New rear brakes at 20k???????

[Karin]

My friend and I both have 2005 Mazda3s. She took her car for an oil change today and was told that her rear brakes are down to 10% and they need to be changed immediately. They then proceeded to change: calipers, pads and rotors, for a total of over 300$. Then they didn't give her the old parts back, to add insult to injury. Now correct me if I'm wrong, but no car should need new rear brakes at 20 000 km, right? Isn't something like 75% of the braking done in the front?
And no, she didn't drive around with the handbrake on, that's the first question I asked
Someone told me that Mazda3 was notorious for the rear calipers seizing because of improper lube, that the dealers don't tell their customers about. I think this should be a recall... but because it's on a wear-and-tear part, they can rip people off.

Has anyone had this problem or at least heard of this particular problem on the rear brakes?
Apart for this (major) issue, we love our M3s )

thank you for any input.

 

[TheMAN]

the mazda3's rear brakes wear out very quickly compared to the front due to the rear brake bias... I have about 15k miles on mine and they're already half worn

 

[kudakev615]

i just replaced rear pads on a customers car with around 24k on them. but i dont see why the dealer replaced calipers too. but you said it cost a total of 300 and thats rather cheap if calipers were replaced also. are you sure on this? for some reason ive noticed mazdas wear out rear pads at twice the rate of front pads.

 

[tsunami]

i have over 40,000 miles on my 04 and when i changed over to my winter shoes i checked the pads and probably had almost half in front and 1/3 in the rear... only been to 1 auto cross...

 

[Karin]

Thanks for the replies.
You're right, the calipers weren't replaced, but the pads, the "disks" (that's what appears on the bill) and the rotors were replaced, for a total of over 335$.
OK. New brake pads, softer compound, blablabla. Acceptable. But NEW ROTORS??? On a brand new car?

I don't think that's right.

 

[tsunami]

no probably not sounds like your friend got hosed... i doubt it needed them and the old addage (sp??) of just turning them down doesn't really hold much water anymore as the price of a new set isn't nearly what it used to be... so she may have needed the pads in the rear but i highly doubt the rotors.. i would have taken to another shop for a second opinion if you or your friend didn't feel comfortable looking at it yourselves...

 

[mauibuilt]

Thanks for the replies.
You're right, the calipers weren't replaced, but the pads, the "disks" (that's what appears on the bill) and the rotors were replaced, for a total of over 335$.
OK. New brake pads, softer compound, blablabla. Acceptable. But NEW ROTORS??? On a brand new car?

I don't think that's right.

It's not uncommen to get the rotors replaced with your first brake job. My friends jetta had the same thing. Rotors are getting cheap these days.........

 

[kudakev615]

OE rotor have gotten thinner and thinner and the materials they are made of have gotten softer and softer. all this is to reduce unsprung wieght to help increase gas milage. mazda could careless if your rotors last more then one set of brake pads, its not there problem once the cars sold to you. they have your money and will get even more of your money when you get them replaced

 

[TheMAN]

its not about increase gas mileage to the automakers.. it's called saving THEIR costs