luckyAKAhappy

and I'm assuming that with new pads, the rotors need to be resurfaced? or replaced?

Anyone here had this done at an Acura dealer and how much they paid?

I have an 05 with 31k miles and 3k miles ago, I was told that I would need one within the next 5k miles by the dealer.

I had the 30k service done at Open Road Acura in NJ and I was charged $800. Most likely overpaid for that as well.

Thanks

luckyAKAhappy

Ah c'mon....no one had their pads changed by the dealer?

How bout the rotor question?

007Acura

my acura dealer is pretty reasonable with it's prices, i never pay more than $420 for the maintenance's with the rear differential oil change

i got just the front done and it was around $550, that included servicing the rotors

they even resurface the rotors on the mdx and tsx for free if i ask them (before and after the breaks needed to be replaced)

i go to smithtown acura in st.james ny

Majofo

Most people suggest resurfacing the rotor every other pad replacement depending on the condition of the rotor and mileage on the pads. I have never had a problem with the rotors on the X. I just changed mine and the rotor is clean. I was planning on turning them but I hardly noticed any wear so decided against it. I went to AutoZone and bought Duralast Gold Ceramics for ~$70 for fronts and rears + 1 QT of Castrol GT LMA brake fluid for ~$6. Done deal.. So whenever the dealer suggests putting in some crap pads for $250 per axle I laugh my ass off.. (btw.. the DG Ceramics have either Lifetime or 2yr Full Replacement Guarantee.. so within the replacement period just bring in old ones and get new ones free!)

If you notice your rotor has warped.. don't bother turning them. Pay the extra money for new ones. If you turn a warped rotor they will eventually warp again but much sooner than the previously noticed warpage period. I know not all are interested in doing their own brakes so here's what I suggest:

1. Determine the realistic costs of doing a brake job. I paid ~$76 to do my brakes. I would have paid an extra $30 if I resurfaced / turned them. I don't advise turning the rotor unless there is noticeable wear or they have warped. I spent about 2 hours with a little help during brake fluid bleed to complete the job. A competent shop should be able to do the same. It shouldn't take no more than 45 mins to replace the pads with the wheels on. So with all that said we take a fair rate of $100 / hr + parts = $275 [new pads / brake fluid change on all 4 lines]. Any more and you probably overpaid.
2. Find an independent Acura / Honda shop and do some price quotes. There are a lot of very good independent shops that specialize on Hondas [and if you think Acura is somehow different than Honda.. think again]
3. Change your brake fluid and bleed all four lines. Some shops try to get away with just sucking out the old fluid in the master cylinder but that doesn't do anything! Make sure they bleed each line!

btw.. rear differential oil change is a snap. I paid ~$30 for a 12 Qts.. and two new crush washers. Less than 40 mins.. done. If you guys are interested in trying to do this work yourself there should be several threads here. I love Azine but it may not the best site for the X.. [please no flames, tomato's or bannishment].. I'm just being honest. Try searching on Azine for the DIY otherwise google for MDX forums and you'll find what you need. You guys could save thousands of dollars doing some of this simple work by yourself / with a buddy/s.

luckyAKAhappy

So the $1,000 approx figure my dealer was quoting me to replace pads, resurface rotors to all 4 wheels along with bleeding the lines, replacing fluids is a big time profit for them?

Majofo

big time! That's why they push it and try to upsell that job. If they notice your pad life is down by say.. 1/2 which means you still have anywhere from 6k miles to 12k miles of life on them they'll try to upsell a complete brake job. My local stealership wanted to charge $120 to turn all my rotors on my TL, which was more than if I bought new rotors! Don't get me started on the cabin air / pollen filter..

Call some indie Honda / Acura shops or try searching for a DIY.

luckyAKAhappy

Well, the problem is I dn't know any shops other than the dealer. Never had problems where I needed to take my car in for repairs/service so often. I better see if another dealer is cheaper and try to negotiate.

Thanks

007Acura

that actually sounds right for all four

Majofo

lol... I have some land on Florida you may be interested in! maybe some stock in Sirius Radio.. I say it again:

Parts
Ceramic Pads - $70
Castrol GT LMA - $6
Turn rotors - $60

Labor
2 hrs - $200

I wouldn't turn the rotors if they look good.. but if you did.. it should be around $335 - $350. Why use Azine if not to learn and save some money. Everyone is entitled to spend it as they wish.. while the rest of us shake our heads when we hear BofA CEO Thain buys a $35k wooden shi*ter (ahem.. commode).

luckyAKAhappy

Sounds right for what an Acura dealer would charge?

After I make some calls to different dealers, I'll report back.

luckyAKAhappy

How about the cost of resurfacing all 4 rotors? or is that your "turn rotors" comment with the 335-350? so you think a fair price is about $700 for the entire job?

Majofo

resurfacing = turning.. same thing.. they lathe the surface smooth within spec but this process reduces the mass of the rotor so it heats up faster than a new rotor and will warp faster as well. I learned this the hard way on my TL. You can take your car into NTB or similar shops and they'll turn the rotors for ~$15 / rotor (call and ask first & ask if that's off the wheel or on the wheel), but a new rotor costs $50.

If you pay $700 then they are probably charging the time to turn the rotors as part of the labor and as a process plus taking a huge margin on parts or their labor fee is high like $150 /hr. Taking off the caliper and rotor is not complicated. The only PITA is the retention screws in the rotor.. I completely twisted several bits in my drive unit tool to remove them.. ended up drilling them out. If it wasn't for these two dumbass screws in each rotor the job to remove wheel - caliper - rotor would take no more than 20 mins at each wheel. Rub your finger on the rotor surface (only on a cold car - not after driving!) and if it feels absolutely smooth and looks good then I wouldn't bother turning them. That reduces a 20 min job to 7 min / wheel.

If I were you I'd try asking other AZ members in your area for assistance. You could save a lot of money doing the routine maintenance.. and it's real easy! If you've never changed your brake fluid on your '05 then you're due. Changing out the brake fluid takes a little patience but there are a some tips & tricks to doing it and there's even some cool aftermarket valves that make it a cinch.


so a $700 job would consist of:

Parts
Pads - $100 [dealer makes +$60]
BF - $30 [dealer makes +$25]
Turn Rotors (all 4) - $200 [all profit]

Labor
3.5 hrs @ 105 = $367.50 [include labor of removing rotors & turning them even though they are already priced - otherwise the labor price is higher like $125 for 3 hrs or 150 for 2.5 hrs]

Don't fault the dealer.. they're cheating everyone on brakes, not just you. They have standard rates for changing brake fluid and turning rotors.. They mark up parts and make huge margins on those as well. I'm not getting down on the dealer.. they have overhead (insurance, tools, disposal).. but they know that 95% of people that take their cars for service feel they are obligated to have work done at the dealership (stealership). Ask around for a good indie mechanic who works on Honda / Acura. You'll find some of the most experienced technicians running their own shops. Most techs at the dealership are young because the older ones get tired of the upsell b.s. and the shop taking more than half their pay.. the shop may charge +$100 / hr on labor but the tech only sees about ~$20-30 / hr. (getting the picture?)