Your car needs discs and pads sir...

[otolith]

Daston said:

So your Tesla doesn't have Brakes?

I think the friction materials tend to last a long time if the car is driven to mostly use the regenerative braking.

[Triumph Man]

TheLoraxxZeus said:

Chipper said:

Reading this thread is one of the main reasons I adore my Tesla. 2 1/2 years in and 23000 miles later, all I have had to do is replace a set of tyres and change the air con filter which you can buy direct from Tesla for £15.

Dealers and ICE manufacturers are stuffed

You say that but good luck when the car throws up a fault code related to the battery system. Tesla will have you lubed up and bent over the service desk because they won't ever fix a fked up battery, just try to drop you with a 4 figure sum repair.

EVs are still early days, none of them are old enough to actually show long term issues because the only thing that can really go wrong is the battery. We are now just over 10 years since people bought a Model 3 in 2012/2013. There is going to be a lot of dead cars because the batteries are too expensive to replace. We can't be affording to throw away 10-20 year old cars anymore, we can't sustain it.

The other thing is that EVs still have suspension components, steering components etc - they will still need replacing at some point. Granted, a person leasing one for 3 years shouldn't have to replace anything like that, and most I would imagine would get away with not having to do discs and pads if a lot of regen braking is used, but there will still be ownership costs to come further down the track...

[J4CKO]

BertBert said:

By way of contrast, my vw dealer, which is walking distance away, has never tried any shenanigans and I've got better things to do than grub around on the drive changing the brakes and dealing with the inevitable seized bits!

"better things to do" ? you are on here

Its not for everyone, but for reference, I changed the pads on mine a month ago prior to doing a track day.

20 minutes it took, including getting the the tools out and putting them back.

Jack it up
Stick an axle stand under.
Wheels off with the rattle gun (hell of a time saver)
Undo two bolts
Pop old pads out
Push the caliper back, I use a G clamp.
Put the new pads in
Bolt the caliper back on
Stick the wheel back on, do the nuts up with the gun but dont tighten
Remove axle stand, lower car
Torque wheel nuts.

I also have a garage in walking distance, prob 250 metres, but its quicker to just do it myself than take it, queue, hand keys over, walk back, wait until they call, walk back to get it, queue, pay and drive it back.

I think its familiarity and the particular car having been apart in living memory, but wouldn't anticipate anything being seized on my car, but cant vouch for every other old knacker on the road, and disks are way easier than drums, dont have the opportunity to send a vital spring somewhere into orbit with pads.

Also, garages dont like using customer supplied parts, can see why to be fair but if I asked for new pads I wouldnt get the correct track ones I wanted, am sure they would work something out as been going there years but a lot wont and bet thy would want at least £100, which is fair enough as they have big overheads but I have to sit in front of a computer for a day or more to end up with £100 of spare cash at the end of the month after everything has been paid.

[Baldchap]

RetroPug said:

The "not worth my time" excuse is crazy if you're actually capable of doing it yourself.

It depends solely on how you value your time.

I always do the kids' and family's cars, and ensure they are involved and understand the process, because I think that education is valuable. When it come to my own cars they go to the dealer. This is partly because they're largely under warranty, but partly because I can't be bothered if the sole result is new brakes. I'd rather spend my time doing something I enjoy and the novelty of changing a set of brake pads wore off years ago for me.

[ARHarh]

Dynion Araf Uchaf said:

ARHarh said:

My neighbour is like this. He asked me about noises from his brakes on his old Peugeot. I had a quick look and it looked to need new disc's and pads. I said "we can get the bits and I will do it for you, I owe you a favour". He knows I work on cars a lot and brakes will be easy for me. He said "No thanks, I will take it to the dealer as at least I know it done properly then". Never did ask him how much that cost, but guess it was more than £60.

fking hell.. Are you known as a bit of a bodger on your street then? How rude!

No was a bit cheeky, but if you look back over my car history I have not had one of my cars fail an MOT since 1987, and its not like I drive new cars, and I often MOT 3 a year, Oh and none of my cars have been near a mechanic in all that time, apart from MOT time.

[Chipper]

Daston said:

So your Tesla doesn't have Brakes?

I hardly use the brakes for most commutes. When i replaced the tyres a few thousands miles ago the brake pads i was told were like new.

It’s another benefit of driving an EV. Cant comment on suspension with the extra weight but so far no faults bar my daughter snapping the cheap electric seat adjustment with her school bag.

By far the best experience of car ownership simply because i haven't had to go near a dealership and immensely cheap running costs.

Edited by Chipper on Thursday 18th May 10:35

[ARHarh]

J4CKO said:

BertBert said:

By way of contrast, my vw dealer, which is walking distance away, has never tried any shenanigans and I've got better things to do than grub around on the drive changing the brakes and dealing with the inevitable seized bits!

