I've got a 2006 Toyota 4Runner (my wifes car) that is due for a brake change, I'm hoping we dont need our rotors replaced, but that might be thrown in there too.

Anyone have any suggestions/recommendations on somewhere to go and get the job done? I dont want to do it by myself since I dont really trust letting my wife and daughter drive around in a car that I did the brakes on

I called Fred Anderson toyota (where we bought the car) and its going to run me around $500 to get the front and back brakes replaced. I'd like to get it a little bit cheaper if there are better deals out there - which is where this thread came from. If I have to pay the $500 then thats fine too, just seems like its pretty expensive.

2/13/2011 2:06:29 PM

$500 for brakes on a 4Runner is stratospheric, Dennis.

Go to http://www.rockauto.com and see what a set of new rotors costs. It often isn't really worth turning the old ones. Even if you need rotors and pads for both front and rear, I'll bet you're not looking at more than $250 in parts, at the most.

Replacing pads and rotors is (usually) an easy job. Someone on here will do it for a reasonable labor charge.

2/13/2011 2:48:21 PM

If it's only DUE for a brake change you should only need new pads and shoes, maybe $200-250 tops. If you really don't want to do it yourself buy the premium brand parts at one of the local parts stores, take them to Gower's down on S Saunders and you'll find out from them whether you really need rotors too. If you don't actually need them then you can easily get your money back.

Call ahead for Gower's, they're usually pretty busy and walk-ins take an hour or two to work into the schedule.

2/13/2011 10:50:52 PM

alright, good to know about the $500 being high. I tried to see if zxappeal wanted to change them for me a couple month ago and havent heard anything back.

and the brakes are starting to feel a little spongy, but arent squeeling, so I doubt the rotors need to be turned. But then again I wore the brakes down so far on my old altima that I had to replace them altogether (my uncle and I changed the brakes on the altima).

2/14/2011 10:19:09 AM

^try again- he seems to be a pretty busy guy, and it took me a couple of emails to get some correspondence going with Dan, but once I did, he was out almost immediately and does great work at a great price. If it is just pads, that could be knocked out in like an hour or two. I don't know about rotors though (obviously if they are at all warped or anything, they need to be changed, but I dont know about that)

note: that estimates for the pads was if me or you did it... I'm sure Dan could knock it out in half that time (Just as much time as it takes to get the wheels off and on)

[Edited on February 14, 2011 at 10:39 AM. Reason : b]

2/14/2011 10:37:32 AM