Is $1500 a fair price. (vehicles, 2010, SUV, sell)

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

Could be $800 on the brakes and another $100 for the battery. I wouldn't pay more than $1500 for it.

It'd have to have all 4 brakes, rotors & drums completely destroyed, and a shop that is price-gouging to run $800 for brake repair.

[Steve Bagu]

What state allows a person to sell a vehicle (with bad brakes) that needs brake work?

In Calif it's agin the LAW.

[GregW]

I think, given the age, make, mileage and repairs required, that you are an order of magnitude too high. I think it is worth about $150 to $200 max.

[Omaha Rocks]

You can pick up new front pads for that vehicle for under $20.00. New front rotors can be bought for $25.00 each. Follow the math here, and learn. That's $70.00 for new front brake pads and rotors. The rear brake parts (which he doesn't need at this mileage) will run about the same price.


Granted, if he takes it to a chain store like Mieneke or Firestone, they'll lie to him and do everything they can to screw him over. They'll even want to charge him about $100 to "flush the system." So shoot, why stop at $800? Why not have your shop try to charge him $1500?

[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by Omaha Rocks

Granted, if he takes it to a chain store like Mieneke or Firestone, they'll lie to him and do everything they can to screw him over. They'll even want to charge him about $100 to "flush the system." So shoot, why stop at $800? Why not have your shop try to charge him $1500?

Like the average person is going to have all the necessary equipment to do major break overhauls. Yes, I am sure that You would be buying the cheapest parts and the like.

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

Like the average person is going to have all the necessary equipment to do major break overhauls. Yes, I am sure that You would be buying the cheapest parts and the like.

Don't even bother with the snotty little comments - acting as though replacing brake pads is like brain surgery.

The FACT is that brake repair shops are NOTORIOUS for lying to customers, and trying to scare the living crap out of them, so that they'll agree to all kinds of unnecessary repairs.


Buy the way Einstein, the best brake pads - short of racing brakes which are totally unnecessary and actually damage the rotors - can be had for that Mountaineer are well under $50. $800 is still a royal screw job, but if that's what you want to pay, go ahead.

[M3 Mitch]

FWIW I have replaced brake pads without turning the rotors (gasp!) (rotors were not grooved, damaged, or out of spec thin) and didn't have any problems with braking power or longevity of the pads. Your mileage of course may vary.

But even if you need to turn rotors or drums, most of the time any decent parts store (ie, not a big chain, a "real" parts store) or auto machine shop can do them for you. Or, just replace them, new or exchange rotors/drums are not that expensive.

BTW while $100 to flush the brake fluid is steep, this actually needs to be done - most Detroit manufacturers don't specify a brake fluid change interval, but at least once every 2 years is a good idea. You can get away with longer times if you are in a dry climate.

[Omaha Rocks]

Originally Posted by M3 Mitch

FWIW I have replaced brake pads without turning the rotors (gasp!) (rotors were not grooved, damaged, or out of spec thin) and didn't have any problems with braking power or longevity of the pads. Your mileage of course may vary.

But even if you need to turn rotors or drums, most of the time any decent parts store (ie, not a big chain, a "real" parts store) or auto machine shop can do them for you. Or, just replace them, new or exchange rotors/drums are not that expensive.

BTW while $100 to flush the brake fluid is steep, this actually needs to be done - most Detroit manufacturers don't specify a brake fluid change interval, but at least once every 2 years is a good idea. You can get away with longer times if you are in a dry climate.

The sad truth is that most brake-job places - especially places like Mieneke & Brake Master, etc. - are shameless rip-off joints. They lure people in with cheap oil changes or too good to be true brake repair prices, then scare the he*l out of people to get them to agree to all manner of unnecessary repairs.

Most of them actually do use crappy parts. They buy brake pads wholesale for $10 per set, then charge $50+ list on them. They will almost always try to force people to let them replace the rotors, even though most of the time the rotors are okay.

Caliper replacement is another favorite trick. In the hundreds - probably thousands - of brakes I've replaced over the years, I've replaced exactly TWO calipers.


These places are the kinds of scum-bag shops that give good mechanics a bad name.

[jtur88]

Originally Posted by Steve Bagu

What state allows a person to sell a vehicle (with bad brakes) that needs brake work?

In Calif it's agin the LAW.

I've given away 4 or 5 cars when they were no longer useful to me because of impending repair costs. The last one had no rear brakes, there were breaks in the lines, and I had to crimp them off in order to be able to drive home from the brake shop, with front brakes only. I gave the car to a neighbor, who knew someone who needed a cheap vehicle and was capable of doing the brake work himself, which required only putting in the time for labor and a small amount for new lines. I honestly explained everything I knew about that might need repairing. With replaced lines, the rest of the brake system was driveable with unknown remaining life.

If I needed the money, I might try to sell such a car for a fair price, but I don't feel comfortable accepting money from a person who might never get any use at all out of the car due to defects that I don't even know about yet. So I'd rather just give them away. I've never regretted it, and I'm sure I've helped out some people who wouldn't have otherwise been able to afford a car.

[M3 Mitch]

Originally Posted by Steve Bagu

What state allows a person to sell a vehicle (with bad brakes) that needs brake work?

In Calif it's agin the LAW.

That's only because of Skynet. The rest of us are free to buy and sell cars as we see fit.

I, personally have no problem buying a car with brake pads/shoes nearly or fully worn out, provided the rest of the car is good and the price reflects the work I will need to do. Frequently a car that is due for a major service like cam belt replacement and needs a set of tires can be bought for a big enough discount to more than pay for the parts, sometimes even enough to pay a shop to do the work.

Plenty of cars, older cars, change hands and ride home on a trailer as they are not running or not safe to drive.