"better things to do" ? you are on here

Its not for everyone, but for reference, I changed the pads on mine a month ago prior to doing a track day.

20 minutes it took, including getting the the tools out and putting them back.

Jack it up
Stick an axle stand under.
Wheels off with the rattle gun (hell of a time saver)
Undo two bolts
Pop old pads out
Push the caliper back, I use a G clamp.
Put the new pads in
Bolt the caliper back on
Stick the wheel back on, do the nuts up with the gun but dont tighten
Remove axle stand, lower car
Torque wheel nuts.

I also have a garage in walking distance, prob 250 metres, but its quicker to just do it myself than take it, queue, hand keys over, walk back, wait until they call, walk back to get it, queue, pay and drive it back.

I think its familiarity and the particular car having been apart in living memory, but wouldn't anticipate anything being seized on my car, but cant vouch for every other old knacker on the road, and disks are way easier than drums, dont have the opportunity to send a vital spring somewhere into orbit with pads.

Also, garages dont like using customer supplied parts, can see why to be fair but if I asked for new pads I wouldnt get the correct track ones I wanted, am sure they would work something out as been going there years but a lot wont and bet thy would want at least £100, which is fair enough as they have big overheads but I have to sit in front of a computer for a day or more to end up with £100 of spare cash at the end of the month after everything has been paid.

Agreed to change the pads on my MX5 last time I did it, it took me longer to put my boots on, walk to the car, and get the wheels off, than it did to change them. But then as said I have had the car 8 years so done the job a few times.

[J4CKO]

ARHarh said:

Dynion Araf Uchaf said:

ARHarh said:

My neighbour is like this. He asked me about noises from his brakes on his old Peugeot. I had a quick look and it looked to need new disc's and pads. I said "we can get the bits and I will do it for you, I owe you a favour". He knows I work on cars a lot and brakes will be easy for me. He said "No thanks, I will take it to the dealer as at least I know it done properly then". Never did ask him how much that cost, but guess it was more than £60.

fking hell.. Are you known as a bit of a bodger on your street then? How rude!

No was a bit cheeky, but if you look back over my car history I have not had one of my cars fail an MOT since 1987, and its not like I drive new cars, and I often MOT 3 a year, Oh and none of my cars have been near a mechanic in all that time, apart from MOT time.

Im the opposite way, would rather know I have done them, cleaned round properly, applied copper grease etc.

Suggests your neighbour doesnt have a clue and is rather rude to be honest.

[RUI488]

I work in a main dealer and it’s interesting reading these posts.
Such a shame there’s so many con artists out there.

[shtu]

On the original topic, I was pleasantly surprised by my local Audi dealer (who have changed hands fairly recently).

All the requested work done.
A short list of "things to monitor" and "things that need doing" which was all legitimate. (I already knew about it, it's on my list...)
No hard sell, no imaginary worn-out brakes, no hassle.

[Stu78]

I'm going back twenty or so years but when I worked at a Merc main dealer the techs and service staff were incentivised to upsell consumables like brakes, tyres etc, even batteries. It was a very good earner but gullible customers were being ripped off. The other one was genuine Mercedes parts including all fluids - nonsense.

Put a use vehicle through the workshop for retail and the absolute minimum would be done and the cheapest parts used, sometimes used parts.

[Bobupndown]

Stu78 said:

I'm going back twenty or so years but when I worked at a Merc main dealer the techs and service staff were incentivised to upsell consumables like brakes, tyres etc, even batteries. It was a very good earner but gullible customers were being ripped off. The other one was genuine Mercedes parts including all fluids - nonsense.

Put a use vehicle through the workshop for retail and the absolute minimum would be done and the cheapest parts used, sometimes used parts.

Reinforces my opinion shower of s the lot of them.

[ruggedscotty]

Mates wife is involved in a prestigious main dealer....

Lots of car companies are now scrambling at how to keep the drip coming in....

subscription services are being looked at.... paying 40 or 50 a month 600 quid a year.... for 'essential' car functions seems to be the way they are eyeing up loss of maintenance revenue.

She mentioned BMW is ,looking at how to engineer in consumables.

The telling thing though is the way that manufacturers are looking to peel away from dealers etc... they know dealers are going to struggle.

The car is dead.... Long live the car.... new times ahead.

[MBVitoria]

BertBert said:

OldSkoolRS said:

Fair enough if you've got a dealer so close and can afford it, though as all mine have been about an hour's drive there and back which would be twice over. I'd have it done in less time, never had issues with seized bits though. I do have a Halfords within walking distance if I'm stuck for a part (though I'd usually just order on line elsewhere). Being retired I don't earn the hourly rate that would cover the cost of paying a main dealer for the two hours plus it would take for me to get it to and from them. I'd stick with that VW garage though as mine was awful when I had a VW company car.

