I’ve been duped but by whom?
Back story: 3 months ago I got new brake pads and rotors from a shop that I’ve been going to for a few years. It all started when I got 125 miles down the road to see my family during Thanksgiving and the car started making this weird noise…
November 27: I took my car into my dad’s shop. They said that my shop in Arlington put the wrong brake pads on which messed up my calipers. So they charged me almost $600 for new calipers, new brake pads and labor. They gave me the brake pads that they took off to show my shop in Arlington…but not the calipers. Seemed legit.
Today, 12/2: I just went back to the shop here in Arlington. They listened to my story. They took the newer brakes off of my car, we compared to the ones the they originally put on 3 months ago and they’re THE SAME TYPE of brake pads, no difference, I took pictures. He offered to show me that they fit into the calipers on my car. He showed me, they fit. He did me the favor of take off the newer brake pads and putting on the ones he originally put on three months ago while I watched. The mechanic drove it around the block, his older brother then drove it around the block, and then I drove it around the block with the older brother in the car.
I really think my dad’s shop cheated me and there was probably something really minor going on to cause the noise.
Your dad’s shop probably did not give you the calipers because they carry a “core charge”. It would have cost you more to get them back. Used calipers get returned for rebuilding.
I’ve never heard of bad pads ruining calipers, and cannot envision how they could.
By “my dad’s shop” do you mean the shop your dad uses, or a shop your dad owns? If you mean the shop your dad uses, it’s possible that they screwed you. It’s possible that the noise was simply a wear indicator out of alignment or something else simple and someone needed a commission this week or had a mortgage payment due.
It’s also highly possible that a caliper froze from old age. It could be a simple coincidence.
There’s really no way to tell from here. You may have to write thiis one off to experience and never go back to either shop. Or, since it sounds like the first shop was patient and understanding with you, use them but go back there should there be any questions in the future. By the way, I know you were 125 miles away this time and you did the correct thing by getting the brakes rechecked before driving back.
Simply to give you two responses to your post I also can’t envision how “wrong brake pads” ruined calipers. How are you going to pursue this, are you bringing the “leaky” story told to you by Dad’s shop to someones attention or is this as far as it goes?