So I almost got raped by the Dealer today....brakes brakes brakes.

So I go into the dealer for a simple 55k oil change and tire rotation. Next thing I know, I need new brakes pads and the rotors need to be resurfaced.

Ok...just for shitz and giggles...how much?

She replies "$591 each for front and back."

I look around the dealer......"Am I being punked? Where's the camera? Oh wait, you are serious?!?"

Service Rep said that's their regular price. (My usual service rep wasn't in today...he knows better than to f*ck with me on these things. As the ex-owner of a V6 car forum, my usual service rep doesn't bother trying to up-sell me on things.) I asked if they were replacing my brakes with off-road racing brakes and Brembo rotors.

blink..blink....

"No sir, we only used Genuine Toyota parts."

Right....

I asked if there was a discount coupon for like....50%?

She goes to the Service Manager and comes back with $100 off. I told her that I'll think about it since what they are charging is the cost of brand new fancy racing rotors and brake pads.

(Do you even need to machine the rotors at 55k????)
My front pads were down to 4mm and rears 3mm.

I will need to think about new tires soon as well.
Tire treads are down to 5/32 for front and 4/32 for rears.

I think I can wait a bit on that.

Next item...my power steering fluid is black. (no...really????) so I'll need a flush. I'll admit. I bit on this one. Since I do a lot of city driving and mountain driving, I figured paying $133 wasn't too bad.
[Insert long-time forum members :roadkill: here]

So here are my questions.
The ONLY reason why I'm even still at Ourisman Fairfax Toyota is because of their lifetime powertrain warranty. However, I've never heard of a 4Runner, my friends or even on this forum, have "powertrain" failures....LOL. I'm of the mind to just order new OEM pads from one of the forum vendor's here, buy my buddy Andre a case of beer and have him do my brake work.

Do I even need to have the rotors machined? DC traffic is a LOT of stop and go, so I can understand the brakes not lasting. Considering my wife says I drive like Jeff Gordon, the brakes definitely need to be replaced.

I do have the 8 year 125k Toyota Platinum extended warranty as well, so that makes me less inclined to care much about the "Lifetime" powertrain warranty magic powder that Ourisman Fairfax Toyota touts as a cure-all.

What do you guys think?

Well, I think the Lifetime PT wty is doing exactly what they intended: keeping you coming back to a dealer you'd really prefer not to...

Hey man, double check your warranty because I have a lifetime thats good at any dealer.

I used to be stationed in Quantico. I know theres a DIY shop around the ashburn area. I did my Evo brakes there. Otherwise I woulda paid upwards of a 1000. You can do it yourself no problem. Pads and rotors for cheap. And the in house techs can give you pointers but if they put hands on they may charge you a rate for their help. Its worth looking jnto. VA is full of stealerships in my opinion. I'd do it yourself. There's a peace and beauty in doing your own handywork on your vehicle.

I just got my brakes done at 71K miles. Originally quoted $600. Call a different day then it was $450 plus tax with a coupon.

Rotors need to be resurfaced for new break pad to bed in properly.

Toyota warranties are good at any dealership. They are usually tied to the VIN #

Had my brakes done at 58,000, they where down to2mm front and rear which is odd because front usually wear faster than rears. No machining of the rotors needed according to service they where still good.

Got quoted 199 turn rotors and new pads front and rear to North Park toyota yesterday.

It takes longer to lift the vehicle and remove the tires then it does to replace the pads. If you don't have the tools borrow or buy them.
My front brakes cost me $300 but I bought EBC best rotors and pads. I don't want my breaks to fail going down a mountain pass.

I understand not doing some of the really difficult work that needs special tools but brakes are really simple.

I replaced the EBC brakes with Powerstop brakes last week. EBC brakes did not hold up at all. 1 year and 10,000 miles and ready to hit metal to metal. Plus the entire time I had sever brake dust on the wheels.

I bought the parts from Olympic Brake Supply (I think that was the name of it) and did rotors and pads on my wife's 2000 Impala (gone now). $50 for the parts and 2 hours and a 6-pack and got it done in my garage. Figured out how to do it on YouTube, and was surprisingly easy (You don't bleed the brakes on an impala, the pads just fit into their holders and the rotors just bolt on). I can't imagine it's significantly different for the 4Runner since it is also 4 wheel disc brakes. This was literally my first mechanical foray into vehicle maintenance, so I was tentative, but it worked out really well and saved me a ton of money (they wanted $150 an axle at firestone). I'm not keen on changing my own oil yet, but brakes (at least disc) are definitely easy and will probably DIY it again when it's time on the 4Runner.

EDIT: Forgot to mention, didn't need any special tools either, just a metric wrench set (and socket to make it easier once you break the bolts free).

The brakes needing to be serviced is NOT determined by the mileage on the vehicle. It is determined by the amount of measurable wear on the components.

