I'm planning to have the brakes done on my '00 Accord LX; I believe it is front disc and rear drum. Right now I just want to do the fronts because they are vibrating on hard and high speed stops.

The car has 102k miles and has had 2 previous brake jobs at a local mechanic (translation = non-Honda parts and probably only a quick pad replacement, with rotors cut once or twice). I'm thinking of replacing the rotors for a fresh start.

My dealer has quoted about $325 for front pads and rotor replacement. I want to get a parts quote from their Parts Department, then see if I can get the parts much cheaper over the net.

So......WHAT PARTS ARE NEEDED FOR A FRONT DISC BRAKE JOB?

-- 2 SETS OF BRAKE PADS
-- 2 ROTORS (optional of course)

WHAT ELSE???
:confused:

Actually, you only need one set of brake pads and two rotors.
(set = 2 pads for each side)

You really don't need anything else, partwise.

You can try www.fairhondapartsforyou.com for a parts quote. I buy most of my stuff from them.

100,000+ miles? My guess is that rotor replacement won't be optional. The reason is that once rotors get too worn (thin) they are subject to warping which can become rather dangerous rather quickly.

+ hardware kit
If rotors have been turned more than once have replaced or you will get a pulsation soon after... Less metal=less heat dissipation=
warping easier..
Give Tim a ring up at HondaAcura net for prices on the parts..
Princess might be able to give you an idea on labor.. If I recall the front rotors on your model require hub and bearing removal to replace.. but @ 325(sounds cheap) that may not be the case..

If you are taking to dealer then let them supply parts, you don't want them to do job and have a problem in a couple of months and have to pay for the labor again if you have a part failure??
That used to drive me nuts when people brought in the own parts
and only pay for labor.. My take on that is do you take your steak and potatoes to a restaurant to cook??
Example: Had a truck driver supply all his own bearings/seals and shoes on a trailer brake job. He ended up out in California with a burnt up bearing and Axle with a bill of 1700 bucks walked into our place and said we had to pay his bill.. My reply was no and ended up in court and judge said no also, so basically the guy was out over 2500.00 when all was said and done..

My 2 cents..
I1:)

Would it be unreasonable to ask their parts dept to match the internet prices?

If the parts are Honda OEM, is it still unethical to ask the dealer to install my parts?

hondapartsforu / fairhondapartsforu:

$34.88 for 1 set (2 pair) pads +$3.95 shipping
Looks like rotor is about $60 x 2 = $120

So roughly $160 in parts at internet prices (+hardware kit? what is that?)

My dealer wants $234 for the same parts.:mad:

For $75, it seems worth it to explore the dealer installation.:rolleyes:

1st Question a definate NO.....2nd is a fine line ??

But do you see my point on warranty issue???


If you supply parts even Honda OE it's hard for a dealer to get warranty from manufacturer if their not on the original invoice!!

Also if a pad separates and chews up your new rotor, you can pay labor to remove and then get your parts supplier to warranty
and then pay labor to reinstall...if your lucky!

Put yourself in their shoes, They charge for a full job they make 30-40% markup on parts, you come back for warranty, the manufacturer reimburses the dealer at Warranty labor time which is 25%-40% less than they charge customer plus replace parts at cost.. It takes a tech 2.0 hrs to do the job @ 75 bucks an hr.
He does job again @ 1.2hrs labor at a reduced rate back to manufacturer say 60 bucks hr.. So you make the original money at profit of 40-50% on total job. Now when you warranty you are still getting paid but at basically a 10% margin and you say cool!
Well you just lost because the tech could have been making you a profit of 40-50% .. Hope this makes sense..
If you operate any type of business you will understand, doing warranty work all the time you will close the doors very soon..

I1:)

Originally posted by Pairallel

(+hardware kit? what is that?)


Rubber boots on caliper bolts, spring clips for pads...

I'll try and find you a picture....

I1:)

check this out....

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/auto/jsp/mws/prddisplay.jsp?inputstate=5&catcgry1=Accord&catcgry2=2000&catcgry3=4DR+LX&catcgry4=KA4AT&catcgry5=FRONT+BRAKE+%281%29

#1 has boots but you can reuse(maybe)

#16 is what I call springs

I1:)

Thanks for the help! Time to negotiate I guess....

