Post by: Monkeyleg on September 29, 2006, 07:16:03 PM
For a surprise Christmas present in December of 2002, I got my wife a new 2003 Chrysler PT Cruiser.
IIRC, it wasn't much more than a year after that when she started to complain about the squealing noise from the brakes.
Considering that my wife is one of those drivers who floors it from the stoplight, and then slams the brakes a block later at the next light, I figured that she'd just glazed up the pads.
This afternoon, my wife's sister's husband--who has now become the family expert on just about everything--looked at the rotors and said that the pads were down to the metal.
So, flashlight in hand, I looked at and ran my fingers over the rotors. Not smooth, but not gouged up the way rotors would be if the pads were down to the rivets. Considering all the construction--gravel, dirt, mud, and everything else that's been going on in our area--it wouldn't surprise me that the rotors have taken more than normal abuse.
But new rotors at 18,000 miles?
The high and low spots on the rotors are pretty shallow, although I can definitely feel them. It's a smooth transition from high to low, rather than grooves like you'd feel on an old record album.
So, considering that money is tight, and my back can't stand much strain, would you opt for: a) just putting on new pads; b) getting new pads and having the rotors cut (assuming that all of that can be done in the one day my wife has off); c) buying new rotors and pads and installing them myself or; d) handing the car off to a repair shop?
I haven't pulled the wheels, so I haven't miked the rotors.
Opinions very much welcome.
Post by: charby on September 29, 2006, 07:50:59 PM
I think your BIL is quick to think like the repair shops want to do and make as much money as possible, respectfully.
You mentioned you like to do you own car repair, so you know that pad replacement is no big deal. Way easier than brake shoe replacement.
-C
Post by: AJ Dual on September 29, 2006, 08:02:55 PM
Our '01 PT Cruiser (affectionately known by me as the "Clown Car", as I "inherited" as my daily driver as we shuffled cars to accomodate our two sets of twins...) had really funky tire wear where the tires progressively wore themselves out of round. We just had to replace all four tires and be done with it.
Two co-workers with PT's reported the same thing.
I'm not impressed, but it's paid off.
Not that it really helps. Just another data point.
If it were I, I'd just put pads on it. If the rotors are truly that funky, you'll feel it when you brake.
Post by: Boomhauer on September 29, 2006, 08:12:16 PM
Teach your wife to treat the car more gently, too...
If you have been doing your own repairs for over 40 years (as my father has)...I see no reason to hand it off to a repair shop. I don't trust mechanics, anyway...
And I have had pads down to the rivets...did not have to replace the rotors, they are doing fine
We usually get about 10 months to a year out of pads ourselves, before it wears down to the squealer. Then we replace. Gotta love autozone's lifetime pad replacement warrenty, and all four vehicles that we run use the same pads...
New rotors at 18,000 miles? I think not. Tell BIL to shut up, unless he is going to pay for it to go to the shop. It ain't his car, his money, or his time, is it?
Post by: Monkeyleg on September 29, 2006, 08:55:51 PM
[Jealous voicetones] Jon arrived on the family scene about eight years ago. Prior to that, my wife and I were the ones making the "big money," and we were able to be generous to everyone at Christmas time, or any other time.
I also did many of the major repairs to the cars that my FIL and MIL owned, not to mention my own and my wife's. I've even built rust-buckets into trophy cars, all by myself.
Jon is much more handy with house stuff than I am; he owns a plumbing/AC/heating company. And he's become the Most Favored Son-In-Law, with food lavished on his plate, and every word he utters as Gospel. [/Jealous voicetones]
However, I've been working on cars longer than he's been alive.
And I think I'll take your advice and the advice of others and just replace the pads. It probably wouldn't be a bad idea to have the rotors cut, but this is election season, and my plate is pretty full.
I'll see what the rotors look like next year, when I have a GENUINE Wisconsin shall-issue CCW permit!
Post by: Azrael256 on September 29, 2006, 09:20:02 PM
18k is pretty early for new pads. I would guess that they're actually in decent shape, but at $25 a set, I never put old pads back on a car.
Post by: 280plus on September 30, 2006, 12:14:50 AM
Post by: garyk/nm on September 30, 2006, 03:27:59 AM
Post by: Harold Tuttle on September 30, 2006, 04:59:57 AM
warp speed!
Post by: Sergeant Bob on September 30, 2006, 07:06:46 AM
After a while I just gave up and replaced pads without touching the rotors. You'll probably get as many miles out of them as you would if you turned them.
