birthdays and brakes

[rootofnewt]

Today is my dad's birthday. Happy Birthday, Daddy! I know you're having fun at the Rally in Goshen with all the other RVers. You have the boys with you as hostages to guarantee Mom drives up there after work today. :) Have fun!

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The car repairs are a bit over $300, which we anticipated and can pay without problems. We might not be going out to eat tomorrow night (we were thinking of sushi), though. The rear brake pads were completely worn down and the rotors (originals, just like the brake pads) need to be replaced. The motor/engine which drives the primary fan needs to be replaced, too, parts and labor come out to something over $100. I don't think a bit under $200 is too bad for pads and rotors. For the record, those brake pads were checked last year and were fine. They were also supposed to have a warning strip on them which would squeal when the pads needed to be changed. They never squealed and I make a habit of listening to the brakes on a very regular basis sans ac/heat/radio. The only sounds I ever heard were the *minor* squeals of dust/water on the pads. We recognized the feel and strange sounds of something brake-oriented and got the car into the shop quickly. It will be done by 5pm today. I like my mechanics. :)

Why does my car have the original rear brake pads when it's a 1995? It has 80,000 miles on it and is a front wheel drive. I'm a good girl--those pads have been checked by three different mechanics four times since November of 2001, not counting this time.

I'm still rather peeved that I couldn't catch it with sound and preventative maintenance before the rotors, but that's okay.

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I should probably get showered and dressed so that I can go out and get the car when it's done.

Comments

[hellsop.livejournal.com]

For careful drivers with many highway miles and on small cars, 80,000 miles on a set of brakes isn't insane. I got 85,000 out of the Metro's brakes, and 65,000 out of the Cavalier's.

[saintaspartame.livejournal.com]

80k for brakes for a full sized car is good. I would say around 40k should be the expectation. Though, this assumes properly inflated tires, balanced wheels, proper alignment and other suspension components working in harmony and interdimensional love.

Glad it was only $300, I think Sally needs to visit the shop and I'm absolutely dreading what they'll. I love her, so I'll pay it, but I'll kvetch and bitch and moan. After trying to see if I can do the work myself. Eh, it's life.

[krasota.livejournal.com]

40k would be my DC expectation, where i replaced brake pads every year while I was working. they barely lasted 12 months (20,000 miles--i drove to indiana and PA a lot) with the stop-and-go and humidity. and that was in a car with a manual transmission, so i was quite easy on the brakes.

for this car, it doesn't do a lot of stop and go, but it does a lot of mountain driving. most of the miles are highway, though. i let the transmission do most of the work in the mountains and i keep my tires rotated, inflated, and balanced. what's surprising is that the brakes are at least nine years old. ;)

this car is a sedan... i think it's doing well. some people are shocked by all the repairs, but it sat in a garage for six years... cars are meant to be driven, not let sit.

[saintaspartame.livejournal.com]

I think people are too used to gas-n-go japanese suburboboxes. They may change the oil occasionally, but they gas em up and then drive till they trade em in.

Personally, cars with character may seem to require more repairs, but from what I remember, yours isn't all that unusual for an older high mileage car. And, everything's been fixed and is fixable.

All hail full-sized American sedans! All your comfortable driving are belong to us.

[robbie-zombie.livejournal.com]

lol a good machanic is hard to find....well one that won't rip you off atlease

[krasota.livejournal.com]

Yes, especially in cities on the East Coast. I'm from the midwest--small town. all i had to do was have my daddy call the mechanic and all would be fine.

here, i got ripped off at one place--they're now out of business. the second place i went to on recommendation. they've been extremely professional and wonderful to me.

[robbie-zombie.livejournal.com]

hey you can add me if you feel like it
i'll add you back

[jkatj.livejournal.com]

You must have been in a good part of the midwest. I've been ripped off by mechanics in small, medium, and large towns/cities in Illinois and in small and medium towns in Indiana. I've given up all hope of ever having decent car repairs. :P