2008 Honda Accord Rear Brakes

Maintenance/Repairs
1

Class action lawsuit for premature rear brake pad wear does not apply to our car as we are easy on brakes and even though the pads will need replacing at around 40,000 miles everything is relative as some people got less than half that. To the best of my recollection neither my wife(the car in question is hers) or I have never required brake pad replacement at less than a hundred miles, my Toyota Camry had 116,000 when I traded it and it only had the rear brakes dusted, nothing to front brakes.

Anyway my questions;

Supposedly Honda has redesigned the pad so I am wondering if I should go with it or an after-market pad, and if after-market, which one?

The dealer always reconditions the rotors and is $20 cheaper than a very highly reviewed(Angie’s List) independent shop for the total job but the independent shop says the rotors will be analyzed by them and determined whether they need reconditioning which could save money obviously. Should I go with them or the Dealer and just bite the bullet.

My neighbor is a car guy and says that the Honda dealer has a machine that reconditions the rotors without removal from the car and is more accurate. Is this true or would the independent do the same high quality?

Do I need to specify Honda brake fluid if I have the independent shop do the job as I plan to have the brake fluid changed at the same time (4 years old). Maintenance Minder does not cover the brake fluid maintenance and you have to read the fine print in the Owners’ Manual to discover this. Apparently the dealer follows Honda’s manual and recommends change at 3 years or 45,000 miles whichever is longer. Since the car is 4 years old and only 32,000 miles it had not been done to my disappointment as time seems to be the important factor?

2

Honda has a lot of there own fluids such as anti-freeze, power stearing, but the brake fluid is not one of them just make sure they use the correct DOT # of fluild such as dot 3 or dot 4. it should say on the master clynder cap witch fluid to use or check in the car’s owners manuel. far as changing the fluid its a good idea seems the amercans don’t its a big deal but a lot of the imports, the Germans and the Japenis seem to think its inpotant becouse brake fluid can brake down over time from heat frrom a panic stop or two the fluid can also become cantanamaded by moisture(water).

3

cutting the rotors on the car will give you a more truere cut then on a bench lathe. but the differnce is a small one . far as who does the work thats a tough one. the only thing i can think of is what have you heard and or read about the different shops you our conseternin to do the job.

4

At that mileage I would replace the rotors, especially if you live where it rains all summer and snows in the winter. The edges of the rotor sometimes just rust away.