Yes different circumstances for different people. I prefer to spend spannering time, little though there is, on hobby cars. When I get stuck with something I just close the garage door and go and have a cup of tea, not worrying about how I'm going to get the car back on the road for tomorrow when my wife needs it!

This is my mindset, I enjoy a bit of spannering but it's one thing tinkering with a toy and another trying to get the daily commuter back on the road for Monday morning.

And yes, I have been there late on a Sunday afternoon with the car in bits and having to go to ECP at 7am sharp the following day to buy the right part and get it fitted before 9am.

[ChocolateFrog]

Stu78 said:

I'm going back twenty or so years but when I worked at a Merc main dealer the techs and service staff were incentivised to upsell consumables like brakes, tyres etc, even batteries. It was a very good earner but gullible customers were being ripped off. The other one was genuine Mercedes parts including all fluids - nonsense.

Put a use vehicle through the workshop for retail and the absolute minimum would be done and the cheapest parts used, sometimes used parts.

That's it as an absolute minimum you'd expect them to use genuine parts and they don't even do that.

Ah nevermind, it's not my money and those that do spend at main dealers don't care anyway.

[OldSkoolRS]

MBVitoria said:

And yes, I have been there late on a Sunday afternoon with the car in bits and having to go to ECP at 7am sharp the following day to buy the right part and get it fitted before 9am.

Counter to the counter; I have had my car kept for extra time at short notice by the main dealer too. Since I tended not to bother getting a courtesy car as it made booking short notice easier and I'd do it on a day I was WFH, I'd then be left without a car for work the next day. Didn't happen that often to be fair, but more often than I've left myself without a car due to having the wrong parts or whatever.

Like you though I'm not in any rush to get mine back on the road these days. Worst case would be if my wife's car wasn't ready on a day we are having my Grandson, but we could put his seat in the back of my Mito...it would just be a bit awkward getting him in and out.

[wpa1975]

Stu78 said:

I'm going back twenty or so years but when I worked at a Merc main dealer the techs and service staff were incentivised to upsell consumables like brakes, tyres etc, even batteries. It was a very good earner but gullible customers were being ripped off. The other one was genuine Mercedes parts including all fluids - nonsense.

Put a use vehicle through the workshop for retail and the absolute minimum would be done and the cheapest parts used, sometimes used parts.

I worked in a VAG group main dealer, we only ever used genuine parts it would never be worth risking the franchise with anything else, the same applied to used cars being prepped for sale and would have never have fitted used parts.

Really surprised that any main dealer would be any different.

[Unreal]

Chipper said:

Daston said:

So your Tesla doesn't have Brakes?

I hardly use the brakes for most commutes. When i replaced the tyres a few thousands miles ago the brake pads i was told were like new.

It’s another benefit of driving an EV. Cant comment on suspension with the extra weight but so far no faults bar my daughter snapping the cheap electric seat adjustment with her school bag.

By far the best experience of car ownership simply because i haven't had to go near a dealership and immensely cheap running costs.

Edited by Chipper on Thursday 18th May 10:35

What did you pay for it and what's it worth now?

[Whataguy]

To offset some of the negatives, I had my car in at the local VW dealer for the brakes on my Golf to be looked at as they were making a really bad grinding noise first thing and didn't feel as powerful.

Not only did they give me a nice T-Roc loan car, when I came back they didn't charge me for looking at them. No upselling of parts.

Finding a good main dealer makes a huge amount of difference, and I'd stick with a brand because of the excellent dealer service.

Contrast that with a Toyota dealer that 'serviced' my Yaris hybrid - I'm pretty sure that they didn't actually do it, as the 9k mile oil looked to be the exact same colour on the dipstick as after supposedly being changed. Plus I noticed a scratch on the car later, that I'm sure they did either in the workshop or while washing it.

Edited by Whataguy on Thursday 18th May 15:10

[Castrol for a knave]

Chipper said:

Daston said:

So your Tesla doesn't have Brakes?

I hardly use the brakes for most commutes. When i replaced the tyres a few thousands miles ago the brake pads i was told were like new.

It’s another benefit of driving an EV. Cant comment on suspension with the extra weight but so far no faults bar my daughter snapping the cheap electric seat adjustment with her school bag.

By far the best experience of car ownership simply because i haven't had to go near a dealership and immensely cheap running costs.

Edited by Chipper on Thursday 18th May 10:35

Don't half know about it when you do have to use the brakes.

I lost the regen on my Tesla at one point - along with ABS, traction and loads of other stuff.

250 mile drive home with brakes that were as effective as the ones on my Series 3 Land Rover. ,