Whats the part # on your pad set??

I'm just asking because my last set was 39.44 no tax no shipping.

That was from HondaAcuraworld.....

I1:)

$324? Wow. I haven't had to change the brakes on my 02 yet. I don't believe you have to remove the hub & bearing to replace the brakes anymore. That stopped with the 6th gen in 1998. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. I'll try & check my manual when I get home tonight.

Changing disc brakes is about a 30 minute job per side IMO. That's about what it take for my Pontiac Grand Am.

BTW, the rear brakes are disc on mine. It's the same on your 2000.

Do you have somewhere you can change them yourself? It's a pretty easy job. You might want someone looking over your shoulder the first time since it's a safety issue. I believe the directions have even been posted on here before.

When the rotors were turned previously, were they turned with an on-car lathe? Measure the rotor thickness & measure for runout before you spend that kind of money on new rotors when you may not even need them. I can give you the specs if you want them & don't have them already.

We've had many Hondas that never needed rotors turned or replaced....but the ones we've seen that have been here can only be resurfaced twice. It's a combination of the car, the maintaince & the driver......not the mileage.

Other owners have had these 2 things in common.....
1. most had their tires installed at Big-O or Sears.
2. Of the AT's the driver had a tendency to ride the brake on down hill drives.

This '03 has already needed a turning.:( It's the car, not the driver!;)

2 years ago we charged 140 (P&L) for front brakes, 70 for refinishing rotors, replacing was 130-170 for the labor only.

Taking your own OEM parts to a dealer would probably result in an attitude out of the tech. Taking in your own oil brand is one thing, but taking in your own parts.....well, that likely wouldn't go over too well. BUT better Honda parts than other brands!;) (just my opinion)

i agree with benjamming, actually brake pad replacement and even rotors aren't too difficult to do yourself. (one thing i have actually helped with doing once! it was on my husband's (??) old 86 toyota corolla sr5. the only other thing i have hands on experience with is replacing a stereo.) anyway, he needed a brake job that was going to cost atleast $400 just to pass inspection. being in college, he didn't have the money, so i went to my dad who agreed to walk us through replacing them ourselves. (total cost in the end was about $35 i think. of course he used all cheap replacements....) but i'd do it again if my car was out of warranty and everything. (right now i'd be too afraid that i'd somehow mess up my warranty coverage! :rolleyes: )

i don't know if i'd be comfortable asking a dealership to use the parts i bought somewhere else though... i'd be too afraid that the service guy would retaliate in some way, ala the cook in a restaraunt who spits on customers food when they complain about something! :eek:

Would the tech ever know you brought the parts in if they were Honda parts? The service advisor would, but would the tech? At the low level of communication dealerships seem to have from the service advisor to the tech, it makes me wonder.

I don't know much about dealerships except my local dealership doesn't like for you to inspect their work. That's not doing much to gain my trust.

If you can prove the parts came from another dealership, such as the invoice, I don't see why the dealership would have any problems with the warranty question that was raised. I believe they would still have to warranty parts & labor. But I don't take my car to a dealership for anything but warranty, so I wouldn't know much about that. Maybe someone can educate me on this.

think about the communication problems going even deeper though.... if the tech doesn;t know you brought the parts, what is the likely hood that the cashier is going to only charge you for labor? then there's another battle to fight. they may convieniently "loose" the parts you brought and force you to pay again....


MAYBE you could say, yeah i was going to do this myself, but decided against. but since i had planned on doing it, i bought all fo the parts. is it possible that you could use these parts instead of charging me for new ones? i bet atleast one dealer in the area would agree to use your parts if you had a nice "sob" story! ;)

The tech normally has to get the parts needed from the parts dept. for the job being done....so yeah, they'd know.

The techs don't see any money from parts, but the way most dealers are run the service advisors & management see a portion.....so they'd be the ones to get an attitude about the profit loss.

