I took my car in yesterday because it sounded like metal on metal in the rear when i tried driving it...we had it towed away. The car is an '08 with about 40,000 miles (bought it used last December). The dealer said that the rotors needed to be replaced because the parking brake had eroded/rotted the rotors...when i asked why, he said it was either because the parking brake never was fully released or from lack of use. We use it maybe once every few months when needed. Also, there was a warning a few weeks back on the instrument panel which they said at the time was just a fluke...can't remember what it said, but it eluded to "do not drive your car in inclimate weather or brakes could fail" and "do not brake fast".

The brake pads are fine. But he said the brake shoes are damaged and a metal plate also needs to be replaced.

Anyways, I'm not a mechanic, does this sound legit? Of course brakes are not under warantee... but this is costing $985!

 

Welcome to the forum.

Sounds a little high. I bought rotors and pads from FCP Groton and had them installed on my S60. Don't remember exactly but it was somewhere less than $600.

 

Thank you! I'm sure I will be back. Funny, because the dealer just called us to tell us that it was actually a rock stuck back there. So my question is now... why did you tell me the rotors were rotted back there if they aren't? Did he prematurely diagnose the car without looking? How does that happen!

 

it is all about what they can get you to approve, when i diagnose a problem. we find out what it is and then inform the customer for the repair cost. not guess first then change it later. make me look like a idiot, i have that perfected and i dont need anymore help LOL. (looking like a idiot part )

dont forget, the person calling you is not the one that actually looked at the car. they are just relaying a message and the cost of the repair. fault the idiot who first gave the diagnosis

 

Well, Rotors dont "rot" and I doubt that the parking brake shoes would damage the rotors enough to require replacement, a rock stuck in the park brake shoe would cause a horrendous noise, tell em to remove the rock and reassemble! I hate it when service centers try to rip people off with unneeded repairs, anymore it seems anytime you have brake pads replaced the shop either wants to turn (machine) the rotors or replace them. I put over 300k miles on a 1980 Volvo DL, went through a lot of brake pads , never replaced a rotor, Girling makes very good brakes, otherwise Volvo wouldn't use them!

 

If you don't have a truely trustworthy tech working on your car then always be there to see and get an explanation of the problem . If you don't have a clue about car stuff then get a buddy who does . It's harder for a crooked shop to bs you when it's all out in the open . Vtech

 

Thank you everyone for your help! He took the rock out and fixed the issue. I just find it very odd that he would tell me that he took the car apart and the rotors "rotted", but then all of a sudden when I question him he then says there's a rock stuck. I'm a woman, so I'm sure they see me a mile away and think they can pull one past me, and maybe they have before. But each time I go in I try to learn about the issues and ask friends their opinions as well. And my husband would just pay the bill without thinking twice, so that doesn't help