Went to midas today, they put the car up on the lift to take a look at my brakes since they are making much more noise than usual.

Here's where the fun begins...
According to their estimate, it will be roughly 900 dollars to fix the brakes alone. They said that the pads need replacing, the front rotors need to be turned, the rear rotors need to be replaced, the system needs to be flushed and bled.

900 dollars is unrealistic, first of all because the rotors they are talking about retail in their catalog for $192 a piece because of the multilink rear end. i found a new pair for $45 on import auto something. My question is how likely is it that the rear rotors really need to be replaced? (as in what is the definition of a worn rotor) i plan on getting a second opinion, for sure. I figure i only need new pads, and can do that myself, and the rear rotors if necessary.

The mechanic decided to look at the front end while it was on the lift, he said i need new lower control arm bushings (should i get strut rod bushings, too?), new tie rod ends, i believe new struts, too (dont have the estimate on hand) and best of all....

the rack and pinion is leaking, and has torn the boot off the passenger side, and is going to fail. i know their definition of "going to fail" is probably tens of thousands of miles, and the car will be sold by may. also need new tie rod ends, according to them.

what, of all of this, really needs to be done (i know it's hard without looking at it yourself)?

P.S. the serpentine belt is apparently cracked. I also plan on bringing it to a volvo specialist this week for a second opinion.

Thanks in advance, Cwatson

$192.00 each for rear rotors? Thats about $100.00 MORE than dealer retail. RUN from Midas and find an independent Volvo specialist.

I believe those guys work on commission. You can take it from there!

A good Volvo independent is a valuable find. Use him to establish a good relationship. I you are happy send him business.
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'96 965, 16' wheels, Michelin Pilot Sports, rear 18mm bar + Koni, 201 HP cams, 129K. Put 200K on '85 745 TD.

It would help to know what year your 960 is and how many miles are on it.

Front and Rear :

Brake pads on this car couldn't be easier to changeout.

rotors are easy to R & R as well :

If needing to replace : they must be measured with a caliper to determine thickness and checked against Volvo specs. The rears are solid.

If needing to be resurfaced : a dial gauge to measure runout will be needed.

brake bleeding is easy (if you use a pressure bleeder).

$900 is absurd, period.

Since you mention strut rod bushings, your 960 must be pre-95. If your replacing the control arm bushings then it would be wise to replace the strut rod bushings as well.

Check the tie rods for play. Replace only if needed.

Struts..... that's up to you. How does the car feel?

Serpentine belt is easy and cheap, and cracked doesn't necessarily mean it needs to be replaced. How many miles/years on the belt?

DEWFPO


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1998 S90 071,245 and 1995 964 154,100

i get the standard clunk in the front end over bumps, the problem of the steering wheel turning itself in response to road surface, the squeek as i go over speed bumps, the snap or crack as i brake at low speed with the wheel turned sharply on way or another....

i can live with the struts, but i will probably replace the bushings, and definately the control arm bushings.

thanks for the advice, i didnt plan on paying 900 bucks, but i thought it was interesting how insane the price is for any work done on an import by an all-makes shop.

as for doing the rotors myself, do i need jackstands, or could i get away with a jack doing one wheel at a time?

i may not do them myself, my dad has a jack-of-all-trades friend who used to work in a euro import shop, so he can do it for about $15-20 an hour, and it wont even take him that long, i bet.

If the guy's only going to charge you $15-20.... by all means let him do it. It's a bargain.

You can work on the rotors with just a jack, but jackstands and a jack are twice as safe.

DEWFPO
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1998 S90 071,245 and 1995 964 154,100