Brakes: Cost Pads Rotors
Thread Starter
Audiworld Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 30
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Brakes: Cost Pads Rotors
Hi,
I've got a 2013 A6 with about 20k miles. I know I need new brake pads (presumably front and rear) and I may need new rotors. How much would you expect to pay (parts and labor) for:
Front Pads:
Front Rotors:
Rear Pads:
Rear Rotors:
My dealer (without having the car yet) says that at my mileage, he thinks I'll need Front Pads & Rotors and Rear Pads. For this, the dealer cost is $1,650. This seems really expensive!! What do you think is a reasonable dealer price for this work.
Also, is there any reason that an independent mechanic couldn't do my brakes using OEM parts (e.g., anything special about Audi brake jobs, or does the parking brake message mess things up, etc.)?
I've got a 2013 A6 with about 20k miles. I know I need new brake pads (presumably front and rear) and I may need new rotors. How much would you expect to pay (parts and labor) for:
Front Pads:
Front Rotors:
Rear Pads:
Rear Rotors:
My dealer (without having the car yet) says that at my mileage, he thinks I'll need Front Pads & Rotors and Rear Pads. For this, the dealer cost is $1,650. This seems really expensive!! What do you think is a reasonable dealer price for this work.
Also, is there any reason that an independent mechanic couldn't do my brakes using OEM parts (e.g., anything special about Audi brake jobs, or does the parking brake message mess things up, etc.)?
AudiWorld Member
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 67
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From: Chicago
Got similar quote from my Audi dealer, I went on Audi regional forums and found and Indy mechanic DYNAREV in Mundelein, IL that has great reviews than I checked on yelp great reviews there as well, Call them ask questions thay answered all of them. I basically did the entire 55K service and break jobs (rotors pads break fluid flush) with some VAG COM coding for little over a $1000 using OEM parts I Also asked to see my old parts not because I didn't Trust them but to see how old parts where wearing off. Ill be using this guy from now on only. When you do your breaks make sure to correctly break them in here is a link
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,040
Likes: 82
From: Edmonton, Alberta
Hi,
I've got a 2013 A6 with about 20k miles. I know I need new brake pads (presumably front and rear) and I may need new rotors. How much would you expect to pay (parts and labor) for:
Front Pads:
Front Rotors:
Rear Pads:
Rear Rotors:
My dealer (without having the car yet) says that at my mileage, he thinks I'll need Front Pads & Rotors and Rear Pads. For this, the dealer cost is $1,650. This seems really expensive!! What do you think is a reasonable dealer price for this work.
Also, is there any reason that an independent mechanic couldn't do my brakes using OEM parts (e.g., anything special about Audi brake jobs, or does the parking brake message mess things up, etc.)?
I've got a 2013 A6 with about 20k miles. I know I need new brake pads (presumably front and rear) and I may need new rotors. How much would you expect to pay (parts and labor) for:
Front Pads:
Front Rotors:
Rear Pads:
Rear Rotors:
My dealer (without having the car yet) says that at my mileage, he thinks I'll need Front Pads & Rotors and Rear Pads. For this, the dealer cost is $1,650. This seems really expensive!! What do you think is a reasonable dealer price for this work.
Also, is there any reason that an independent mechanic couldn't do my brakes using OEM parts (e.g., anything special about Audi brake jobs, or does the parking brake message mess things up, etc.)?
Audiworld Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Portland, Oregon
Front Pads: $145 (set)
Front Rotors: $190 (each)
Rear Pads: $100 (set)
Rear Rotors: $134 (each)
So $893 for OEM parts at list price from the dealer. You can get OEM parts cheaper from dealers on the internet, and an indy shop will do the work for far less. And most likely, you won't need all those parts anyways.
Or if you can do the work yourself even better. With the rear pads you will need access to a Vag-Com for the electric emergency brake or you can try method being discussed the last couple weeks which involved removing the electric motor from the caliper.
Super Moderator
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 13,980
Likes: 124
From: SE Massachusetts, U.S.
Definitely get a second opinion. I just had my 2013 A6 in for its 35K mile service and was told my pads were 8s and 9s with lots of life left. Unless you track your car, I can't imagine pads, much less rotors, are needed yet.
