hiptsx

Hello All,

I have a 05 TSX with about 32000 miles on it. When I went to get the 30k service done at the dealer, I was told my break pads are on the low and will probably need to be replaced next time I'm due for service - around 35000 miles.

I was told that the rear brakes are more used up than the front ones. I also find when breaking the brake pedal does go in deep.

I commute via train to work, so most of my car trips are about 5-10 miles a day with mixed city/highway driving. I have had this car for about 3 years now, and I by no means drive rough on it or "slam" on the brakes everytime I need to stop.

I am considering changing all 4 break pads sometime in the next few weeks prior to the 35k service.

Few Questions:

1) 32000miles sound quite low for a 1st time break job. Anyone else experience such wear?
2) What is the avg miles for which a break job is needed for an average driver?
3) The dealer quoted me around $750 for a complete break job. I certainly dont fancy fishing out that much. Anyone have any suggestions to where as I could do for a quality break job other than the dealer? May be a Midas, CarX, Meineke?

As always any suggestions/reccomendations etc are appreciated.

Thanks in advance!

CarbonGray Earl

It sounds about right. I was at 30k miles for my first, and had to change the rears again at 57k.

If anything, get aftermarket pads (Hawk pads, Axxis Deluxe, etc) and get them changed and your rotors turned at someplace other than the dealer. $750 is WAY too much. For example, for $500 installed, I upgraded to aftermarket rotors, pads, and changed my brakelines to braided stainless steel lines.

nj2pa2nc

I do mostly highway driving so unless I am in congested areas such as Washington DC (95) braking is not overdone. My brakes are still excellent after almost 37,000 miles. My mom's 98 honda with almost 80,000 miles had the brakes replaced 4 times (alot of stop and go traffic)

jlukja

On the average, brake pads last about 30K miles. For every person who finds out they need new pads at 20K you will find somebody at 45K and going strong.

$700. Buy the pads on-line and have them done at a local shop for much much less than that. There is nothing magic about changing the pads on the TSX that a decent mechanic can't handle.

LuvMyTSX

$750? Um, no. visit www.tirerack.com, have some brakes shipped to a shop that will install them for you (or have them shipped to you and bring them to your appointment). This is what I did at about 30k. I now have Hawk ceramic pads and Power Slot rotors. No problems and I've had them for about 15k now.

PACman

<---still on original pads & rotors @ 84,500 miles. Changing them out tomorrow.

jlukja

you're really skewing the average.

Simba91102

Count me in. I'm at 66K and the fronts are maybe half used up, the rears were a little further gone (I did replace the rears since I had new ones and had it apart; dealer told me they were at 10% and they were way off). All highway miles by the way; this makes a huge difference.

hiptsx

Thanks to everyone for all the replies thus far!

Looks like brakes is all over the place, so I guess I shouldnt be too surprised that the breaks need to be changed. Though the fact that the rear brakes are more used up than the front ones still puzzles me. But hey...

Anyway, I like the idea of purchasing my own pads from say online.

I am in the Chicagoland area.......near Schaumburg, IL. Does anyone know of any reputable shop which would do the labor install for me?

I looked at the Yellow Pages, and there are so many "non" brand shops, and obviously they all claim they are the "best".

So if anyone has any suggestions on a place to take it to, would be great. Also if anyone has a rough estimate on what I am looking at in terms of labor for the install as well as turning the rotors.

Thanks!

SunnyG

I have 46K miles, and just had to replace my rear brake pads. Dealer said I have about 10K miles/4mm left on my front brakes. From reading other posts, it seems that the rear brakes usually end up needing to be replaced first. Dealer was pretty reasonable on the rear brake job ($135), so I decided to just have them do it. Shop around and I'm sure you'll be able to do better price-wise.

DjElucid

I'm at 90k miles and I changed into my 3rd set of pads (installed aug 07). The first set I used Axxis, good performance, but you'll be cleaning your wheels every week because of all the brake dust they put out. I changed my pads to hawk in August and they're great. I also change my front rotors with my first brake pad change.