The tech the attitude could simply come from a break in the routine....
;)

The story sounds good though! That would probably work!!:D

To make this much easier I would just DIY.....ahhhhhh!!!!

That way you don't have to worry about anybody getting an attitude except yourself.....IMO...

I1:)

This might help if you decide to DIY.

6th Gen brakes (http://www.honduh.com/showthread.php?threadid=112)

Just make sure no foreign matter is on the rotors or pads when you buckle it all up. And if you've never done this before, find a knowledgeable friend who has for your first time. It's not rocket science, in fact it's an easy project, but there are safety issues to be aware of.

If you decide on dealer, expect to hear rotors are out of spec and can't be cut. They always are LOL.

Still on OEM rotors with no cuts at mileage below.

Good link according2me!!!

Did you break out that Klasse yet or are you still using up the old stuff?

If you haven't you should try it on you windows and window frames, keeps the finger prints down on the black frames,,,, good
stuff... It's also great for your wheels(withstands the heat)..
can't remember did you get the SG also??

I love the stuff!!!! Even used it on my grill this past weekend..

I1:)

Still using the Gold Class stuff, but much less frequently now, so it will be a long time before I buy the Klasse stuff (if ever). My mindset has changed and my LX has become just an everyday driver now and doesn't merit any special attention, just maintenance.

Maybe if I get the Mazda 3 or 6 hatch, I'll invest in the high end stuff.:D

Speaking of using it on the grill, is that the secret ingredient in your BBQ sauce:)

:thmsup: :lmao:

Re: doing the pads and rotors myself: I don't have any mechanic friends nearby, so I'm pretty much on my own.

Wouldn't a good pad + rotor replacement involve more than taking off the old and putting on the new? Shouldn't there be some cleaning, lubrication, small component replacement, etc...?

Since I am out of warranty and using Honda parts, would i get a better reception at a reputable local mechanic as opposed to a dealer?


P.S. thanks for the info thus far....;)

When I've watched...... after removing the old ones, you squish the cyl. , then use brake clean (have a pan under it)....not the "enviromentally friendly" one, it doesn't work.... then the new parts come with gray goop that you lightly smear on the new parts, put on the new parts, put it all back together & there you go! It takes him about 10 minutes on each side.

Drive the car slowly at first & use the brake several times for "burning" it in.

Easy pie!

OK, so he makes everything look easy!

I'm sure you'd have a better reception at an independent shop than a dealer taking in your own parts.

When discussing this with the prince last night, he said it could actually cost MORE to not buy the parts.... he said they charge 218 for front brakes, but the labor rate is over 120 per hour, so they're discounting something! The flat rate is about 1.5 hours. This would vary by what your dealer charges for labor...

You could call your dealer & ask both prices.

!!!! #1 !!!!! If you do yourself , before you put it in gear pump the pedal after starting to push calipers back out or you won't have any brake action and run into something!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I1:)

uh, yeah, that too....

Originally posted by Pairallel

Wouldn't a good pad + rotor replacement involve more than taking off the old and putting on the new? Shouldn't there be some cleaning, lubrication, small component replacement, etc...?

P.S. thanks for the info thus far....;)

Exactly, that's why I recommended a mentor.

You need jack stands, a 4" or 6" C-clamp to compress the caliper so the assy will clear the rotor when remounting with the new pads, clean the whole area with brake cleaner before starting disassembly and clean/regrease the caliper pins, check all the rubber boots, etc...

If you have a Haynes or Helms, read the whole procedure before starting.

Pairallel,

Did you get those brakes on?

I1:)

I'm going to let the dealer do it I think. I will see if I can get a break on the parts, but I think I want the peace of mind of knowing I can go back and complain if they aren't perfect....It is my daughter's car and i want to make sure it's right.

Besides, I'm a mechanical spazzz....:(

Originally posted by Pairallel
I'm going to let the dealer do it I think. I will see if I can get a break on the parts, but I think I want the peace of mind of knowing I can go back and complain if they aren't perfect....It is my daughter's car and i want to make sure it's right.

Besides, I'm a mechanical spazzz....:(


Definitely understand daughters car!!!:thmsup:

I1:)