UK MECHANICS

[tipsy]

Any mechanic photographers in the UK can you help me out here?

I was well on the way to having enough money to buy a second hand 5 D, and then my car's brakes went and started grinding. My friend reckons its the pads and drums in the back and pads and roters in the front need replacing.

This is a worst case scenario, but if it is, what kinda price am i looking at for a complete brake system replacement front and back?

Im desperatly trying to work out if im still going to be able to afford a 5D after fixing my car.

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[GSH]

You might want to include what type of car it is ;)

[tipsy]

Ha, my bad.

It's a 1.0 Peugeot 106- 94 reg.

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[rhys]

Brakes are something you can do yourself. All the mechanics like to scare people by telling them of all the disasters that can befall you but honestly it's nothing the average Joe can't do if he's careful. Check the price of the parts at a car parts shop. If you don't feel confident, find some unemployed mechanic on the dole, pay him to do it and pay him under the table. It'll be far cheaper than a garage and just as good.

[tipsy]

Thing is, i know a guy quite well at a garage and he says he'll give me a big discount and ill get the job done well.

I just want to know what the going rate is so i know what to expect. It's booked in tomorow.

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[StaticThought]

Hi Mate,

The car you have has non vented front disc's (If I recall correctly) and Drum rear brakes. I would imagine that is either the front OR rears that would need replacing. It quite rare to have to do all the brakes. Front pads I would imagine would be something in region of £12.00, Disc's from a motor factors should be no more than £30.00 for the set. Rear shoes (Not Pads) should be in the region £15.00. Time wise, I would looking at something like 60 minutes to replace all the above which of course would include new fluid in the brake system as if they have got hot then the fluid would be buggered as well.

BTW I have been a motorsport machanic for approx 12 years plus I do my friends and families cars as well. Pity you was not close to me here in Cambridgeshire as I could do your brakes quite cheaply. :D

Please note: Prices are off the top of my head, if you wanted I could make a call in the morning to a motor factors I use to get a more exact price.

[tipsy]

Hi Chris.
Thanks for that, i took it over to my friends garage this morning and he says about the same as you. Hopefully it'll only set my 5D back acouple of months :)

Cheers for the responses guys.

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[PhotosGuy]

If it's a '94, you might consider rebuilding the cylinders next time. Brake fluid sucks up water from the air & will cause corrosion over time.

[20droger]

Glad it's being done by a competent mechanic.

A car that won't go can be a pain in the neck (or anatomical region of your choice).

A car that won't stop can be a pain all over.

[steved110]

It sounds like you have a good mechanic. It can be scary when you have unexpected car trouble and need to find large wodges of cash that were intended for other things.

I went through similar problems last year - the turbo on my diesel hatch blew, and I had to get fairly inventive to fund the repairs. Camera gear took a back burner. I have since then decided to build up a financial cushion for disasters, but of course it's easier said than done!

[rhys]

If it's a 94 then isn't it cheaper just to dump it and get something newer?

[steved110]

^^^ maybe, but if the car is otherwise reliable, factor the time cost involved in replacing it, as well as the whole used car roulette thingy - and the fact that we tend to get attached to our cars and get all irrational about them...I prefer to fix things anyway. We throw too much away as it is.

[tipsy]

If it's a 94 then isn't it cheaper just to dump it and get something newer?

granted, but if i dumped it, the one i could afford to replace it with would only have problems of it's own!

In the end it was rear brake drums and shoes both sides, front brake pad and caliper (right side) and Rear shock absorbers.

A whopping total of 408 plus VAT.

Best get doing some overtime.

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