Doug Gordon

I've got 45K miles on a '98 1.8TQM and still have the original brake pads & rotors. Is this unusual?

I plan on selling the car next spring when I guess it will have about 52K on it. If I need a brake job before then, about what will it cost?

Doug G

AudiMick

I managed about 55k on the fronts (on third set), 70K on the rears (still on second set). At a dealer $200-450 per axle. Independent $150-350 depending on if you need rotors or not.IMO replcing the pads early might save you having to replace the rotors. Also your brake fluid should also be checked and changed if dirty.

wnut

~$700 is normal for just the fronts.

RKA

That should be around $300 total, give or take.

Here's my reasoning...if you're getting that kind of mileage, you're probably pretty easy on your brakes and/or use engine braking to modulate speed, rather than riding the brakes like driver's of automatics HAVE to do. Assuming thats the case, there's a pretty good chance you'll get away with swapping pads only, and not rotors (warning...don't wait until the pads are worn down too far to replace them...or you'll damage the rotors). Ordinarily, you should replace the rotors with the pads, and I've seen rotors on some cars that definitely looked like they needed to be turned or tossed after 45K miles. But there are people who have reused the rotors over multiple sets of pads, so I think it's a distinct possibility, esp. in your situation (selling the car soon).

Now, if you're inclined to learn a little, you can change your own pads, and spare yourself that $200 in labor. Your cost out of pocket is now down to $100.

A full brake job (rotors and pads all around) at the dealer with new rotors all around is somewhere around $400 in parts and $300 in labor.

So, IF the brakes go, you have a few scenarios to choose from...costing as little as $100 and as much as $700+.

Braineam

at 45k miles you should be looking into replacing the pads, but take the wheels off and check. do they look thin/worn? the rotors/discs should be fine for another 20k miles or so.
i bought my pads (front and back) at the dealer for $140 and changed them myself in 1hr, it's simple.

Doug Gordon

Thanks for a very concise reply!