I got my my mom's brakes done at toyota, new pads and re-surfaced rotosrs for $450. That is high, but it's a dealer, it's expected to be high. $750 is crazy. Ask your co-workers or friends for a trusty mechanic.

jlukja

Personally, I wouldn't have the rotors turned if you haven't experienced the dreaded "warping" issue. Take a look at your rotor surface. If grooves haven't been worn into the rotor surface by your existing pads (i.e. the rotor surface is pretty flat) then there shouldn't be an issue with just changing the pads and leaving the rotors alone. Turning the rotors reduces their thickness by a small amount which makes then ever-so-more-likely to warp in the future. Plus, if you don't need it then why spend money on it.

My

PatrickB

I'm at 75,000 and I just replaced the rear pads for the first time (they were at 1/32) and my original fronts are still at 8/32.

JayRoam

I only really know the northside of Chicago and can't really think of anything around Schaumburg. But brakes are relatively simple, and can be handled by any Midas, Car-X or those types of chains.

wong05tsx

iTrader: (6)

i'm going into 42k, still on stockies, they work fine, but i get the annoying squeeling sound when i break during cold weather, dealer said it was "normal". Think i'm gonna change them at 50k

hiptsx

Hello Everyone.....

Thank you once again for all the good advice.

I took the advice that most of you had with buying the OEM brakes myself and getting a decent mechanic to install them.

I was able to locate a reputable mechanic through "install locations" from tirerack.com - whom I met in person over the weekend. He was very helpful.

He did a inspection, and took the calipers and measured them and told me that I could probably go another 5000 miles on them still. So he told me not to spend the money right now (wow), and to come back in a few weeks for another inspection and then we shall take it from there. He also told me that my rotors are fine, and probably wont need to be turned.

Look's like the OEM brakes would cost aobut $120 for both front and back. He said he would charge me about $130 total for the install, so I am looking at about a $250 total out of pocket cost as opposed to the $400 midas, meineki etc were quoting me. This way I know what exactly is being installed (OEM) and by a reputable mechanic.

So when they do need to be replaced, I'm definitely going to him as opposed to the dealer/midas/meiniki etc.

Thanks again for everyone's advice.

PACman

^^Glad to hear that you found a mechanic you like.

Sharyehi

Rear brakes on my '05 TSX are being replaced at 23,300 miles. Was in for oil change and tire rotation and dealer said they are almost at the wear markers. I don't know if that is the soonest of anyone, but pretty close. I try not to hard and heavy brake or tailgate, but I do tend to tap the brakes frequently on the freeway to avoid getting rear ended which happens way too often here in AZ.

gftgrill

anytime the dealer suggests any sort of work, ask to see what they want to replace. far too often the dealership is trying to drum up unnecessary work.

jlukja

Ask how many mm remain on the pads. I think 3 or 4 mm is where replacement is recommended (someone else please verify this for me). Any thicker and its probably premature if you're not experiencing any brake related problems in the first place.

Simba91102

There's a less road rage inspiring way to prevent tailgating: GET OUT OF THE WAY!!

TS_eXpeed

nj2pa2nc

I agree-stay in the right lane and let them pass you.

PACman

Yea, I got that look from the mechanic too. But I've got new pads and rotors so

PACman

xaznperswaesonx

^^ haha i wish i can get myself to get that on my front windshield

xaznperswaesonx

^^ haha

Sharyehi

Two things...
Do you guys think I tailgate....no I just leave a gap between the person in front of me to aviod tons of cracked windshields. I tap my brakes when comming up on stopped traffic to avoid getting rear ended because here in AZ everyone would rather talk on the phone than drive.
Also...my pads had 1.5 mm and the dealer said they normally advise changing when they are 2mm or below.

atlas8000

Had to replace the rear pads at 35K on my 04. Front pads still had ~75% life remaining. Car is driven mostly in stop and go traffic in Chicago. Rear discs had a lot of glazing which was resulting in squeeky stops all the time.

