Hi, My 2008 Cooper S is out of warranty, and the red driver console break light is on. I did some research on a few reliable MINI Service places in Austin, and I get a call back today that front and rear brake work will cost me ~$900. This is the first time I'm getting my brakes serviced, and the car has 48k on it. Does this price sound right, or am I getting fleeced? Pardon my ignorance, but I don't have the ability to repair the car myself (I don't know anyone with a garage space I can use), and this is the first time I'm taking it in for the brake indicator lights.
Assuming a complete brake replacement: two pad wear sensors $52, front rotors $120, rear rotors $80, front brake pads $51, rear brake pads $36, [ame="http://www.amazon.com/ATE-TYPE-Brake-Fluid-Liter/dp/B000JL7602"]Amazon.com: ATE TYPE 200 Brake Fluid (1 Liter): Automotive@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/412LrPpk3IL.@@AMEPARAM@@412LrPpk3IL[/ame] brake fluid $20+, so roughly $400 for non-OEM parts. No comment on the going rate for labor in Austin.
Like already said, local labor rates will be a variable. But if you go to penskeparts.com and input your vin number you can get pricing for replacement OEM parts. Aftermarket prices are better. Quality is as good or better. This will give you a base cost minus labor.
Well, if it were me..... And I lived in Austin Texas, I'd take a nice drive over to Pipe Creek Texas (2 hour drive) and I'd hit K-huevo up on a brake job...... You wouldn't be in better hands.... He even presented you with some of the pricing and I'll bet his labor rate beats the going Austin rate..... Such an easy choice IMHO..... Keith is one of our nice sponsors as well..... It would also give you a chance to meet him, because you can bet some additional service will be needed on your MINI. Gotta make good MINI connections....
Never having met him, I can tell ya he always has great advice. And I'm pretty sure he'd do a better job than your average tech at a dealership.
Pads and rotors. I asked them to turn the brake pads around and just resurface the rotors, but they were hemming and hawing that I might as well not even try to fix the brakes if I ask them to do that. My experience is that labor is $100-$120 per hour in Austin. Thanks for all the tips, guys! I'll look up pricing, and look into going to Pipe Creek.
Without measuring pad & rotor thickness, but knowing the brake wear sensor nub has worn though, and typical OEM MINI pad & rotor wear characteristics, there's a good chance I would say the same thing over the phone, touching it would tell me if I should measure at all. You were probably given valid advice.