Back tire has been locking up.. I took it to a shop  -

I need a new brake shoe, wheel cylinder, and fluid.

Cost estimate is 470 including parts and labor. This is a 2007 Saturn (gfs car) with 98k.  Sound reasonable?

ETA: more details.  Brake shoe was leaking fluid and contaminated the cylinder, does this add anything to it?

If they are replacing hub and bearings, that might be okay. I'd buy the parts and youtube an install.

I no pro mechanic, but that seems expensive. (don't know much about Saturns either)

I would.  We are both in school and no access to a garage/tools (my last f'ing year in an apartment thank god)

Price out parts at NAPA and figure out the labor costs.  Watch the YouTube vids and see if you can do it. Labor costs are high these days. Rent, ins, payroll, taxes, etc.....

EDIT: I see you posted while I did.  Sorry to hear you are temporarily held hostage in the apartment situation.  Can you get a quote from another shop?

see above

calling around now, and also why im here to see if theyre trying to bend us a new one

It's a 2 hour job the first time, with minimal tools. Jack (in your car, along with lug wrench), pair of pliers for taking springs off/putting them on, and a socket wrench. You will save money even if you buy the tools now. Have a beer or two before hand, sometimes the springs are annoying.



 

Is this answer supposed to be a joke?

yep, easy fix

I don't know for sure as i do all my own work but to give you an idea of the savings I just did the same job on my 99 Cherokee.
I am going to round the prices up for ease of adding...... LOL
Bought the wheel cylinder on Rockauto for less than 10.00.
Brake Fluid for 5.00 just guessing as i keep the Big bottles at my house.
Two cans of Brake Cleaner 5.00 (two for one on sale)
Return Spring Kit 10.00 .

I didn't replace the shoes as they cleaned up with brake clean and some minor sanding (wear a mask).

$30.00 Total for the win!
Even if you decide to replace the shoes for another 20.00 you are a new firearm purchase ahead.

Plenty of videos on Youtube and while you may need to invest in a few basic tools for less than another 30.00 you still come out a winner.

EDIT: Also just noticed you are in an apartment!
If you know someone that had a driveway you could use?
Not being picky but its the wheel cylinder leaking on the brake shoe that causes the problem
Good luck.

That price sounds high, but I'm usually shocked by what people pay for repairs.

Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

NAPA is almost twice the cost of out parts stores in the area here...  

WTF

Unless something happens with the ABS system that I'm unaware of, I don't see how the above bad parts add up to your brakes locking up.  You might also need a new rotor/drum.

Yea, here too.  I was just giving him benefit of doubt on labor costs.  I would never recommend Advance Auto again to anyone that needs repair parts.  Every damned thing I installed lately has gone bad and had to be replaced.  Some items, twice.  I usually have better luck with O'Rielly's parts.
I remember the apartment living.  Get caught working on your car ( beyond changing a flat) and get a letter from the rental office.

If you're going to pay 500$ for that, its a ripoff. Hell, I'd do it for 50$ plus parts. Take an hour max. Hard part is the springs and getting the brakes property bled.

This is a job you can do...possibly.   But considering the age and milage things have a way of freezing on especially with brake and wheel components.   After spending hrs with torch and pb blaster you might of wished you spent the 500.

The brakes are not locking up the wheel cylinder is bad.  Easy fix, even with parts should not be more than $300 from a competent shop.  Part alone are around $75 with new rear brake cylinder is $25, rear shoes $15 rear drum is $25 a can of brake cleaner and a pint of brake fluid and a few simple tools and a jack and you are all set.  Have any friends?

seems high. replace it yourself.

Because brake fluid leaking onto your friction surfaces causes the brakes to lock up when applied, always has.


OP, price seems excessive to me based on what your telling us but there are variables. Sometimes certain cars have expensive parts and there isn't a good reason why, it just is what it is. Labor rates might be much higher where you are than where I am, ect. Get a breakdown on what costs what and you can compare better from that.

They probably charged the standard $250 additional for working on a Saturn, which is acceptable.

If you were closer (I'm in AZ) I'd do it for free. Good luck.

What kind of shop did you take it too? A GM dealer will always be higher than a third party shop. I would ask around and see if there's any reputable Saturn mechanics in your area. Labor rates and oem versus non-oem parts can fluctuate the cost of repair a good bit.

Professional wrench bender here. Price is way out of line, should be about half or less of the quoted price unless they are charging $250.00hr labor.