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,038
Likes: 23
From: Honeoye New York USA
My dealer (without having the car yet) says that at my mileage, he thinks I'll need Front Pads & Rotors and Rear Pads. For this, the dealer cost is $1,650. This seems really expensive!! What do you think is a reasonable dealer price for this work.
Also, is there any reason that an independent mechanic couldn't do my brakes using OEM parts (e.g., anything special about Audi brake jobs, or does the parking brake message mess things up, etc.)?
Also, is there any reason that an independent mechanic couldn't do my brakes using OEM parts (e.g., anything special about Audi brake jobs, or does the parking brake message mess things up, etc.)?
Take the car to a independent shop to see what they recommend. How do you know that you need the work?
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Thread Starter
Audiworld Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 30
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Thank you for all the replies and information.
My brake warning light is on. The dealer's view was that when the light comes on for the first time, front pads/rotors and rear pads are what's most commonly needed.
The car is my wife's daily driver, it's not tracked and she's not really a lead foot driver. For some reason, however, her cars eat brakes. Maybe because virtually all of her driving is in LA stop and go traffic.
Would most independent shops have a VAG Com? Is that something that's Audi-specific? There's a good, but not audi-specialist, independent shop near my office. Of course I'll ask, but I want to know how suspicious I should be if he says he has it.
My brake warning light is on. The dealer's view was that when the light comes on for the first time, front pads/rotors and rear pads are what's most commonly needed.
The car is my wife's daily driver, it's not tracked and she's not really a lead foot driver. For some reason, however, her cars eat brakes. Maybe because virtually all of her driving is in LA stop and go traffic.
Would most independent shops have a VAG Com? Is that something that's Audi-specific? There's a good, but not audi-specialist, independent shop near my office. Of course I'll ask, but I want to know how suspicious I should be if he says he has it.
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AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 4,038
Likes: 23
From: Honeoye New York USA
The car is my wife's daily driver, it's not tracked and she's not really a lead foot driver. For some reason, however, her cars eat brakes. Maybe because virtually all of her driving is in LA stop and go traffic.
Would most independent shops have a VAG Com? Is that something that's Audi-specific? There's a good, but not audi-specialist, independent shop near my office. Of course I'll ask, but I want to know how suspicious I should be if he says he has it.
AudiWorld Member
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 511
Likes: 2
From: SoCal
It's funny how dealer service departments (usually high end German cars) always tell the customers that they need new rotors with a new brake job. I know I know.... rotor replacement vs. not discussion has been beaten to death so I won't get into it.
If you are somewhat mechanically inclined, you can tell the condition of the rotor just by running your fingers across it and by visually inspecting it yourself. At 20,000 miles, I highly doubt that you need rotors unless they are warped in which case I'd challenge Audi for defective parts. It's also a little too early for the brakes to go out that soon but if you are heavy on the pedal or if you do a lot of stop 'n go driving, it's possible I suppose. In any case, I'd get a second opinion with a good Indy mechanic. Me personally, when my brakes are due for a change, I'm going with after market pads and rotors. They are far superior at a fraction of the cost.
Just remember, when dealerships used to provide 4 year free maintenance (including a brake job), they rarely, I mean they RARELY replaced the rotors. It's all about the money, in their pockets that is!
If you are somewhat mechanically inclined, you can tell the condition of the rotor just by running your fingers across it and by visually inspecting it yourself. At 20,000 miles, I highly doubt that you need rotors unless they are warped in which case I'd challenge Audi for defective parts. It's also a little too early for the brakes to go out that soon but if you are heavy on the pedal or if you do a lot of stop 'n go driving, it's possible I suppose. In any case, I'd get a second opinion with a good Indy mechanic. Me personally, when my brakes are due for a change, I'm going with after market pads and rotors. They are far superior at a fraction of the cost.
Just remember, when dealerships used to provide 4 year free maintenance (including a brake job), they rarely, I mean they RARELY replaced the rotors. It's all about the money, in their pockets that is!
Last edited by luv2sleep; Sep 2, 2015 at 09:17 AM.