Corrosion on brake discs

presc

I'm after a bit of advice.
I don't know much about cars, but I just got back from my garage wanting to change my brake pads, instead, I have been told that my back discs have gone rusty and need changing. I have been quoted £300 to change the discs and all brake pads..
My car is only 3 years old, and I have done just over 20,000 miles this year alone, I drive every day.. (I do live by the sea though...) I have had a full service done a month ago (by the same garage) and they didn't mention this problem before.
I have called them to cancel the appointment and asked if I can change just the brake pads, but they said there is no point as they will wear out very quickly and it's a safety hazard to drive with brakes like that.. I have done a little bit of reading and I hear that rust will quickly go away as soon as you start driving and that rust that is on the part that doesn't actually connect to the discs doesn't affect the braking.
Are they trying to rip me off? or am I just being stupid and should get it done before they get worse?

EdGasketTheSecond

They (or you) could clean the rust off, at least on the outside with a wire brush in a drill. The new pads should polish off the rust after a short drive if they are fitted correctly and the sliders cleaned and lubricated. try somewhere else or change them yourself.

... and by the way it's brake, not break.

presc

Thanks for the reply. I will try somewhere else. Any advice of which garages are good?

EdGasketTheSecond

A local independent garage; definitely not a national chain or any tyre place. Just tell them to fit the pads and clean the sliders and you are aware the discs are a bit rusty. If garage 2 says they are too rusty then go down and have a look yourself; I'd be really surprised if they are from what you have said i.e. 20K miles and used most days. I'm on my original rear disks after 18 years and 165K miles and I live by the sea too; the rears don't do much braking at all; it's all done on the front so the rears should last a long time.

bertiewhite

presc wrote: »

I have called them to cancel the appointment and asked if I can change just the brake pads, but they said there is no point as they will wear out very quickly and it's a safety hazard to drive with brakes like that..

Sounds like a Halfords trick to me

daveyjp

£300 for all four wheels or just rears? Have a look yourself. The problem with rears is they don't get much use and can rust leading to uneven wear. We had a car which needed new front disks after 12,000 miles due to corrosion.

My car has done just shy of 30,000 over 3 years and I inspected the rear brakes a few weeks ago as I suspected binding. It could well be due new disks and pads due to uneven wear.

presc

I have gone to another garage, they said they can clean them but they 'don't like doing that' and normally just change the discs as they are not expensive... They will call me back with a quote of how much it will cost.
Current garage (yes, Halfords) have quoted £300 for 2x rear discs and 4x brake pads.

loskie

Halfords : there's your problem. Drive around for a bit with the brake applied very lightly or handbrake tensioned a wee bit. The discs will clean themselves. There will be a minimum thickness of pads and discs as advised by the manufacturer has the garaged notified you of where they are currently at? When your near the minimum it's time to change.

[Deleted User]

Hi,

surprised that discs rust up if being driven every day, whatever the distance.

Geoff1963

my back discs have gone rusty

Can you post some photos ?

debtdebt

Yep pics would help massively. If it's corrosion on just the bells in the middle, all cars do that.

If it's corrosion on the disc itself, you may need new discs. All depends on how sever the rust is and where it is.