Cost of break pad + caliper for Astra 2008 model

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vikramrkin
vikramrkin Posts: 241 Forumite
in Motoring
Hi All,

I had a burning smell from my 2008 Vauxhall Astra's rear wheel so took it to Halfords for their "free" break check.

Turns out that I needed to replace one break caliper and four discs and four break pads. They quoted £570 and after a bit of haggling, reduced it to £500.

I paid this and got the work done. Only after finishing my work today, had some time to check the price of these parts online and they seem much less than what I have paid (I paid £150 for two front brake discs where as a quick search comes up with £15/disc).

Have I been ripped off or its a reasonable price to pay considering the labour? I know I should have checked this before agreeing for the repair, but...

Thanks
Vik
«1

Comments

  • markudman
    markudman Posts: 351 Forumite
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    Simple answer is YES, everybody that goes to National companies gets rip off.
    Front disc's and pads £80
    rear disc's and pads £80
    Caliper £70 Why only one, they should be replaced as a pair.
    Parts £230.00 MAX
    Labour £150.00 MAX
    Total £380.00 Max
    We may not win by protesting, but if we don’t protest we will lose.
    If we stand up to them, there is always a chance we will win.
  • sevenhills
    sevenhills Posts: 5,885 Forumite
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    markudman wrote: »
    Simple answer is YES, everybody that goes to National companies gets rip off.
    Front disc's and pads £80
    rear disc's and pads £80
    Caliper £70 Why only one, they should be replaced as a pair.
    Parts £230.00 MAX
    Labour £150.00 MAX
    Total £380.00 Max

    A really quick google brings up £73, so brand such as Halfords you would expect to pay more.
    I would say that fitting a full set of discs/pads was the real rip-off, must have been a good sales talk.
    But of course I am just guessing.
  • s_b
    s_b Posts: 4,463 Forumite
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    this is a money saving forum please learn from this op and use your local independent garage next time,'im sure friends local could recommend one
  • vikramrkin
    vikramrkin Posts: 241 Forumite
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    Thanks guys. I did think that I have paid more and thanks for confirming that. Did not have a good experience with local independent last time so went to Halfords. Next time will look for another independent. Lesson learnt!!
  • onomatopoeia99
    onomatopoeia99 Posts: 6,964 Forumite
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    markudman wrote: »
    Caliper £70 Why only one, they should be replaced as a pair.
    Why replace a fully working brake caliper?
    Proud member of the wokerati, though I don't eat tofu.Home is where my books are.Solar PV 5.2kWp system, SE facing, >1% shading, installed March 2019.Mortgage free July 2023
  • debtdebt
    debtdebt Posts: 949 Forumite
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    Why would you replace calipers in pairs?
    Usually, a caliper is only replaced if the piston is seized beyond repair or a bleed nipple has gone. Why replace the other one if it!!!8217;s still functioning properly? What poor advice.
  • System
    System Posts: 178,094 Community Admin
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    markudman wrote: »
    Caliper £70 Why only one, they should be replaced as a pair.

    Utter rubbish.
  • facade
    facade Posts: 7,030 Forumite
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    If you intend to keep the car a while, and you have to pay someone to do all the work on it, then it can make financial sense to get both callipers changed at once, it only adds a few minutes labour now, rather than have to do the second one in a short time.


    But there is no "should" as far as I know, and I certainly would only change the failed one, as I'm doing the work myself, and I don't want to pay for 2 when only 1 is actually needed today.
    I want to go back to The Olden Days, when every single thing that I can think of was better.....

    (except air quality and Medical Science ;))
  • markudman
    markudman Posts: 351 Forumite
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    The reason you replace both is,
    like rear wheel cylinders, if you replace one, new one is working better that the older one, and can cause brake imbalance,or cause the older one to fail suddenly, I worked for a Ambulance service and we always replaced the pair on a axle.
    This was proofed in the early days when we only replaced one. and always replaced the other side soon afterwards, so made it policy to replace them as a pair.
    We may not win by protesting, but if we don’t protest we will lose.
    If we stand up to them, there is always a chance we will win.
  • sevenhills
    sevenhills Posts: 5,885 Forumite
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    markudman wrote: »
    I worked for a Ambulance service and we always replaced the pair on a axle.
    This was proofed in the early days when we only replaced one. and always replaced the other side soon afterwards, so made it policy to replace them as a pair.

    I work for a local school, and their school minibuses never get a puncture repair, they fit a new tyre; some organisation are over careful in regards to safety and wasteful.
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