Pep Boys = rip off?
 

I'm at Pep Boys to get my brakes checked on my truck and they listed that my power-booster is leaking vacuum air and needs to be replaced. Grand total: $489

Does that sound right to any of you?






BTW, I don't know shit about vehicles, outside of audio systems.

I'd get a second opinion, maybe from someone at a car parts store or a friend instead of a shop who is trying to scam you for business.

Around here, freelancing Mexicans are excellent and cheap mechanics..

Just get a second opinion from another place...

Scam, did you need new brake rotors too? only $29.99 each plus installation of $98.99 each. Would you like us to replace the old break fluid? Only 69.99$:winkwink:

Once they start working they will find more. A Free break inspection normally cost around $600:2 cents:

Mow my yard maybe, fix my brakes? Seriously?

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Brakes cost me $25 last time and he did it in a parking lot real quick while I got lunch. And yeah, they do a great job with mowing when I feel lazy, too. :winkwink:

Anything power-booster related is never cheap, so if indeed something there really does need to be replaced then that price isn't unheard of.

Anything is possible.

I bought a used truck last year and brought it in for new tires and was told the truck had no rear brakes - some of the parts were there, but for the mos part everything was ripped out. They wanted $1200 to fix it. I took it to my regular mechanic and he confirmed it. Turns out one of parts missing is "brake plate" which is a $450 part and I need two of them.

Sounds about right ,I get a reputable mobile mechanic off craigs list and get him to fix instead

My God.

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Hey minstr, yours breaks as fixed, no more skweeks:winkwink:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...40_english.JPG

+/- $500 doesn't sound too bad for a brake booster, but then it would depend on the make and model of your car.

Only if it needed to be replaced.:warning

Call meineken and midas, looks like its legit

My mechanic comes to me for most things and is still certified or whatever it is mechanics get.

Work on finding a guy like that for the future. Someone you can trust to tell you the truth.

And excuse me for being gay, but wtf is a power booster for brakes?

you can always check out the cost of parts to get an idea of how much they are charging you in labor. have a look at rockauto dot com

shops will have their standard rate per hour posted somewhere or just ask. add an extra 5% for incidentals like wipes, cleaners, clamps, hoses, etc. and then you can get an idea of their profit margin.

brakes are easy work... depending on make, model, year, options, etc... boosters are not that difficult either.

good luck...
ps. youtube it to see how much work is involved for an idea of complexity

Yeah, I used to have some homies who did my cars for WAY cheap.
But, they were also in the street life, so one is now locked up and the
other is deceased.




:(

Pep Boys have been outed a few times as scammers. In LA anyway.
Boosting charges, breaking stuff to fix.

no 45678

Large round thing on firewall, drivers side, under hood.

Usually right behind the brake master cylinder.

Thats it? I wonder what took nearly 2 hours to inspect...possibly other brake-related crap?

Thanks for the suggestions and advice, everyone.

I think I found a new Mexican homie to work faster and cheaper than Pep Boys
and buying the part myself, isn't expensive at all!

:banana

What made you decide to have your brakes inspected to begin with?

What is the year, make and model of your car?

Knowing a trusted local mechanic that can competently work on your car vs finding a homie that works fast and cheap are two entirely different things. Just sayin …

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Its a bigass Chevy Suburban, 4WD. The brakes were getting "airy" and responding slowly.

I just bought it, recently.

Very true, sir. Very true...