Yowza!! $1700 brakes?

[tones2SS]

My 2019 1500 Tradesman with 37,000 miles just dropped the passenger front brake pad. Took it to AutoNation Arapahoe in the Denver area about a mile away. The caliper failed. So 2 front calipers, 2 rotors and the pads are quoted at $1700. Am I out of touch or is this really what they charge these days?

That's insane!!!
With parts and labor,...probably $1,000 - $1,200. I'm sure the place doing the labor will jack up the price of the materials and then of course, you have to pay labor.

With all this supply chain and inflation ********, that probably doesn't help things with pricing as well.

 

[Dodge trucker]

does taht truck with the pitted rotors sit alot?

 

[Dodge trucker]

I just sold a 99 Dakota after buying my 12, 1500. I have a reciept from the past owner before me, having had all the steel lines replaced front to back on that 99 from about 5-6 years or so ago. the PO before me paid $800 to have that done. And they couldn't even include replacing the 3 rubber lines for that? If I lived near that place I'd be in there looking to beat someone's *** for criminal theft/ I can buy all 3 for about $36.

Within the last 2 months, I just did all the steel lines on my 96 Dakota 4wd, PLUS a new master and front pads. Did all myself, (helps having my own 2 post lift) but I didn't spend $150 for ALL of it. I bought the 100' of Nicopp line (took 1-25' roll, I'll use the other 3 guaranteed) premium pads from Rock Auto were $33 (I buy alot there) and my master cylinder was less than $50 via Ebay. I spent $104 on that 100 ft of brake line but when 1-25 ft roll is $62, and 100 ft (4-25' rolls) is only $104 it was a no brainer to buy the 100ft) I have an 85 D150 and my son has a 89 Ramcharger and a 72 Plymouth Fury wagon that will consume the other 75ft of that brake line.
The PO didn't have pads or a master replaced when he had the lines done on the same ticket, on my former 99. But a job I can do in an afternoon on a weekend, and less than $30 in material, and they raked him for $800, ****** me off.
I do alot of brake lines at work, I have one of those nice hydro flaring tools. I don't "need" it, I have 2-3 regular sets of double flare tools. but it helps. and at least 2-3 tubing benders, at my disposal.
the last brake line job ("side job") I did for someone else where I hand formed all the lines, was on a 2000 Dakota club cab/ probably as long ago as the PO "had" the job done on that 99 Dakota, before it was mine. and I felt I was robbing the guy, felt bad charging him $200. so yeah. $1700 for a brake job? Highway robbery doesn't even come close to describing what the shop did to that customer. I sure hope they used better than a "middle of the road" quality of pads and also drilled and slotted race quality rotors, at that. Now you see why NOBODY touches my vehicles besides ME!

 

[Treburkulosis]

Agreed get some power stop.

 

[audiophile]

Something doesn’t sound right. I’d expect @600-700

Heck, the employee cost at my dealership was $600 parts and labor. The Z36 kit cost me $250 and s color hits of my time

 

[dhay13]

does taht truck with the pitted rotors sit alot?

Not excessively. I only put about 5000 miles per year on it but drive it every couple of days a few miles at a time. I bought the truck with 8000 miles on it and I started noticing the shimmy at about 12,000 miles but didn't get around to checking it until about 18,000. But I put 7000 miles on it the first year but it may have sat for a few months before I bought it

 

[Sluff Track]

Thanks to the current hike in prices, I feel justified in building up my tool collection to perform my own maintenance.

I used to do stuff like change the oil and sparkplugs, tune up and simple things, when I was younger and had my dad's tools to use. Then, I got used to taking it to the dealer to keep the warranty (Honda and Jeep) and let them do the work.

I have had to get a floor jack and stands and other things here and there, but I am going to do as much as I can from here on out, and I feel most anyone can. I will be starting with tire rotation and brake inspection to remind myself how it is done.

While I am not working on a RAM truck yet, (still need to find one...) I am making sure the jack and stands can handle that weight when I do get one!

Jim
(Edit for punctuation)

 

[big-red-truck]

RUN AWAY from autonation, I took a truck to them, a bunch of snow slid down the windshield and I heard the pin come off that connects the wiper motor to the wiper blade assembly, autonation told me they needed to replace the windshield motor, I pointed out to the service advisor that I can see the motor working, I just need the pin, his response: "I stand by my assessment"

What a scam operation!

