Brake Service Tips

Most drivers will find that sooner or later, their car's brakes will need to be serviced. Brake repairs can range from the replacement of pads to the repair of rotors; the costs depend upon which repairs are needed and whether any damage is present. Before having your brakes serviced, there are some things you should know to prevent being taken advantage of by an auto repair shop or mechanic.

Discounted Prices

Often you will find brake repair "specials" advertised in print or on television, but when you arrive at the auto shop, it's find a different story. This is due to unethical car repair shops advertising a certain price, but then telling customers there are other parts that also must be replaced, even if there are no other repairs needed. Avoid this altogether by either skipping advertised brake specials or declining additional suggested repairs.

Lifetime Services

You may also encounter an offer of "lifetime" service. "Lifetime" service allows a customer to pay for a certain repair once, typically at a higher cost; should that part need to be repaired again, the auto repair shop will fix it at no additional cost. However, when it comes to brakes, it may be best to just avoid purchasing lifetime service. Consider brake pads, for example: the "lifetime" brake pads typically used are hard and tend to wear down your car's rotors; replacing a rotor is much more expensive than replacing a brake pad.

Inspection

After servicing your breaks, the mechanic who worked on your car should clean all the components of your brake system to ensure there is no dust or squeaking. The mechanic should also add anti-seize compound to all bolt and lug nut threads to prevent them from rusting.

When having your brake pads serviced, before you pay, ask to see the pads that were removed. Upon inspection, they should be visibly worn; otherwise, there is absolutely no reason to have had them replaced and no reason for you to pay for unnecessary services.