# Labor costs and time to replace both pads and roters **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [September 21, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/labor-costs-and-time-to-replace-both-pads-and-roters/68089 "2011-09-21T16:39:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![brm7675](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@brm7675](https://community.cartalk.com/u/brm7675)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/labor-costs-and-time-to-replace-both-pads-and-roters/68089/1 "2011-09-21T16:39:45Z")
It looks like due to age, wear and such that it would be wise for me to put new roters and pads on teh front of my Kia Sedona Mini van. It has over 144,000 miles on it, I have no idea the last time brakes were done on it since I have only owned it a year. I have a mechanic who will allow me to buy all the parts and he will install. How much work is involved to do this job and what would be a fair price labor wise to do this work. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 4:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/labor-costs-and-time-to-replace-both-pads-and-roters/68089/2 "2011-09-21T16:41:29Z")
Without knowing where you live, very hard to say. You’ll pay a very different labor price in Manhattan than you will in a small town. ---
**Author:** ![StrongDreamsWaitHere](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/strongdreamswaithere/32/2014_2.png) [@StrongDreamsWaitHere](https://community.cartalk.com/u/StrongDreamsWaitHere)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/labor-costs-and-time-to-replace-both-pads-and-roters/68089/3 "2011-09-21T16:47:25Z")
I found a web site where you can buy a subscription to the repair manuals for your car that would give the flat rate hours (and would also show you how to do it yourself). I won’t post the URL because I can’t vouch for it and there may be others. But that sounds like a useful way to get repair info about a car. My son-in-law does brake jobs in the driveway in an afternoon. It’t not hard to learn. Mechanics usually (I think) get a discount on parts, so they make their money by bumping the price back up to retail plus charging for labor. So unless your mechanic is in the habit of grossly overcharging for parts, I suspect the final cost (of parts plus labor) will be pretty close to what you would pay for a regular brake job. ---
**Author:** ![patrick24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a587f6/32.png) [@patrick24](https://community.cartalk.com/u/patrick24)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 5:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/labor-costs-and-time-to-replace-both-pads-and-roters/68089/4 "2011-09-21T17:10:50Z")
You should be able to call a place like Midas and your local dealership and get price quotes over the phone. ---
**Author:** ![SteveF](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/stevef/32/2_2.png) [@SteveF](https://community.cartalk.com/u/SteveF)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 5:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/labor-costs-and-time-to-replace-both-pads-and-roters/68089/5 "2011-09-21T17:15:01Z")
If you spoke to the mechanic about bringing your own parts, why didn’t you ask him about labor charges? This is the only fellow on earth who can give you a correct answer to your question. I suppose you are trying to determine in advance whether his quote might be excessive. What if it is? Insult him and he will never help you out again. He’ll walk away muttering something like “cheapskate”. My advice is to just deliver the van and the parts, then pay him whatever he asks. You can then decide if you want him to work for you on the next job. ---
**Author:** ![cigroller](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c68b51/32.png) [@cigroller](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cigroller)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 5:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/labor-costs-and-time-to-replace-both-pads-and-roters/68089/6 "2011-09-21T17:22:20Z")
I don’t advise stuff like this. Its true that brake jobs are relatively simple - but any problems that arise will be in your lap. This kind of strategy can pay off but in the long run can be one that doesn’t actually save any money - in fact, it can cost more especially when you add in aggravation. However, if you decide to go ahead, DON’T buy the cheapest brake stuff you can get. Get a known brand & at least the middle level of quality. When you buy ask whether there are hardware kits and get them. Ask the mechanic to use them. (Check the pads/rotors, though b/c sometimes they can come with new hardware bits). Do the same for brake grease. I would just take it to a good local brake shop and have them do the brakes. ---
