How much (time) to fit pads & discs?

mad_rich

Just a quickie. I've had this work done now, so it's just out of interest.

I needed new rear pads & discs on my Skoda Fabia.

I'd been given quotes ranging from £118 (Halfrauds) to £189 (Dealer) for supply & fit, with most in the £150 area.

Instead, I bought the parts from CP4L for £37, intending to find a mobile mechanic to fit them. It seems the going rate is £10-£20 per wheel?

Never got round to finding a mobile mechanic, so I just took it to my usual garage. They did the brakes, and also fitted a new alternator belt (also supplied by me).

Total charge was 1.5 hours = £67.50 + VAT. Does that seem fair enough? I don't seem to have saved a lot. Maybe I should've looked harder for a mobile mechanic?

Westmead_Fan

what year, engine size???

without knowing the details, can say if its fair or not.

love mobile mechanics in my area they ain't got a clue lol

Foxy-Stoat_3

£45 per hour labour is probably fair if using customer supplied parts, no mark-up on parts they supplied.

Where did you get £10-£20 per wheel cost from?

£37 for both rear discs and pads is pretty cheap so i wouldn't complain too much, assuming they last longer than 30,000 miles....report back in 1-2 years.

colino

I think around £80 all in for that work is fair enough, but remember if the parts fail, you will have to pay them again to change them as the warranty of the parts is down to you.

skivenov

That doesn't sound unfair.

mad_rich

Thanks for they replies. Glad to know its the right ballpark.

They're Pagid parts from Eurocarparts (not CP4L, as I said before). Apparently Pagid get decent enough reviews.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/230929368089?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

I'm sure I remember forum posts from people saying 'I just get my mobile mechanic to do it for £15 each', but I can't find them at the moment. Maybe I was misremembering.

Good point about the warranty. I think I could have had it done by a 'Pagid approved installer' and had the paperwork stamped, but I didn't bother.

Total cost was £126 for pads, discs, belt and fitting. So not too shabby I suppose. Probably better pads than Hlafords would have used, too.

Westmead_Fan

ive never had problems with pagid pads fitted properly using ceratec.

only time their has been problems is when faulty brake components cause damage & customers carry on driving.

arcon5

Pads and discs 1 hour sounds reasonable. Plus you had an auxiliary belt fitted. Total time sounds about right. Price per hour sounds a little steep bu depends where you are located and the garage.

fivetide

mad_rich wrote: »

I'm sure I remember forum posts from people saying 'I just get my mobile mechanic to do it for £15 each', but I can't find them at the moment. Maybe I was misremembering.

.

I bet people have said that but wouldn't be able to provide you a number when pressed and/or it turned out to be a lot more.

They are working on it taking an hour for the whole job, tops, which might just be possible assuming nothing goes wrong, everything comes off properly etc.

As others have said though, doing the job right, with a wee road test it is likely to be more than an hour so to be charged for 1.5 hours isn't too bad.

forgotmyname

You probably paid more for the pads than the garage can get them for.

Its handy to know the price of the parts so you can haggle on the price.

I would normally fix my own stuff, But i was ill when my needed the brakes doing. I told them exactly what needed doing (do the rear brakes) he looked at me thinking yeah yeah.
I was hoping to be well enough to do the front ones myself. He phoned me said teh rear caliper is sticking. Which i told him about and wanted fixing.
Parts price was cheaper than ebay so all good.

He said the fronts are getting low, And discs had seen better days but probably OK for a few thousand miles yet.
I asked the price and had to laugh. I said come on the pads and discs are only..££.. Clicking away on the keyboard and he lowers the price a fair chunk.

So i got them to do the fronts as well.

Get the parts prices and find out how long it takes then haggle (BEFORE). Not after.

londonTiger

£10-£20 per wheel probably someone migrant worker working off the books. Brake changes are ususally not done for 2-3 years and they're caked in rust and seized bad, it can sometimes require "out of the box" thinking to get disks and calipers to release - time can easily fly by. A mobile mechanic will find it more difficult because working while kneeling down is tricky. A garage will lift the car up so wheels are chest level and can move around better and get a better position to work fast.