It sounds like you have drums in the rear, one side needs a rebuild and they want to charge you almost $500?

When doing brakes, you are going to get new ones on both sides. (no shop will do 1 side only- liability issue)
shop will recommend you change both wheel cylinders. ( most likely you have ABS) Do you have a light on the dash?
They will turn the drums- once contaminated, they will want to start with a fresh surface, unless the drum is out of spec then they will replace and  not turn it
The whole system will be bled, due to air being introduced into the system at that 1 cylinder

Sounds high. Price check parts on Rockauto, local autoparts stores are going to be more expensive unless it is your daily driver and need it asap. Also, if the brakes are locking up replace the rubber flex line running to the cylinder. They will swell shut and act like a one way valve keeping pressure at the cylinder.

UPDATE:

Got several quotes, all are around the same price

We even called the shop she routinely takes the car to at home when she is not at school - price was only 75 less.  I was with her when we dropped the car off and did most of the talking.

All of my buddies live in apartments too, so no dice on wrenching in the parking lot.  I cannot wait to get the hell out of an apartment in 4 months.

What was the breakout on labor and parts?

Think 150 in parts and 175 labor. Final charge was around 375 after tax (i told them i got other quotes and their total price was high).

she paid for it just to have it done as she needs this car for a trip come monday. kind of a shit situation, in a few months ill have a house and wont have to worry about this.

thanks for the help arf.

Uhhh....brake shoes don't have any fluid. Sounds like somebody's trying to fuck you in the ass.



 

worded wrong, fluid was leaking into the brak shoe and then contaminated the cylinder.

tldr; both rear brakes were f'ed up by this

No, he either wrote it wrong or doesn't understand. The wheel cylinder leaks and contaminated the shoes

Fluid leaks from the cylinder, contaminating the shoes.  Are both sides getting done?

Look at it this way, You have no tools, you have no experience, these are your brakes that you depend to stop your car in an emergency. Even if you manage to replace both wheel cylinders and somehow get the brake shoes and springs installed correctly, I doubt you will get them to bleed properly.

When the check brake light comes on, because of the proportioning valve needs reset, and then anti-lock system does not work, you will rethink the 470 as cash well spent.

Know your limits, and don't get behind me in traffic.

Sorry, but the truth.


Have a talk with the GF father, I'll bet he would be more than willing to help his daughter out in this situation.

Yes, both sides were done.

Rear brake job                  $200 (includes shoes,labor and resurfacing the drums)
Rear wheel cylinders         $80 pair
Labor for wheel cylinders   $80
Hardware kit                       $30
Brake Fluid flush                 $70
Cleaner.                              $10


That's my guess of the price brake down.

I'm betting that what they actually said was the wheel cylinder was leaking brake fluid, and it contaminated one or both of the brake shoes.



Assuming that is true, you need to replace the wheel cylinder, and replace all of the rear brake shoes. The brake fluid should be changed completely as well, which runs up the labor charge.



Have the rear brake shoes ever been replaced? If not, they are likely nearing the end of their service life anyways.



And NO, you can't replace just one brake shoe, or the shoes on just one side of the car. The brake shoes HAVE to all be replaced at the same time.



If the price they quoted was for replacing the rear brake shoes on both sides, completely changing the brake fluid, and replacing the wheel cylinder, that price is really not bad at all.



Get an itemized, written price quote, and be sure it includes everything I said, because that's what your car needs.



And a PSA: the REASON your brake cylinder is leaking brake fluid, is because nothing has been done to your brake fluid since the car was new. I bleed the brakes on my car every year, and change the brake fluid completely, every other year.



Brake fluid is hygroscopic, meaning it tends to absorb water from the atmosphere. That's why it needs to be changed regularly. Once the brake fluid is contaminated with water, the walls of the wheel cylinder start to get pitted and then rusted, and the wheel cylinder seal(s) start to leak brake fluid.



You want to get the brake fluid changed before your brake master cylinder, both front brake calipers, and the other wheel cylinder ALL start leaking. I would not be surprised if one or more of those components are not already leaking a little already. This is what happens when a car doesn't get proper maintenance: you have to pay way more money to fix them, than the maintenance would have cost.



People ask me all the time to diagnose why their car with 100,000 to 150,000 (or more) miles on it has an automatic transmission that is making noise and/or is not shifting properly. The first thing I ask is how often the automatic transmission fluid has been completely changed. When I get the deer in the headlights look, I know it's NEVER been done, and the transmission needs to be rebuilt, or replaced.



Good luck.