I do all my warranty work at Johnson Auto Plaza in Brighton, CO
and all my non warranty work at BESPOKE MOTORS in Englewood

 

[Treburkulosis]

RUN AWAY from autonation, I took a truck to them, a bunch of snow slid down the windshield and I heard the pin come off that connects the wiper motor to the wiper blade assembly, autonation told me they needed to replace the windshield motor, I pointed out to the service advisor that I can see the motor working, I just need the pin, his response: "I stand by my assessment"

What a scam operation!

I do all my warranty work at Johnson Auto Plaza in Brighton, CO
and all my non warranty work at BESPOKE MOTORS in Englewood

Autonation is awful. We bought our Jeep there and never ever again. Ill wait for our other dealership we have used in the past to get what we want in.

 

[boblonben]

My 2019 1500 Tradesman with 37,000 miles just dropped the passenger front brake pad. Took it to AutoNation Arapahoe in the Denver area about a mile away. The caliper failed. So 2 front calipers, 2 rotors and the pads are quoted at $1700. Am I out of touch or is this really what they charge these days?

Wow, just had similar job done on a 2017 Sport, 58734 miles. Whole thing came to $884, including all new rotors, calibers, pads, etc. your price seems awful high!! Sorry to hear.

 

[Summit1]

That $1700 price could be somewhat legitimate... brake pads and rotors (including labor) on a 2017 2500 was ~$1100 last year. Factor in the caliper replacement & inflation, and the price increases as well.

If the owner buys the parts and does the work, of course the price/cost will be lower (unless the person doing the work is an old guy and screws up his knee in the process.

 

[Tom Halligan]

I can understand needing one caliper if it stuck and a rotor plus pads both sides. Is the other side excessively worn on the rotor or can it be turned? I had a caliper fail year ago on my Durango and the dealer only replaced the failed one. May want to go to another garage if you can move it

 

[Rambo71]

RockAuto and some elbow grease. 101K on my '15 1500, still havent changed the originals. Literally havent done anything but preventive maintenace and tires at 80k.

 

[johnts]

I just had the front pads and rotors replaced in my '16 Ram 1500 at 52,000 miles. The cost was $320 installed at a local garage.

 

[Dubyah]

Seems very premature for a caliper to fail.
I have 175000km on my 2014 Sport with the original brake pads and rotors.

 

[DA Smith]

That price is stupid, first off if the caliper is damaged on the passenger side you don't need to replace both sides.If the rotor is damaged and can't be turned then it will be needing to be replaced. Even having to replace rotor Caliper and pads shouldn't be more than 4- 500.00! On driver side just put new pads on after passenger side is repaired and go about your business. This bunch trying to charge that price speaks with Forked Tongue!

 

[ButchNH]

Just did the calipers and pads on my 2001. Did not do the rotors as the only reason to do this was that the calipers had seized. Bought everything at Rock. Auto and spent less that $200.00 That quote seems at least $1,000.00 too high.

 

[09cummins67l]

My 2019 1500 Tradesman with 37,000 miles just dropped the passenger front brake pad. Took it to AutoNation Arapahoe in the Denver area about a mile away. The caliper failed. So 2 front calipers, 2 rotors and the pads are quoted at $1700. Am I out of touch or is this really what they charge these days?

IMO.. Dealer should be last resort for parts/maintenance unless under warranty.

I bought a four wheel/SRW Power Stop Z36 rotor/calipers/pads kit from AutoZone in November for $1100. Three months later same kit $1400.

If you’re not a DIY person, don’t have the time, etc… then expect to pay for parts and someone’s time to do the work for you.

 

[Socalramfan]

Wow, just had similar job done on a 2017 Sport, 58734 miles. Whole thing came to $884, including all new rotors, calibers, pads, etc. your price seems awful high!! Sorry to hear.

That’s what I would have expected as the norm.

 

[John Schmidt]

My 2019 1500 Tradesman with 37,000 miles just dropped the passenger front brake pad. Took it to AutoNation Arapahoe in the Denver area about a mile away. The caliper failed. So 2 front calipers, 2 rotors and the pads are quoted at $1700. Am I out of touch or is this really what they charge these days?

I will fly out to Denver with my tools and do this job for you for only $1400. That'll cover my hotel, my airfare, rental car, my meals and the parts.
Just kidding, but that sounds pretty much on the high side for that work.
There's probably some crazy labor hour assigned to those parts/replacement and that's why they're telling you $1700. Or wait, maybe it's related to COVID - everything else is!
Disc brakes are pretty easy to maintain/replace, even if you're not an expert mechanic, and/or even if you're an old guy like me -- you might want to give it a shot.
You'll find tons of videos on youtube to walk you through the procedure.
Otherwise, if DIY is not possible, get some additional quotes and maybe you can knock $500 off that price.
Best of luck.

John