean and lube the slider pins when he replaced the pads/rotor before, it could have helped to cause the issue, but you won't ever be able to prove it.
First useful post in this thread. Simply complaining about parts is silly. No brake pads should wear out in six months. Same with rotors.
If just one brake pad wore that fast - it is a problem unique to that wheel.
Lots of non-OEM brake parts are good quality. Wagner pads are known to be very good.
I brought both my car and my truck to a new mechanic to get everything taken care of when I got my tax returns. He said the brakes and rotors had to be done on a long list of everything else. Now, six months later my fiance calls me and says the drivers brake pad is completely gone and the rotor needs to be replaced. Is this possible?? I thought they lasted years??
I had this experience multiple times with Mazdas. At the time it was a known issue with them and it was truly a pain in my butt with rarely a year going by that brake work wasn't needed on one or both of my Mazdas. In hindsight, my wife did a lot of what I would describe as emergency or aggressive braking in daily driving... I don't know why, but it seemed that whenever I was a passenger with her I was rocked back and forth pretty harshly at least once. I was a dutiful husband and didn't make a big thing out of it because otherwise she was a safe driver with no accident history but it was no coincidence that things wore out or broke pretty fast. Any mechanic will tell you that a single emergency braking situation can cause mechanical failure of some kind to something in the brake system.
The other points on this thread are valid too... OEM parts are the best way to go for most mechanical repairs... generally. I made an exception to this rule of thumb with an old Jeep, however, when I replaced all the break pads with "expensive high performance/long-lasting" aftermarket ones. Although I was told a couple years later by a mechanic-friend that was a mistake due to potential heat buildup and thus rotor warpage, those brake pads, and I'm not exaggerating here, lasted me in excess of 9 years!
In your situation I would do this... talk to your mechanic, express how you expected the rotor and pads to last more than 6 months (referring to the work you just had him do). Hear him out regarding his explanation. If you feel good about it, then have him do the repair work. If not, then take this particular business somewhere else (I recommend a reputable dealership specific to your make and model vehicle) so you can make certain everything is on the level and taken care of.
I have never had good luck when putting new pads in older calipers ... especially if they have spent a lot of time with old brake pads (not driven much, etc).
Cheap parts man. When people come to one my stores my employees straight out give them three options. If a customer buys good ones we offer up to 2 year warranty on pads and life time on rotors. You also want to ascertain that he rotors were replaces and not re-surfaced.
First useful post in this thread. Simply complaining about parts is silly. No brake pads should wear out in six months. Same with rotors.
If just one brake pad wore that fast - it is a problem unique to that wheel.
Lots of non-OEM brake parts are good quality. Wagner pads are known to be very good.
I agree - I'm not sure how cheap parts was the first thing everyone jumped to. Plus, if its a general parts issue, why just one wheel affected?
Most likely a bad install job or a bad part related to that one wheel. You should however inspect the other front wheel at least, and it might not hurt to see if your fiance drives with her other foot on the brake - to be worn out in 6 months means something is causing wear.
If the wheel was dragging, the car would be pulling to that side, and you'd hear it if you listened for it. Any idea how the car handled? How your fiance drives?
Which have you had longer, the car or the fiance? Knowing the history might give some clues.
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Knowing the history might give some clues.