I know a bunch of people who work at a Chrysler plant in Kokomo, In. and most of them say the only reason they even buy them is because they work there and, get the discount.
I'll never buy another Chysler.
Post by: onions! on September 30, 2006, 07:43:21 AM
Post by: Larry Ashcraft on September 30, 2006, 08:16:51 AM
My friend said his current record on ruined rotors is 7,000 miles. Young girl, new car. They just can't seem to understand that there is something between gas and brakes called coasting.
For the record, I'm especially easy on brakes. On my 1992 F150 (bought new) I replaced the pads at 70,000 miles and again at 160,000 miles. The rear shoes are still original, as are the front rotors. I had the rotors machined once when they became warped. FWIW, warped rotors are usually caused by driving into a deep puddle of water when the brakes are hot.
Post by: 280plus on September 30, 2006, 08:44:02 AM
Quote
FWIW, warped rotors are usually caused by driving into a deep puddle of water when the brakes are hot.
That's interesting. I just figured it was cheap metal.
Post by: ...has left the building. on September 30, 2006, 08:58:10 AM
Quote from: Harold Tuttle
there's a class action right now on jeep GC front disk brakes
warp speed!
I drove my coworker's GC to Indy the other day and the wobble was insane! Thanks for that info, I'll have to let her know about it and see if her model year is covered.
warp speed!
Post by: mfree on September 30, 2006, 08:58:18 AM
that said, my truck has that very issue and one of these days (I find I rarely ever even use the brakes, most of the time I downshift) I'll give them a good polish with some emory cloth and re-break them in. If that doesn't hack it then they probably are warped and I'll have a shop give 'em a turn.
Post by: grislyatoms on September 30, 2006, 11:33:18 AM
18K sounds way too soon, even with jackrabbit stops.
Post by: Gewehr98 on September 30, 2006, 01:21:33 PM
I'd attribute it to the fact there's a Dodge Neon chassis underneath that heavy PT Cruiser body, suffering from the extra stresses of that arrangement.
I'd so hoped the look-alike Chevy HHR would've learned, but it doesn't look much more substantial underneath.
Post by: French G. on September 30, 2006, 01:34:28 PM
Post by: Art Eatman on October 01, 2006, 04:52:51 AM
I've found that folks who have to pay for their own car repairs generally learn not to abuse them. My own opinion about folks who abuse cars in their daily driving is not at all complimentary. "Childish" is one of the first labels that comes to mind.
You may quote me.(All that said, the abuse of hot-rodding is a different deal. It's known ahead of time what happens when you drive really hard. It's a choice based on knowledge of consequences.)
, Art
Post by: Monkeyleg on October 02, 2006, 02:02:30 PM
I called the NAPA parts store near me, and ceramic pads and good-quality rotors would cost me $208.
Both places said that the new factory rotors are throw-away parts. NAPA even got rid of their rotor-turning machine, because so few rotors had enough material left to cut.
Since I was too short-sighted to run 220 volt power to the garage when I re-wired it years back, I have to run a cord to my basement to plug in my compressor for the impact wrench and other air tools.
And, I have to work in the alley, since our garage is too full of stuff to fit a car in there.
This is an example of why I miss having my photo studio. I had heat/AC, 220 outlets everywhere, chain hoists, engine hoists, and every other amenity an amateur mechanic could want. Plus, a 400 watt-per-channel stereo system while I worked.
$100 difference.
Hmmm. Have to noodle on that.
Post by: Brad Johnson on October 02, 2006, 02:32:15 PM
Just FYI..
Brad
Post by: ...has left the building. on October 02, 2006, 02:50:52 PM
Your wife will probably vomit the first time she mashes the pedal to stop for a red light.
Post by: Monkeyleg on October 02, 2006, 05:19:03 PM
Did I also mention that I do the washing/cleaning of the car?
Post by: ...has left the building. on October 02, 2006, 07:31:32 PM
Quote from: Monkeyleg
Thanks for the advice, Daniel.
Did I also mention that I do the washing/cleaning of the car?
Oh...in that case, ignore my advice! Did I also mention that I do the washing/cleaning of the car?
I have actually cleaned a girl's barf out of my beautiful BMW M3 that I had before my current car. There seriously wasn't even a thread to be found out of place on the carpet and she barfs on it...ARGH!!!!
Post by: Tallpine on October 03, 2006, 07:21:38 AM
then again, they are all old (15 and 30 years) and made out of real steel