**Author:** ![Goldwing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@Goldwing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Goldwing)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 5:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/labor-costs-and-time-to-replace-both-pads-and-roters/68089/7 "2011-09-21T17:51:34Z")
Alldata estimates 1.0 hours for the pads and 0.3 hours per rotor. What’s his hourly rate? ---
**Author:** ![brm7675](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@brm7675](https://community.cartalk.com/u/brm7675)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 6:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/labor-costs-and-time-to-replace-both-pads-and-roters/68089/8 "2011-09-21T18:27:07Z")
I had the brakes checked at another place and was told for brakes/rotors I was looking at over $350 for parts and labor, thus I am not to sure if that is high, but figure I should be able to get my mechinac to put them on for cheaper then that if I buy the parts myself. Just wasn’t sure how difficult it is to replace all that stuff. ---
**Author:** ![doubleclutch](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/doubleclutch/32/1281_2.png) [@doubleclutch](https://community.cartalk.com/u/doubleclutch)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/labor-costs-and-time-to-replace-both-pads-and-roters/68089/9 "2011-09-21T20:30:11Z")
I’ve never worked on Kia Sedona brakes, but in doing the brake replacement work on 5 different vehicles that my wife and I own(ed), I find that doing brakes is a pretty straightforward process. The only thing that would give you trouble is if the rotors are attached to the hub in an unusual manner. They usually come right off the hub (if they are rusted on, a little radial hammering frees them), but some are pressed on somehow and take special tools. I can replace brakes and rotors on any of my cars in under an hour, and it saves a heckuva lot of money! I’m so sold on DIY brake work that I bought a good air wrench and a better jack to make it easier. The tools cost me about what I save on ONE pad & rotor job. ---
**Author:** ![brm7675](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@brm7675](https://community.cartalk.com/u/brm7675)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/labor-costs-and-time-to-replace-both-pads-and-roters/68089/10 "2011-09-21T21:05:19Z")
I have issues just checking my fluids, I have found that the rotors will run me about $100 for a pair and the pads about $35 per side, so I am in about $170, just hoping to keep the labor under $100. ---
**Author:** ![Goldwing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@Goldwing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Goldwing)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/labor-costs-and-time-to-replace-both-pads-and-roters/68089/11 "2011-09-21T21:18:17Z")
You can buy parts at [www.rockauto.com](http://www.rockauto.com) for less than half of those prices. At your prices, your all in cost probably won’t be lower than $350. How many quotes did you get? Why not just shop around some more for more quotes. How do you know you need to replace the rotors? ---
**Author:** ![galant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/77aa72/32.png) [@galant](https://community.cartalk.com/u/galant)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 4:37am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/labor-costs-and-time-to-replace-both-pads-and-roters/68089/12 "2011-09-22T04:37:12Z")
I second rockauto parts. When I was buying for my Camry they had them separated by different grades. The $350 quote is fine, the problem is they use parts of very low quality, so you will be back there after 10K miles. If your mechanic is willing to have you provide the parts, but higher quality parts and just pay him the labor. Probably 1.5 to 2 hours if things are not complicated. Now if you end up needing calipers or something else then add for that. FYI, I did my own brakes in 2 hours which included flushing the front system, a few brakes and also being anal not to create a mess in my garage. ---
**Author:** ![FordMan59](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@FordMan59](https://community.cartalk.com/u/FordMan59)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/labor-costs-and-time-to-replace-both-pads-and-roters/68089/13 "2011-09-22T04:53:28Z")
Disk brakes are usually pretty easy to do. If you’re doing both front and rear brakes I’d expect 2-3 hours labor, if only doing a single axle I’d expect 1-2 hours labor. ---
**Author:** ![brm7675](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3ec8ea/32.png) [@brm7675](https://community.cartalk.com/u/brm7675)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2011, 2:43pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/labor-costs-and-time-to-replace-both-pads-and-roters/68089/14 "2011-09-22T14:43:40Z")
I went to about 4 different shops in my area that I trust. Highest was $425 and the lowest was $325 and those were with parts and labor. I have not asked my mechanic whom I can take the parts to what the labor cost will be. Just doing front, backs are okay.