By StupidCar - 07/02/2009 20:56 - United States

Today, I spent 600 dollars to have my brakes fixed on my car, they weren't squeaking. I got my car back and now the brakes squeal and my air conditioning won't work. I just spent 600 dollars to break my car even more. FML
I agree, your life sucks 34 054
You deserved it 4 865

Same thing different taste

Top comments

If you went to a cheap shop, this is a valuable lesson on why it's a cheap shop. Try to get your money back, or put a stop payment on it at the bank if you used credit cards or checks. Be sure to call your car's company and ask for qualified shops around your area. Sometimes the dealership charges more, but qualified repair shops might charge less and use qualified parts for your car. Also, if you did go to a qualified shop, and you don't get your money back, then be sure to call them and report it.

I just replaced my brakes and rotors on my own...It cost me around $75 and took about 30 minutes...buy the "Haynes Manual" for your particular make and model (they are available at Advanced Auto, etc.) for about $25 dollars. This book will save you THOUSANDS over the years from avoiding circumstances like the one you are in. You will also learn how to fix it next time AND you can help your friends/girlfriends out if they need it...BTW my father was a mechanic for 20+ years and this is the best possible advice I could pass on to anyone with a low bank account and a high need for self-transportation. Furthermore...places like Advanced Auto (I promise I don't work for them...they are just a really good after-market car parts store) will loan you a brake caliper tool kit for a deposit of about $60 (the cost if you were to buy it) and you get it ALL back when you return the kit! AMAZING...don't let shops scam you...I know many mechanics and most of them will tell you that what happened to you was on purpose...sad but true...take this knowledge and save yourself many headaches if you don't mind getting your hands a little dirty. [email protected] if you wanna ask me any questions I will try to help...PEACE

Comments

If you went to a cheap shop, this is a valuable lesson on why it's a cheap shop. Try to get your money back, or put a stop payment on it at the bank if you used credit cards or checks. Be sure to call your car's company and ask for qualified shops around your area. Sometimes the dealership charges more, but qualified repair shops might charge less and use qualified parts for your car. Also, if you did go to a qualified shop, and you don't get your money back, then be sure to call them and report it.

michael32123 0
Matisse_fml 0

Stop payment if you can. They probaly won't make an issue of it. Threaten legal action.. blah blah...

If they ****** it up, they're responsible! Make them fix it for free!

Imdead 0

Yeah, new breaks often do squeal, especially in cold weather. As long as they make your car stop, you'll be straight.

I just replaced my brakes and rotors on my own...It cost me around $75 and took about 30 minutes...buy the "Haynes Manual" for your particular make and model (they are available at Advanced Auto, etc.) for about $25 dollars. This book will save you THOUSANDS over the years from avoiding circumstances like the one you are in. You will also learn how to fix it next time AND you can help your friends/girlfriends out if they need it...BTW my father was a mechanic for 20+ years and this is the best possible advice I could pass on to anyone with a low bank account and a high need for self-transportation. Furthermore...places like Advanced Auto (I promise I don't work for them...they are just a really good after-market car parts store) will loan you a brake caliper tool kit for a deposit of about $60 (the cost if you were to buy it) and you get it ALL back when you return the kit! AMAZING...don't let shops scam you...I know many mechanics and most of them will tell you that what happened to you was on purpose...sad but true...take this knowledge and save yourself many headaches if you don't mind getting your hands a little dirty. [email protected] if you wanna ask me any questions I will try to help...PEACE

Pridesblood 6

Especially if they are female, most generic and even some brand name auto stores assume that women don't know anything about cars. My girlfriend recently went to a shop with me and I was out bsing with one of the mechanics while she was buying the brakes and showing him the car, she came back out with the mechanic who was trying to convince her we needed a new cabin filter and was saying that our transmission might be shot before he reached me. I recently replaced my cabin filters and the transmission is almost brand new and when I told him that he looked like a deer in the headlights and said well I could be wrong. After that I taught my girlfriend everything I knew about cars so that she wouldn't get scammed again. Another shop managed to scam my mom out of 200 dollars when she went in for a 30 dollar part. They don't try that with any of my male friends or me, they just give me the part and take the money.

that sucks. if you have the option.....take it straight back and have them correct the problem or at least give you a reasonable excuse for why they are failing....if the try to charge. stop payment and contact the better business bureau

wow, what a retard. i mean you, not the mechanic. you got ripped off considering if you weren't a dumb shit, you could probably replace your entire brake system on your own for less than that. it is simple to do brake work if you take five minutes to learn how to use tools. (monkeys use tools)

i work for a dealership... just cause you're brakes arent squealing doesnt mean they arent low. if you get shitty replacement brakes, they will squeak, thats why your best bet is to go to a dealership of your cars make and have them put on OEM brakes. the performance will be much better. and dont blame the shop for breaking your AC... brakes are nowhere close to your AC so dont pull that bullshit.

captain_morgan is quite correct. I work for a Honda dealership and squeaky brakes are a very common complaint from people who have had brake work done at a third party. This is not a symptom of a poor job or even inferior parts, but of the different friction materials used. The aftermarket pads always seem to be grippier--not a good thing by they way; any of you who have driven an Accord with extremely touchy breaks knows how well you get to know your dashboard--but tend to squeak incessantly and beat the shit out of the brake rotors.

Rubiks_Dude 0