Brake Pads/Disc costs
 

G'day everyone.

I have a 2011 C30 R-Design which is my first VOLVO after moving from a series of Toyota Celica and RAV4 cars.

I do love the C30 but time has come to change the brake pads and possibly the discs and the prices I am hearing seem a tad high.

What should I expect a fair price to be for a Front and rear pad change and if need be, the discs as well?

I have spoken to a couple of VOLVO main dealers and prices have varied quite considerably. If front and rear pads/discs were done the top price quote was nearly £1000 and the lowest just over £700.

Or... Would I save by going to a trusted independent garage and having them order in VOLVO genuine parts or aftermarket ones?

Thanks for any help and advice.

Happy motoring.

Gordy.

Just get some good quality aftermarket parts and depending on how you feel just do it yourself. Its a really simple job to do and the only thing you can do wrong is not put the bolts back in. I pay about £30 a disc from a local parts supplier and £40 per axle for a good quality set of pads. Just ensure you get the ones with the fabric backing and you will be fine. Ive had mine on for 12,000 miles now and have had no issues with squealing, warped discs etc. Just give them a good load of copper grease on the back of the pad and you will have no issues. Theres pleanty of how to's on here for brake pad changes. All in for pads, discs all round and a pot of copper grease it will set you back £200. It also lets you know you've done it properly. I have no trust in garrages. Last time I used one I found a caliper hanging hook attached to my coil in the wheel bay when I got home. Always wanted to have a tyre blow out on me....

I bought ATE discs and pads. They make Volvo brakes and they were about £160 total for front and rear.

Only thing to remember about DIY is nowadays you will have to wind back the rear callipers and this will require a brake wind back tool. Not overly expensive I think I paid less than £25 for a set which does multiple car brands. When you have it out take the sliders out of the carriers and clean them up and use red grease to grease them again.

Thanks for the replies.., Don't think I could trust myself with a DIY job unfortunately. My skills lie in other areas not associated with cars. Definitely looks like a big money making thing for a dealer... Not clever at all.

My local garage quoted me £230 for genuine Volvo discs and pads on the front.

Do you really need? When I had my car serviced at 37.5k the dealer said I needed front pads. I then had tyres fitted and they said the same but checking the pads when I switched to my winter tyres showed loads of life left. A scam I think relying on the fact that most owners wouldn't check.

The car is now at 63k on the original discs and pads and they still have plenty of life left in them!

Thought you can just use a G/C clamp?

You have no chance if your piston looks anything like this.
You'll probably knacker the piston mechanism and the clamp.

http://volvoforums.com/forum/members...iston-6295.jpg

I bought one of these.
For £15, it will deal with pretty much any piston you're going to come across including left handed threads.

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTAwMVgxMD...tW4oEZ/$_3.JPG

Nope they wind out to adjust the handbrakes up automatically. Not like the old days when you could just use the old pads to push the piston back by pulling on the caliber.

Alright thanks for the advice! I shall buy one now!