Just had a front brake job and new tires

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Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: Falken
Pads, Rotors, service, Tires and Labor?

450$?

They like you.


Note that it was just rear tires. Pads and rotors at $133 plus what is likely an hour of labor at around $60 or 70 puts the brake work at about $200.

So that's another $250 for two tires mounted and installed, which is average-to-high in my opinion. I don't know what the OP paid for the tires, but they sell for about $75-90 each on Tire Rack in sizes that might be on the OP's Accord. They're decent tires, probably no better than average in any one area. But decent tires.

The rotors are probably standard white-box rotors that you'd get at Advance or Pep Boys, and at $39.99 for a set of pads, are probably the house-brand ceramic pads. For instance, Advance's Wearever Gold ceramic pads are $35.99 for the front set. Other house brands will be similar (AutoZone, Pep Boys, etc). Note that the OES pads (06450-SDA-A10) list at a Honda dealer for $190 for the set, so it's very unlikely that they used true OES parts.


There's probably tax factored into the OPs $450 price tax? Not sure what the rate is in FL but 6% or 7% tax is like $420/$425 pre-tax, so the tires were a probably bit cheaper than $250. $225 even seems high but we'd really need the full breakdown, $60 to $70 for labor would be cheap here, more like $80 to $90 by me.

Agree on the pads and rotors. I'm assuming where they are buying the house brand from they are probably getting a discount versus what we're seeing online so there is some markup in the $39.99 already.
 
Originally Posted By: Hokiefyd
Originally Posted By: gregk24
The price on the invoice is what they pay for them...which was $39.99.


It's *extremely* uncommon for a shop to not mark parts up. That's a critical part of their profit model; it's how they stay in business. If they aren't doubling-up on their labor rates, they're giving you a very good value by not marking parts up. I suspect they don't do this for everybody (they couldn't stay in business). I'm curious: do you personally know the shop owner?


Yes I personally know the shop owner. And my father has also known him a long time.
 
Greg, keep in mind also that the 2003-2007 Accord was known to "warp" the front rotors, and this was on the oes equipment. I've warped two myself, same side, the left front. I used the Advance Wearever rotors and had one replaced under warranty. With the use of codes it was around $25/rotor. I was getting a steering wheel vibration at highway speeds, took it to at least 3 tire places to have it inspected, but no one diagnosed it. Ultimately I found out what the issue was myself by jacking the car up and rotating the hub with the tire off. Eyeing the top of the disc you could clearly see it move unevenly up and down. Funny how none of the tire places figured it out. But that leads me to this:

Originally Posted By: NMBurb02

There is something about the relative simplicity and cleanliness (of the new parts and cleaned up old parts) of a brake job that is therapeutic. I love doing brakes! Maybe try your hand at the next brake job yourself. The cost should be less (no labor) and it is so basic that the time commitment is minimal.


It really is a relatively easy job. Had I not known how to loosen the lug nuts and jack up the car, supporting it on jack stands of course, I would still be frustrated by a vibrating steering wheel.

It sounds like you got a reasonable deal. A mechanic that you can trust is hard to find. For future reference there are a few tires out there that are more highly regarded than the Avids, but at a higher price point:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=166

I have been very happy with the Michelin MXV4's currently on the vehicle. It looks like the Bridgestone Turanza Serenity plus has supplanted them, however, and at a lower price. I think I'll give them a try next.
 
Originally Posted By: Falken
450$ to me is fair.


I agree, and I'm sorry if it came off as if I was criticizing the cost; I wasn't. And indeed, they aren't even marking the cost of the parts up, so that's certainly a plus. Having a garage you can trust for work like this is invaluable.
 
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