Approx cost of brake work (Pug 306, 1998)

Hi,

I just had our 1998 Pug 306 brakes checked at a Nationwide Autocentre branch
and found that work needed to be done. I noticed that the rear brake drum
was occasionally seizing after applying the handbrake. Seeing as the shoes
probably needed replacement (probably overdue) I took it in for check -
expected just needing to get the shoes replaced.

Well, the cylinders had 'exploded' (looked okay to me, but oily grime was
all over the inside of the hub etc. The work they say is needed is - prices
are from memory - although total is accurate):

Replace front discs (> £50)
Replace front pads (> £50)
Replace rear cylinders (> £110 per side - Bosch apparently, so 'very
expensive')
Replace rear shoes (can't remember the figure - but around £50, give or take
£20 or so)
De-lip drums (£32 - else will knacker new shoes)
Brake fluid flush (£36)

Total £464 inc VAT etc

Does this sound reasonable to people? I wasn't expecting the front stuff to
need replacing (pads replaced in mid-2002 by Pug, that was the last brake
work done on the car) - although I had noticed that when at walking pace,
when applying the brakes gently I had noticed a very feint pulsing in the
braking effect co-inciding with wheel revolution - warped discs? I also
wasn't expecting the cylinders to be > £110 per side! Apparently its
because they are Bosch ones, whereas if they'd been Lucas etc they'd be more
like £50 each.

I felt ripped off (personal feeling, not necessarily fair) as I had not
expected such a high price, and was unable to negotiate a better deal
elsewhere as they have all the wheels off and say the car is unsafe to drive
(probably fair, and understandable). I also need the car for tomorrow (they
say it'll be done for 5pm this evening), so no time to check with other
garages about prices. I think its more then inability to confirm the prices
and the situation (price, timing etc) that makes me feel ripped off.

Anyway - does this sound reasonable? In my mind I was expecting more like
£200+ - although I failed to estimate the cost of the cylinders, and wasn't
including/expecting any front brake work.

Thanks

David

--

 

The last brake work I did on a Peugeot was on a 405, I used pattern parts,
prices were;

Brake disks £12 each
Brake pads £12
Brake shoes £15
Rear cylinders £8 each
Brake fluid for flush £2

It was all suprisingly easy too, half a day taking it easy.

Try a small independant garage, not a fast-fitup type place.

--

Tony Bond / UncleFista

www.bradford7.co.uk

Love is like a snowmobile, speeding across the frozen tundra.
Which suddenly flips, pinning you underneath.
At night the ice-weasels come...

 

==================
Have a look here for some comparisons: www.gsfcarparts.com

The quote for rear cylinders looks very high; I think that different brands
are interchangeable BUT check with a local shop to be sure. This seems to be
a clear case of shopping around before you buy!

Cic.

 

I would normally do this - however in this situation I put it in for a
check - not expecting the car to be then classed as unsafe to drive. I'm
planning on getting a written quotation from elsewhere (maybe a couple of
places - including Peugeot themselves) and if it was obscenely high, I'll
try and reclaim the money - for what its worth.

£45 on GSFCarParts vs £110+ from Nationwide Autocentre. Must admit, no idea
of labour charges - I assume they've hidden them in their quoted prices, so
may not be directly interchangable.

David

 

:-O

Get another quote!!

32 quid to de lip the drums? Jeez, a quick run round with an angle
grinder!

Rear cylinders sounds dodgy, but www.eurocarparts.com doesn't seem to
list them, so not too sure.

Front disks and pads came to about 130 quid when I had mine done at the
local garage (not a dealer), so that's not too far off.

Sounds pricey anyway.

 

This seems a very common trick amongst the fast-fit places; offer a
'free check' and then claim that they can't release the car until the
work is done.

I had the Citroen into a fast-fit place for a new clutch the other week
(local garages couldn't get within 50 quid, if they'd been closer I'd
have given them the work) and I made sure to tick the "no" box on all of
the "would you like a free check on..." boxes.

It's certainly sharp practice, IMO, but is it legal?

 

================
It would be well worth getting a quotation as you suggest. There was a case
(brought by Trading Standards in Midlands) which broadly stated that a
customer is entitled to be charged a 'fair price' for spares. Although this
case concerned a plumber / gas fitter I think that the general idea is the
same - prices for spares must not be excessively marked up.

Cic.

 

Ah, GSF, nice site. Looks like my garage gave me a fair price for my
discs and pads anyway.

Anybody know of a similar site for Ford parts?