Had brakes done at Merlin for about $300 including resurfacing the rear discs and cleaning the front brakes. Pedal feel is much better than when I bought the car.

Don't let the dealer flush the brake fluid at 40k (or whenever the schedule calls for it). My dealer charges $130 for the flush, Merlin will test the fluid and IF its needed, will flush for $80.

observer

Does anyone know what brand and material (ceramic or composite) are the original factory brake pads? I'm in need of new brake pads (front and rear) and think it costs too much from the dealer (who quoted me $360 parts+labor). In these boards people have recommended brake pads like Hawk HPS, but I don't know how it compares to the ones I'd get at the dealer, and which brake pads would be comparable to the factory ones.

Thanks!

PACman

OEM is ceramic. I think they're made from Nisin (yes, Nisin, not Nissan); same company as our OEM calipers. **I could be wrong**

raheel616

my brake pads were at 2 mm i had to get them changed they resurfaced the rotors and changed all brake pads

Simba91102

There are all kinds of replacement brake pads out there, at all kinds of different price points. I'm sure there are any number of brake pads that would work fine for you (without spending big money on more brake than you need). If you're at all mechanically inclined, you should consider doing yourself. There are a couple of good DIY threads here.

npolite

Wow $750 is a lot.

This is one thing I am glad I learned to do myself. I went through OEM pads once a year on my Integra. I couldn't imagine even dropping $400 for pads in my area yet $750.

o_nate

I went into the shop at 82,000 miles for a regular service. They told me at that time that the brakes were about "halfway" through their life. That's surprising, but since I do almost entirely highway driving, I accepted it. However, about 6,000 miles later, they started screeching during braking. So I took the car back to the shop, and they told me that the rear brake pads and rotors would need to be replaced, but that the front brakes were still fine. It sounds to me like they either didn't actually check the brake wear at all, or else they only checked the front brakes the last time I went in. Should I look for a different mechanic?

npolite

It really does suck, there isn't much you are going to be able to do because if you pull the "You guys told me there was 1/2 life left on the pads" they will pull the "Well Sir it varies the way you drive on how long they will last" BS.

Ask for the old pads and see if they are wearing evenly.

Your brake indicator should have notified you before it got to the point to ruin your rotors. How long did you wait after you initially heard the noise before bringing it in?
I guess you’ll be looking at $500 now for the repair. You may want to check this yourself when you rotate the tires.

o_nate

I started noticing the noise during braking about two days before bringing them in - that was the earliest I could schedule. That noise was a very loud screeching though. Maybe there was a more subtle noise that happened earlier that I missed. I tend to drive with the stereo turned up and windows closed - sometimes the noise-proofing on the TSX can be too good, I guess.

I had them do the repair. It came to almost $400. I didn't bother confronting them on it, since I figured there wasn't much point.

npolite

If you were hearing screeching sounds at that point your rear pads were cutting metal to metal into the rotors so they are shot.

Just to save you this frustration in the future, you may want to check them yourself every time you rotate the tires. You can even check them without removing the tire. While this won't get you what the inner pads look like, it will give you a good idea as to when to bring the car in.

And just so you know I'm an IT geek. I knew nothing about fixing cars, but was motivated since I was tired of shelling out big $$$ for repairs. The pads and rotors cost a total of $170. So you would have saved $230 doing it yourself. If not anything else you should learn how to service your brakes.

I go through pads every year so paying $50 for a set of pads doesn't hurt as much any more.

o_nate

OK, thanks. I agree I should learn more about this stuff. I don't rotate the tires myself - I have the shop do it. But I guess I should probably at least learn how to visually inspect the pads without removing the tires, if it's possible to get a rough idea that way.

zainxxl69

changing my rear break pads at 20,600

how ridiculous.
dealer asked me to pay $180 to do the rear breaks
but i think im gonna buy the hawk hps for about 55$ and give it to a local mechanic to install [shoudnt b more than 80$ for labor right?]