How Much Money Is a New Brake Job?

Every 50,000 miles or so, your car may need a new brake job. Some drivers may be able to go a little longer between replacing brakes, and others may require a brake replacement sooner. Ignoring the signs of bad brakes can lead to serious problems on the road and potentially a collision. If your car is experiencing problems, and you’ve gotten a VIN lookup and ruled out other issues, find out if you need new brakes. If so, here are some details about the costs.

Brake Pad Parts and Rotors

One of the most common things drivers ask is how much do brakes cost? When getting a new brake job, there are typically two parts that are replaced during the service, the brake pad and rotors. If someone goes to a repair shop, it’s common to pay between $150 to $200 for this service. The rotors are the discs around your wheels that the pads clamp when you press down to slow down or stop.

Front Brakes

The most common type of brake job is one that involves just the front brakes. For most modern car models, the front brakes tend to wear down faster than the rear brakes. If your car is experiencing brake problems, chances are, you’ll need to replace just the front brakes. If you want to attempt the brake job yourself, you’ll need to purchase the parts, the brake pads and rotors that fit the make and model of your car.

Back Brakes

There are also scenarios where the back brakes are the ones that need replacement, or the car’s entire set of brakes, both front and back need to be replaced. For this type of brake job, expect to pay more money. Back brakes replacement may range in cost from $250 to $300 dollars because of the intricate labor required to install the rear brake pad parts and rotors. For vehicles that have a rear brake system, you may also need to replace the brake drums, the brake shoes and other pieces of hardware.

Other Replacement Possibilities

A new brake job doesn’t always stop at the basic brake parts, such as pads and rotors. If you’ve been driving around with bad brakes for a long time or if there is a secondary issue, the cost may increase with other work needed. Sometimes, the culprit is leaking brake fluid, which could make the repair bill even higher. In a small number of cases, a car may need the brake lines, brake calipers or other parts replaced. The bill could increase hundreds of dollars as more work is needed.

Saving Money

To save more money when going in for a brake job, first, do your research. Shop around and get more than one estimate to see what the range in price is. If you are able to, some brake jobs can be installed by yourself, which saves hundreds of dollars.

Get More for Your Money

It’s never a good idea to neglect your brakes. If your car has brake problems, for your own safety and your passenger’s safety, it’s vital to get them replaced. Be aware of the costs so you aren’t shocked at the service center.