 

The initial problem I would guess is either a sticking handbrake cable, or
the levers on the brake shoes seized.

Wheel cyclinder don't 'explode' they leak. If it was me, I'd off been
looking to see if the behind the protective boots was wet, as it's known for
said garages to soak the rear brakes with some penetrating oil to make it
look like they're leakin.

If this includes labour, it's reasonable.

No offense, but WHERE THE **** DID THEY FIND THOSE PRICES?
most I've ever paid for a wheel cylinder is £30 a side.

For a quick run around with a file, or deburrer in a drill?

On top of replacing the rear cylinders, which they'll have to bleed anyway,
i'd be telling them to take a hike on this one.

Given these symptoms, it's very probably the disks are corroded.

I'd love to know where they got that price....

The car drove in. As it was a 'free' brake check, there is nothing to stop
you from requesting that they put the wheels back. All they can do is advice
you that it is unsafe to drive. They have no right to prevent you from
removing the car from the garage. If you are that concerned about driving
the car, then get a recovery firm to recover it.

Does not sound reasonable to me, but then again, I'm a mechanic and would be
questioning every decision they made.

 

The message <>

www.brakeparts.co.uk list several, depending on which model. Some are
cheap - some are very expensive. Since he mentions drums I assume it'll
be a cylinder not a caliper. Cylinder seem to vary between a tenner and
fifteen quid.

Whatever, the whole thing sounds like a major rip-off. You can get new
drums for not far off the cost they're threatening for grinding.

 

The message <>

www.brakeparts.co.uk

 

I meant for all Ford spares, not just brake bits. Thanks anyway.

 

David Hearn () gurgled happily, sounding
much like they were saying :

Could be up to £40+ for the pair of disks alone.

£25 for the pads.
£100 for new disks and pads fitted sounds perfectly fine to me, if
anything a little low, depending on the spec of the car.

<cough>Bollocks</cough>
£15/side for each cylinder. 1-1.5 hours labour for the pair, including
fitting the new shoes.

£15 for the shoes, have to be removed to do the cylinders anyway.

**** my dog. The drums are off anyway. A quick squizz with a linisher or
in a lathe. Ten minutes for the pair.

Flush? Yeh, right. As if. The rears will need bleeding anyway, so
bleeding through with new fluid's not exactly a vast extra labour - and
a very very wise precaution.

Perhaps if you'd serviced the car properly in the past, you wouldn't be
replacing the rear cylinders now. New fluid every two years - else you
get this.

Three years ago. How many miles?

Very probably.

gold plated...?

Both very understandable...

 

IMO, tell them to **** right off. They might have been right about the parts
needed, they might not. They might be right about the prices (I somehow
doubt it, I can uprate my entire 30 year old system with semi custom parts
for half that!), but any garage that'd confiscate my car till I paid them to
fix it would be on the wrong end of a tirade. Just tell them you are now
aware of the risks involved in driving the car, and you are going to simply
drive home at a much reduced pace whilst you consider what to do next.

Also might be worth having a word with a friendly small MOT place, chuck
them a few quid to put it on the tester and ramps while you watch.

Plus of course, have a good look yourself, check if the fluid level is low,
look for leaks around the rears, etc, just to make sure they're not pulling
an ever faster one.

 

Oh dear.

There's unusual!

Not really. Try to find a trusted "small" garage and ask them to check your
brakes for you.

Si

 

I didn't read the last two paragraphs properly - I take it you've had the
work done?

Next time...

Si

 

contain a pressure release valve and so are rather more expensive than usual
( like about £30) and they do leak usually at some milage more than 60,000
but before 100,000 and so the shoes etc need changing. The pads are arather
too dear too. Try ringing GSF for spares prices ....... or a local Motor
Factor ( see yellow pages) £110 a side ...... the magic mushroom season
has begun very early this year
steve the grease

 

for the following work on a 95 306DT at a Pug main dealer (Hardies in
Larbert)

new front discs and pads, new rear wheel cylinders and shoes

£280 inclusive of labour and VAT

This was with genuine overpriced Pug parts.

I would suggest they are trying to seriously rip you off.

Jim

 

Hmm, Peugeot in Aldershot just said that would be at least £400+ for the
work, although probably slightly less than the £464 I paid. I'm going to
try again with another Pug dealer but this time not giving them the price I
paid before asking the sort of price. I'm not sure if they just said it to
placate me (or am I just paranoid??)

Thanks

David

 

Check out Viking Peugeot in Basingstoke the have a Pug Express Fit dept
they might be considerably cheaper.

Jim