Do my discs and pads need changing? Dealer says yes!
Discussion
Hi all,
Got a Vauxhall Zafira last week. It went in for recall work and Vauxhall have said I need new pads and discs on front and back. MOT last month didn't flag the pads but did mention rusty brake discs. It had a full service in February and the brake pads are noted as having been changed. Vauxhall have quoted a staggering £600 and I think they're trying to take me for a ride!
Also I've noticed a noise, it sounds like metal rubbing on metal, but only when I'm going 20-30mph and take my foot off the accelerator. No noise when braking or accelerating and not at higher speeds. Could it be the breaks? Or they said the heat shield is loose, could that cause that noise?
I'm including a screenshot from a video they provided, which shows the brakes.
Any help appreciated!
Got a Vauxhall Zafira last week. It went in for recall work and Vauxhall have said I need new pads and discs on front and back. MOT last month didn't flag the pads but did mention rusty brake discs. It had a full service in February and the brake pads are noted as having been changed. Vauxhall have quoted a staggering £600 and I think they're trying to take me for a ride!
Also I've noticed a noise, it sounds like metal rubbing on metal, but only when I'm going 20-30mph and take my foot off the accelerator. No noise when braking or accelerating and not at higher speeds. Could it be the breaks? Or they said the heat shield is loose, could that cause that noise?
I'm including a screenshot from a video they provided, which shows the brakes.
Any help appreciated!
227bhp said:
Take it to a decent local garage, main dealers have huge overheads to maintain hence their prices.
Next time you buy a car get a reputable garage to check it out before handing any money over ffs.
No need to be rude. I don't know anything about cars. I did what I could to check the car before I bought it, looked through its MOT history, service history, spoke to Vauxhall about work done on it. It was only MOT'd 3 weeks ago and passed, couldn't have known the brakes would have a problem!Next time you buy a car get a reputable garage to check it out before handing any money over ffs.
Jazoli said:
If your dad can do pads discs should be no problem, you can do the lot for around £100 with budget parts if you must.
People are rude on here, they tend to forget that everyone isn't a mechanical genius, or have plenty of cash to throw around, I'll wager your brakes will be fine, they look rusty and crap but they will still work, the mot would have pointed out any major faults and the pads must be ok or the mot tester would have failed/advised, I bet that picture is of the rear brakes, which do very little in reality and look like that after a few years, the noise will be the back plate/shield on the brakes catching slightly (probably) and is not too much of an issue.
Carry on using it, save a few quid and get them done when you can afford to
Thanks so much, yes they are the rear ones. They conveniently didn't really show the front ones! Actually braking is fine, no lag etc, so using the car you wouldn't think there was a problem. People are rude on here, they tend to forget that everyone isn't a mechanical genius, or have plenty of cash to throw around, I'll wager your brakes will be fine, they look rusty and crap but they will still work, the mot would have pointed out any major faults and the pads must be ok or the mot tester would have failed/advised, I bet that picture is of the rear brakes, which do very little in reality and look like that after a few years, the noise will be the back plate/shield on the brakes catching slightly (probably) and is not too much of an issue.
Carry on using it, save a few quid and get them done when you can afford to
Edited by Jazoli on Thursday 7th September 21:49
I hope it is the shield! Thanks again!
Sheepshanks said:
^ This. Probably. The only caveat I would have is what sort of garage did you buy it from? It could have been MOT'd by a place friendly to the garage.
Are you driving a bunch of kids around in the car? Get someone who knows what they're doing to have a look and check the cars braking - franchised dealers are always looking to change pads and discs.
I bought it privately from someone local. I checked and it was MOT'd at a local garage, so would assume there was no bias there when passing it. I have my toddler with me, which is why I wanted to check on here. Obviously don't want to drive around dangerously but by the same token can't afford to just replace stuff if it doesn't really need doing. Are you driving a bunch of kids around in the car? Get someone who knows what they're doing to have a look and check the cars braking - franchised dealers are always looking to change pads and discs.
That's pretty much what I'd heard about the dealers, haha. They did a free "health check" then tried to hit me with £600
Globs said:
The appearance of the brakes is not good but I've seen worse. It looks like they've undergone a recent period of very low usage and the pads are a little low so if they work fine then I'd change them next year if it was me. I'm not seeing a need to rush unless they don't work, but I assume they do as you have a recent MOT.
The parts are not particularly expensive from Eurocarparts (ECP) but they do need to be fitted properly and I suspect the fluid may welcome a change too.
Forgot to mention the last owner didn't drive it for three months as he was out of the country. It's only done about 30miles since! Thanks for your inputThe parts are not particularly expensive from Eurocarparts (ECP) but they do need to be fitted properly and I suspect the fluid may welcome a change too.
Welshbeef said:
Free health check = hmm those brakes are utterly dangerous and lethal you must replace.
How many miles have been covered since the MOT? I'd push that back and say well 67miles ago it past it's MOT with flying colours how can it now be very dangerous given barely any distance travelled -- do I need to report that MOT test centre to trading standards for passing cars which it shouldn't?
Yes they said it was basically a death trap, which I found hard to believe when it had just passed the MOT. It's done about 30 miles since the MOT three weeks agoHow many miles have been covered since the MOT? I'd push that back and say well 67miles ago it past it's MOT with flying colours how can it now be very dangerous given barely any distance travelled -- do I need to report that MOT test centre to trading standards for passing cars which it shouldn't?
Thanks everyone for your input, really appreciate it. My dad is going to take the wheels off so we can have a proper look and take it from there. Inclined to wait a little bit to see if the rust comes off the discs while I'm driving.
He didn't say brake pads had been done, I was going by the service book which said they'd been done. Unless they changed just the front and not the back?
He didn't say brake pads had been done, I was going by the service book which said they'd been done. Unless they changed just the front and not the back?
Gassing Station | Suspension, Brakes & Tyres | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff