brakes

[SilentDeath]

sorry for another my-car-needs-money-thrown-at-it, type thread

Took it in for a free brake saftey check today. Anyone with an old car like mine, and not really know the state of your brakes (except that they work, mine seem to work perfectly...) i recommend you get yours checked. Results are:

All 4 flexible brake hoses are cracking and need to be replaced.

I think all the flexible hoses in the car are a bit perished so i might need to do the coolant ones sometime. Anyone know a good cheap place to order coolant hoses online? Also front discs/pads online? if i decide to get those i think its something i could manage myself.

Rear drum cylinders are leaking, need to be replaced before they leak on the shoes (which would then need replacing if it did).

And i need a brake fluid change.

Also the front discs are pitted, now im not sure how bad it is as ive only had a quick look. From what i know it looks like a manufacturing defect where the steel/iron disc was porus when it was cast. Not too bothered about getting this done as the tech couldnt give me any good reson to get it done. I expect the pads will wear quicker but that doesnt matter too much.

They didnt quote me for the hoses but the rear drum and fluid will cost atleast £165 but with the front tyres done i dont think it will need anymore money for a while.

[5lab]

what car is this?

has it ever occured to you that a 'free brake check' is another way for quik fit et al to rip you off, and con you into spending money you don't need to?

[SilentDeath]

Originally Posted by 5lab

what car is this?

has it ever occured to you that a 'free brake check' is another way for quik fit et al to rip you off, and con you into spending money you don't need to?

1995 fiesta 1.6 si

how do you mean by getting ripped off? Its an old car, and needs work. I could of bought a much newer car for 5-10k but then i would have huge losses from depreciation instead of a relativly small maintance cost.

Some of the things definatly need doing for the car to pass next years mot and to remain safe. Other things like the front discs i am going to leave. Yeah it would be a way to rip people off but i like to think i have enough comon sence not to get ripped off, like not being pressured into buying stuff.. getting quotes elsewhere and finding out how serious each problem is.

Its an 11 year old car, thats done 62k. In the history, the rear brakes have nothing recorded as anything done. The front discs were done in 2000 at 37.5k (although i think they are good for another 10k or so atleast).

[5lab]

just because a car is old, doesnt mean it needs work. I'd certainly take it to a more reputable local garage who is interested in giving service rather than just getting a quick buck. i'd have thought that the rubber hoses (for instance) were lined with something. the leaking rear caliper sounds like a bit of a scare tactic (replacing shoes shouldnt cost more than £20 anyway). as for fluid, imo, which lots of people here will probably rubish - if the brakes *feel* alright, the fluid is probably ok. Over time it degrades, and offers less feel/performance, but if you're happy with how they're working, i'd leave it..

finally - the hoses are often standard size, you can just buy it by the meter at halfrauds. i'd not bother till something splits - just get some rac cover. but thats my attitude towards lots of stuff

disclaimer: what i've put here is my opinion, doesnt necessarily mean how to get a safe car. get it checked out somewhere with a better reputation

[steve threlfall]

You cant be too careful wtih brakes though. My rover metros decided to stop working altogether the other night t- luckily, very close to my house.

[badass]

Just to further cement the point about any company offering any kind of free safety check service as a license to print money, the cylinders on rear drums ALWAYS leak.
Well not always but its normal and nothing to be alarmed about - as long as they are only leaking into the dust covers. Rear shoes are dirt cheap anyway so I wouldn't worry about then getting a bit wet. Even if your rear brakes totally fail, the rear brakes do less than a third of the total braking.

[depresion]

Non of the work that needs doing is major and none of the parts that need replacing if they do need replacing are all that expencive. To me £165 for a cylinder and fluid sounds a bit steap. It was less than that to supply and fit 2 new rear cylinders and a full set of rear shoes on the B a couple of months back (that had a proper leak from the right rear (lost most of the fluid in the system through it in a 10 mile drive) and was binding so it needed doing). I'd have done it my self but I'm too lazy to do it without a proper lift and I can't afford one at the moment.

[kalniel]

What kind of price would you expect an independant to charge for a brake safety check? It might be worth getting a second opinion and quote.

[5lab]

it should be part of any service - if they don't check safety devices as a part of that, its not a proper service. so if the cars been done recently, i'd not worry.

i was worned i was almost on empty for pads/disks all round on my car (130k mondeo) but told it'd last till the next service in 6 months time. i think i was quoted about £150 for the complete job.

[SilentDeath]

They were done today, costing a total of £172, even though it took them a while (took it in at 10, finnished just before 5...time up on the ramp, trying to get the hoses off without breaking the calipers).

The brakes feel VERY different now.

Before I would be pressing the pedal 1/4 way or so before i felt any braking, but the resistance to pushing the pedal increased v quickly, with 3/4 being about as far as the pedal went, with full breaking

NOW, the pedal has much less resistnace, although breaking stats at the same place, i have to push it 10-20% further for the same effect.
However, if i needed to emergancy stop, i think it would do better, its just im not used to it. If anything i thought the pedal would resist earlyer, and give more resistance.

Btw this car hasnt had a full-proper service for my ownership (5 months), or the previous (yeah) and maybe the owner or two before that (one/two years each). However it passed the mot, and i done the simple/engine stuff myself. Brakes being the important things, they had to be done, and without me touching nasty hydrualic fluid. Wouldnt like them to fail when i need them most..

[J4MES]

i'd change the oil next then... then the engine won't fail either!