Question About Rotors/Pads

[Raegar]

Hi guys,

I'm new to the forums here and I wanted to ask people who's passion is obviously Mazda cars regarding rotors/pads.

I've got a 2009 Mazda 3i 2.0L at just over 40k miles and I've been told that my rotors and brakes need changing. I'm also told that it's normal for a car to need this at around 40k miles - which I took to be fair (I hope that's true).

In any case, I wanted to ask you guys what you would recommend for replacements Rotors/Pads on the car. So far I've been given a price of almost $900 for what seem to be 4x OEM Rotors and Pads, brake fluid exchange (which I'm questioning whether I need it or not), and of course labor. A preliminary quick online research session told me I'm being overcharged. My budget is not more than the $900 but if I'm paying for OEM parts that cost much less...why not just get better Rotors/Pads?

Please let me know what you recommend with the situation as a whole, parts you would suggest within the budgets, and perhaps whether or not I need the brake fluid exchange?

Thank you very much!

 

[mazdadude]

Hi guys,

I'm new to the forums here and I wanted to ask people who's passion is obviously Mazda cars regarding rotors/pads.

I've got a 2009 Mazda 3i 2.0L at just over 40k miles and I've been told that my rotors and brakes need changing. I'm also told that it's normal for a car to need this at around 40k miles - which I took to be fair (I hope that's true).

In any case, I wanted to ask you guys what you would recommend for replacements Rotors/Pads on the car. So far I've been given a price of almost $900 for what seem to be 4x OEM Rotors and Pads, brake fluid exchange (which I'm questioning whether I need it or not), and of course labor. A preliminary quick online research session told me I'm being overcharged. My budget is not more than the $900 but if I'm paying for OEM parts that cost much less...why not just get better Rotors/Pads?

Please let me know what you recommend with the situation as a whole, parts you would suggest within the budgets, and perhaps whether or not I need the brake fluid exchange?

Thank you very much!

Hello there and WELCOME!

40k is pretty quick, but if all you do is extreme braking, city driving, lots of stop and go, and using vehicle in a salted road area, I could see it possible. For comparison, I am at 96k miles and still have plenty of pads left on my originals, but I am a soft driver.

First let me ask, why do you think you need new brakes?

second, why do you think you need all 4 corners done?

third, flushing the brake fluid is probably the MOST important thing to do, even if you don't do the pads....

 

[Raegar]

I hear a whistling high pitched sound from the front left wheel which makes me think the pads are done. A few months back I had an accident on that side which damaged the wheel on that side and twisted it (car was un-drivable, towed, and repaired for a hefty sum). So its easily believable that that is the case, plus I don't trust mechanics at all with that stuff so they could have just put on wasted pads when they repaired it. In any case, a few months after I started hearing the noise so I took it in to Pepboys they told me rotors (plural) were warped. I took it to Firestone for a second opinion and told them the same thing...just that I heard high pitched noise front left and they told me needed a full brake job all sides.

Going back to my thing with car mechanics where you tell them your finger hurts they tell you you need a new arm, possibly both new. So again, I can easily believe that the front left pad is worn and that maybe the rotor is warped. I wish I was knowledgeable enough to tell the difference.