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Shopping For the Lowest Price On a Brake Job
A typical brake job from a reliable shop costs around $250 to $350, depending on vehicle and local labor rates. That includes brake pads and new hardware, installation and rotor machining (if needed).
But some shops advertise brake job “specials” for as little as $99. How can one shop charge $250 while another charges just $99? Simple: The low price is a “loss leader” to get you in the door so the shop can use high pressure tactics to upsell you.
High quality brake pads retail for around $75 a set and a brake job takes about an hour and a half. With shop labor rates running between $90 and $140 per hour, there’s really no way a shop can make money on a $99 brake job. They have to recommend more services or parts.
Recent actions by state Consumer Protection Agencies against “bait and switch” shops show that hardly anybody gets out the door with just a $99 brake job. Not only do customers pay more, but their bills are usually much higher than a brake job from most independently owned shops — $500 or more instead of $250 to $350.
Avoid brake job “specials” that sound too good to be true. Instead, read online reviews to find a trustworthy locally owned shop or dealership and pay the going rate for a brake job. You’ll come out ahead in the long run.
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Driving On Worn Tires
Tires cost a bundle, so it’s no surprise that car owners try to squeeze the last bit of life out of theirs before dropping hundreds on a new set. But running your tires down to the 2/32-in. legal limit (new tire tread is usually 10/32-in. to 11/32-in. deep) can cost you more in the long run. Low tread depth greatly increases your chances of getting into crash, and that can cost you big-time.
Independent tests conducted by tirerack.com, a large online tire seller, show that as tire tread wears below the 4/32-in. mark, traction decreases. That results in increased stopping distances along with increased hydroplaning on wet pavement. Stopping tests show a vehicle traveling at 70 MPH requires 100 more feet to stop with 2/32-in. tire tread than 4/32-in. tread. At high speeds, that extra stopping distance can mean the difference between life and death.
But there are low-speed implications as well. Sliding into a curb with worn tires at just 20 MPH can cause around thousands in damage. You could file a claim with your insurance, but that will cost you at least an expensive deductible and count as an “at fault” accident. Plus, you’ll still need new tires to avoid future accidents.
Replacing your tires when they reach 4/32 tread depth provides an extra margin of safety for you and your passengers and reduces the likelihood of skidding on wet pavement.
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Driving Your Car When It’s Overheated
Engines can overheat due to a coolant leak, failed radiator fan, failing water pump or various other reasons. With older cast iron engines, you could sometimes limp home or to the nearest shop by turning your heater on full blast and pausing along the way to let the engine cool down. That method doesn’t work well with modern aluminum engines.
Driving an overheated aluminum engine for as little as five minutes can result in total head gasket failure. Once the gasket fails, it can leak coolant into the crankcase where it destroys engine bearings, or leak into the exhaust where it destroys the catalytic converter.
When you finally get your vehicle to a shop, you’ll not only have to fix the underlying cooling system failure, but the head gaskets and catalytic converter. If you’re really unlucky, it’ll cost you a whole new engine.
A tow is much cheaper than a head gasket repair. Don’t risk it, call a tow truck!
What to do if your vehicle overheats:
- Turn on your hazard warning lights;
- Pull over immediately and turn off your engine;
- Call a tow truck and have your vehicle towed to a reputable repair shop.
