Submitted by Bron Lindgren for Bron’s Automotive
Bron here from Bron’s Automotive. When it comes time to replace the disc brakes on your car, should you go for the lowest price or the highest quality? Our answer is always high quality because you absolutely do not want to have problems when you need to make an emergency stop, or when you’re coming down out of a long mountain pass. Better brake jobs also last a lot longer without problems, so from a cost per mile perspective, the higher quality brake job is actually the lower cost of the two choices.
There are three main parts to consider when you have a front or rear disc brake job performed. The Brake Pads, the Brake Calipers, and the Brake Rotors. Brake Pads come in all different varieties and poor quality Brake Pads can squeal when they are applied which is irritating. Different Brake Pads also have different friction characteristics. Some don’t feel like they are going to stop the vehicle in time, and some can get “grabby”. Some Brake Pads feel different depending on whether it’s sunny out or raining. At Brons Automotive we prefer the higher quality Ceramic based Brake Pads for their quiet operation and their long life characteristics.
The Brake Calipers squeeze the pads against the rotor, which is what stops the car. At Brons Automotive we most always reuse your original brake calipers after inspection, cleaning and lubricating the caliper slides, and complete flushing out of the old brake fluid. We save you money this way, and we also believe that your vehicles original calipers are higher quality that many of the rebuilt calipers that are available in parts stores today. To be sure, after inspection we may rarely have to replace your Brake Calipers, but it’s the exception rather than the rule. My wife’s car has 239,500 miles on it and it still has the original calipers. My old green Ford truck has 219,000 miles on it and is stopping fine with the original Brake Calipers. This simple fact alone often makes our high quality brake jobs less expensive than some “discount shops.”
Lastly is the Brake Rotors. Some shops will simply replace brake pads and do nothing else, and while this is incredibly cheap, it’s also a recipe for lots of braking troubles down the road, like noise and pulsation. A new Brake P ad needs to be squeezed against a new friction surface to work properly. Here’s where Brons Automotive really excels. We have the equipment to machine your Brake Rotors on the car, which results in longer rotor life due to the fact that they are perfectly aligned and “Matched” to the wheel hub. This takes out any slight wobble in the Brake Rotor and results in longer Brake Pad life as well as greatly reducing the chance that you will ever feel pulsating or jerking when you apply the brakes.
Want one more reason to come to our shop for your next brake job? Our warranty on brake jobs is the same as for other work. Two years or 24,000 miles. In the rare cases when we have to install replacement Brake Calipers on your vehicle, the Brake Calipers carry a lifetime parts warranty.
Lastly, we do not over recommend brake jobs. If we inspect your vehicle and can see that they will stop your car safely for another 6 months, we’ll tell you that and you can budget and return for the work in 6 months. Come see us today for a brake inspection to set your mind at ease.
