I'm going to be doing my brakes in two weeks and am preparing to get the rotors turned (fronts are getting replaced and rears are getting turned). I've been calling around to get prices and most places are charging $20 per rotor except O'Reilly auto parts which is $10 each.

I decided to try some of the local small businesses and called one up and asked if they turned rotors. The guy replies "Nobody does that anymore." I chuckle and say "Oh yea?". He continues "Yea after 2000 all cars rotors are too thin to turn anymore, everyone just replaces them." I laughed and said ok then hung up. What a greedy SOB. Lol

 

Even the places that turn them won't do it past the minimum thickness stamped on the rotor - which isn't much thinner than a new rotor.

 

Most places in my area don't do it anymore because it just isn't worth it. Once you turn them they warp exponentially faster.

 

I get the minimum thickness requirements and not going past them. I'm looking to turn my rear rotors which typically don't see as much heat or warping. When I call a shop about turning rotors I would expect to hear "Yes we turn them as long as they are within specs and not too thin." Not "Just replace them."

 

I quit turning rotors unless they are warped and I'm getting a vibration. The new pads wear to fit the old rotor in a couple days.

And I learned the hard way that it pays to buy the expensive rotors when you do buy and i don't mean slotted or drilled. Those cheapos will warp pdq.

 

I agree with the others on here about just replacing them...

I have been replacing them with every set of pads...the rears are cheap...$ 35.00 each when I bought them last...a few months ago...the fronts are around $ 60.00 each...

During my first brake jobs, the pads were replaced, and rotors turned...they warped real fast...within 10k miles...I started doing the brakes myself after the first brake jobs...to save money...so the rears cost me about $ 105..including new rotors and ceramic pads, the fronts are a little higher at about $ 180.00...

FWIW, the first brake job on this truck was at a local Les Schwab...they replaced the calipers on the front too...for no good reason...

 

At 134k miles, my 02 is on its 3rd set of pads on the OE rotors and the last time the pads are the only thing I replaced. Since then I have replaced all 5 flexible brake hoses, all 4 calipers, and the master cylinder to get rid of dragging brakes.

 

If anyone does want them turned. O'reilly's does it for $18.00 per rotor.