I still have all-original brakes on my '97 4Runner. I do flush the brake fluid bi-annually, and clean and lube where appropriate.

My Sister on the other hand wears out her brakes about every 10k miles. Her driving style is floor it, and then SLAM on the brakes.

I've tried to educate her on better driving technique, but it's a lost cause.

If you don't want to pay dealership prices, take it someplace cheaper, or learn to do your own work.

VoodooTitan said:

Hey man, double check your warranty because I have a lifetime thats good at any dealer.

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yep my lifetime is good at ANY toyota dealer.... not that it covers brakes nor would I ever go to a dealer for brakes.... but still. and I am right at 70k on original brakes

I paid 55 bucks for pads at dealer and my 15 year old son installed them in 20 minutes. That time included jacking up the front.

DizzyV6P said:

What do you guys think?

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I know its fashionable to know more than the dealership, but I think if you don't know the color of your power steering fluid or how to change your own pads you really have no business second guessing your service writer. I think you need to sack up and get out your wrenches and get to know your truck, or I think you need to bend over and let the dealership rail you up the tailpipe.

I'm sure Andre is a swell guy, but do it yourself or leave it to the professionals. These are your brakes we're talking about. They're kinda critical.

I think the one specialty tool would be maybe a torque wrench... other than that, if much hasn't changed as far as the brake system goes on 5th gens you should be able to find a repair manual, if they still make them, that can walk you through it. It is fairly simple, but there are something's that may have a first-timer scratching their head. I know with my brembo high performance calipers there was a small pin that puzzled me and I was worried about what appeared to be the only way to remove it... getting a hammer and something thin to tap it out.

In any event, I agree with the above statement about mileage being irrelevant. If you brake like an elephant, live in a congested city or sit in stop and go traffic for an hour or two every day, you very well could be changing your brakes sooner than later.

EBC makes awesome brakes btw. Yellow stuff... hands down one of the best performance brakes I've ever had.

BrianSD_42 said:

Toyota warranties are good at any dealership. They are usually tied to the VIN #

Click to expand...

My dealership admitted outright that the warranty (and free oil changes, etc.) can be used at any Toyota dealership since it's Toyota's coverage, not the specific dealership's. It didn't dawn on me until later how odd it was they actually told me that, especially since there's another Toyota dealership that's closer to me than they are.

First off, it depends on what the dealer is charging for labor.

Our dealership does a flat 2hrs for one axle for non-floating axle/hub (I believe the labor rate is like $120~160/hr at our dealership), this includes machining the rotors as well as cleaning and lubing hardware. Resurfacing is recommended by Toyota and most shops/institutions when performing a brake service to provide a new surface finish for the new pads, regardless of how "good" they look. Typically if the rotors look very nice and clean a light cut is done (we're talking less than a half a mm) and the rotors are then finished with a non-directional finish.

Then there's the choice of Toyota pad, you can go the more "affordable" (cheaper quality and has less material) Toyota Pad made to compete with Autozone and such or you can go for the "Good" Toyota Pads which are what come from the factory. The prices are typically exaggerated on these parts. I don't know who does our regular brakes, but StopTech makes TRD equipment, so their pads are equivalent to our TRD stuff for the most part.

As for power steering fluid, I have noticed that the 4Runners, Tacomas, and FJ Cruisers seem to go through the fluid pretty quick (i.e. it gets burnt/dark & nasty) than say a Camry or Corolla that had power steering fluid; where they'd be gold colored easily into 70k.

I'm not supporting the dealership here, just giving you an idea of how the work breaks down.

I spent $120 on toyota brake pads and cleaned up the breaks. No smoothing of the rotors were needed. Took me about a hour to do myself. I find it fun. I was quoted $400 both front and back at my dealer. I have a 4th gen though

Since August 2014, I paid $1000, got all 4 rotors resurfaced and pads replaced. Now, 15,000 miles later, the front rotors are warped. Just got back from dealer and they now want $396 to replace front rotors and sand the pads (not replace) so they'll bed to the new rotors.
I am not a happy camper.

Recommendations on pads and rotors? 80% driving is city commuting 20 miles roundtrip with 15% highway and 5% mountain driving (lots of hills and climbing)

Thanks.

I just had my front brakes done (50,000). It seems towing a trailer a lot wears out the fronts. Just over three hundred at my dealer. And they lube my drive line every time I'm there!

The OEM brakes are about as good as you can get. If you aren't towing a lot there is no reason you should have had to replace your brakes at 50k miles unless you are driving like an old woman riding the brakes. If you have dropped $1000 on brakes and are still asking how to fix them the problem is the seat to steering wheel connection. Do yourself a favor and hit up youtube and learn to do it your self. You could have replaced the pads and rotors and flushed the entire system 3 times for that price