Hi All,

Well I took my 97 F150 with 68,000 miles on it in for its yearly inspection here in PA and its costing me $1,400 for two new calipers, brake pads, rotors, and two ball joints. Sounds excessive to me for that. Does it sound high to anyone else??

How long do ball joints usually last? Do you have to replace both calipers when one goes bad? Does that mean I have to have new rotors?

Sorry for all the questions, but of course the folks at the dealer say yes to all those questions.

Love this forum I have gotten some great advise from it.

 

wow. Ball joints should last a lot longer. They should only be about $30 each. What happened to your calipers that they need replacing? Sounds like you are getting screwed.

 

They said the left caliper locked up and I have been riding around like that for awhile. I noticed a small change in my brakes. Just thought it was time for new pads.

$30.00 for ball joints??? Thats it! I'm pricing the items out on the internet now to see how they compare to the dealer.

 

Good God man! Run, don't walk away from that dealer. I could understand the ball joints if you've never had them lubed, but new calipers, nope. Telling a customer they need new calipers is standard operating procedure when going to get brake work done. Unless they are leaking brake fluid or stickingm you don't need new calipers. An ex G/F of mine got reemed like that at Pep boys after I warned her about it. One of the reasons why she's my ex, she would never listen.

 

Burch, follow Franks advice, get outta that dealer, go to local garage or something....

where in Pa. are you? I live in (just north of) Pittsburgh, if you are close I can hook you up with some reputable local people...do you need emissions done as well, or are you in one of those "other counties"....

Best of luck!!

Regards,

Medic

 

Yeah, I had a similar experience with a place a couple months ago. In the end it was still cheaper than what the dealer wanted ($600), but it was a heck of a lot more than the advertised price. I'm sure it didn't need all the crap done to the calipers, but the pads were wearing at an angle (wierd?) . Getting any kind of automotive work done is a PITA these days. Everybody is out to slip some useless work in on ya.

One word of advice, NEVER EVER EVER EVER let somebody "look" at your transmission. By the time they get done looking you're out 2500 bucks.

 

Customer goes to auto shop to hear the diagnosis:

"Well sir, I fiddled with carburator and seemed to have it running fine......then I got this bill from my daughters' orthodontist and had to pull the engine."

 

Well after spending half the morning on the phone with other dealers and garages and surfing the net for prices I got $600 knocked off the price. Plus a trip to see my truck and verify it needed all they were saying. Comes in pretty close to what some of the local garages wanted and actually less than two other dealers wanted. I have had a good relationship with this dealer for over five years so I was really surprised by this. They claim it was the new service guy not quoting the labor right.

Just shows you have got to ask alot of questions and speak your mind.

pgh-medic - I'm actually in Pgh as well. If you could pass on the name of a local repair guy that you trust i would defintely appreciate it.

Raoul - that quote is to funny. I am actually getting braces put on today. So today I'll be thirty something bald guy with braces driving the wife's vehicle. Hold the ladies back.

Thanks for all the posts.

 

Burch,
Glad you got everything taken care of. which dealer did you go with, if you dont mind, get all of my warranty stuff done at McCracken, had some good and some bad dealings with them...I can elaborate if you like.

As far as local guys, I used to work as a mechanic (fixed cars before i fixed people) and I worked for a garage in Gibsonia on Rte. 8, BP Oil station. The owner still owns the gas station, however moved the garage portion of his business down a few streets, Conrad Wagner is his name, Wagners Service is the business, great guy, know him all my life and does great work! Another local guy is in Shaler, where I live, Grobs Service located on Bulter Plank Rd. in Shaler Twp., very small little garage, but does honest work. Anything else I can help you out with, please do not hesitate to ask, you can reach me on these forums or at : rwvmedic422@hotmail.com what part of pgh. are you from, any pics of your truck???

 

pgh medic - thanks for the info, much appreciated. I live in the North Hills. I had the work done at McCrackin, but I've also had work done at Shults on the wife's Escape. No pics of the truck yet. I'm getting a new bed cover for it in the next few days, so after thats on I'll take some.

I picked my truck up last night and what a difference. Didn't realize how bad the brakes were.

Thanks again.

 

Hey Burch,
wow, a local, cool!
Glad you got it all taken care of and she is running and stopping well! I bought my truck at McCrackin, and for the most part had good dealings there, but the last time I took my truck there was a disaster!!! I was out of my regular warranty by a month, and they did the work anyway, without telling me i was out of warranty. So, I was charged an arm and a leg for what they did. Needles to say the service manager and I went round and round. I ended up speakig to Mr. McCrackin himself and had the bill dismissed... So, for my extended warranty stuff, Isure as hell wont be going there....and as far as buying another new truck in the future, ill be going to Butler Ford where my Dad got his Super Duty. Well, thats that....we'll have to hook up at a car show or something...take care!

 

I had three set's of upper and lower ball joint's installed in my 2002 f-150, Ready for the killer millage report, 30,000 km, or roughly 25,000 miles...cover'd under warenty, but your still doing beter than me... Cost to fix brakes, is way 2 excessive...