A Sea Of Red

I'm currently in the midst of an automotive emergency (my front brakes are making a scraping sound) and am trying to find a garage in town that will put new brakes on at a relatively low labor rate. I'll be purchasing the brakes ahead of time.

The place that normally does my basic maintenance wants to charge $100.00 to put brakes on, and that seems kind of pricey to me. Can anyone here suggest a place that won't charge so much and do it reasonably quickly (while I wait)?

My apologies if a similar thread already exists.

Midas.....$79.99



It might just be the break pads. you can install those yourself

That's what it is, the pads. I don't have the tools or the experience to do it myself yet. Drum brakes I could probably do, but these are disc, and there's a bit more work involved.

Also, does Lynchburg have a Midas? And will they replace pads that they don't sell? I ask because I'm planning on taking advantage of the Lifetime Warranty on my current pads.

I don't know about a Midas (although a browse thru the Yellow Pages would help you on that) but for a GREAT reasonable garage I highly recommend BABCOCKS, it is behind the YMCA downtown. The downside is you have to leave your car so you might need a ride. The good side is they have been in business longer then my wife has been alive (and as you know that IS a long time) and have an impeckable reputation

Brake pads are easy. All you need is a tire iron, a ratchet/wrench set, a 2x4 and a C clamp.

Purple Haize wrote:I don't know about a Midas (although a browse thru the Yellow Pages would help you on that) but for a GREAT reasonable garage I highly recommend BABCOCKS, it is behind the YMCA downtown. The downside is you have to leave your car so you might need a ride. The good side is they have been in business longer then my wife has been alive (and as you know that IS a long time) and have an impeckable reputation

I have a horror story from that place....but its been about 8 years back. For what its worth.

RagingTireFire wrote:Brake pads are easy. All you need is a tire iron, a ratchet/wrench set, a 2x4 and a C clamp.

I think I'd need a jack to feel the least bit comfortable doing it myself. And a good one, not that piece of crap that came with the car.

I ended up taking it to Timberlake Auto, next to the Koffee Kup. They were able to fit me in at around 3 p.m. Friendly service, done in less than an hour, and for only $45.00. Not bad at all.

You should call Laslie's- former LU student and a big supporter of the school. PM me for an inside edge!

rogers3 wrote:You should call Laslie's- former LU student and a big supporter of the school. PM me for an inside edge!

Yeah, you should definitely call Laslie's...if your plan is to have your newly installed brake pads removed and then re-installed elsewhere.

Adam- Did you actually drive from NC just to have that service performed on your own vehicle? If so, where did my friends at Laslie's reinstall your pads?

rogers3 wrote:Adam- Did you actually drive from NC just to have that service performed on your own vehicle? If so, where did my friends at Laslie's reinstall your pads?

sarcasm...

New need here...

The drivers seat in my sons Jeep Grand Cherokee has broken and either needs repair or replacing. From what I can see, I think it can be repaired by a good body repair shop who knows how to weld.

Any suggestions here?

Some of you may know a mechanic that would tackle this kind of job also.

order a new one, or have a yard find one for you.

structural stability of the driver's seat is not something you want to risk , IMHO

that breaks and he loses control; he could kill someone (not to mention himself)

Yeah Medic, you may be right. We were there recently on a visit and when I got in to drive his Jeep it wasn't easy to drive. It really needs to be corrected quickly because of the safety issue. He's home now and won't be driving it for a few weeks.

he's a pretty big boy, no?

don't thing they can weld anything that strong

good luck either way

Two words: duct tape.

It'll help you live a better life.

Im needing similar advice to the origin of this thread, but I need new pads and rotors on my back tires. I got an estimate from Monro next to burger king on timberlake for $403 which seems pretty pricey. Anyone have any other ideas or advice for a broke college student who cant afford $403 for new brakes, especially considering a month ago i had to spend $4,000 for a new motor.

rueful wrote:Im needing similar advice to the origin of this thread, but I need new pads and rotors on my back tires. I got an estimate from Monro next to burger king on timberlake for $403 which seems pretty pricey. Anyone have any other ideas or advice for a broke college student who cant afford $403 for new brakes, especially considering a month ago i had to spend $4,000 for a new motor.

You got ripped on the motor too i think....what kind of car do you have??

2001 Isuzu Trooper, and after remembering it was $3,500 for the motor, and the motor $2900 for them to buy from wherever to put in.

Kerr Tire on 221 around Graves Mill isn't bad. I go there.

Or find out if you can buy the rotors and pads yourself, if they will put them on for you. You can normally order stuff online like that cheaper as long as they agree to put it on you can save good $$$. Just depends how many labor hours to complete the job.

I can't link them from work, but they have You Tube vidoes on how to do it yourself as well if your mechanically inclined.

Rocketfan wrote:Or find out if you can buy the rotors and pads yourself, if they will put them on for you. You can normally order stuff online like that cheaper as long as they agree to put it on you can save good $$$. Just depends how many labor hours to complete the job.

I can't link them from work, but they have You Tube vidoes on how to do it yourself as well if your mechanically inclined.

im probably the most un-mechanically inclined person in the world. I know how to put a starter on my kind of car, and change the flat tire, but thats it. i cant even change oil myself

you can change a starter but not the oil? That does not compute.

also, pads are super easy. It's not like you have to figure it out. You just read some instructions.

ive never had to change the oil. I can change the starter because that went out last semester and a friend of mine helped me do it, so in the process, I learned how to do it. Never learned how to change the oil.

If it was just the pads id be willing to try and do it myself, but i dont even know what a rotor is.

Ayers automotive is owned by a good friend from the church I work at, they did my motor, and they are going to do my breaks as well. plus they will give me a good deal and they understand i just spent alot on a motor so they are more lax in terms of payments without having to get a store credit card