Front brake discs at 1.4 mil,should i change?

[woodsman]

Originally Posted by Bigsmoothlee

I know this is late, but that is the stupidest thing ive read on this forum. Please do not give out ANY advice if you dont know what youre talking about. I dont know of any reputable shops that will slap new pads on unresurfaced rotors. You either replace the rotor, or you resurface it if it has enough material.

I'm a machinist who's raced cars. Learn how to disagree without condemnation. This is a FORUM.

[Bigsmoothlee]

Originally Posted by woodsman

I'm a machinist who's raced cars. Learn how to disagree without condemnation. This is a FORUM.

As a shop owner, I personally took offense to your claim of "dishonesty" . I am straight forward with my clients, and I never use scare tactics to get people to do their maintenance in my facility.

In my experience, whenever I put a used rotor on the lathe, its usually worn unevenly or warped. This causes vibration and causes the pads to become noisy. The groves in the rotor overheat the pad ( since maybe 40% or 50% of the pad is making contact with the rotor until it breaks in ).

Can you get by if you slap new pads on an old rotor? Probably. Will you get cancer watching your food rotate in your microwave from the radiation coming out of it? Maybe, maybe not. Should you accuse a shop of being money hungry because they want their client to do the job correctly? Absolutely not.

[woodsman]

Originally Posted by Bigsmoothlee

As a shop owner, I personally took offense to your claim of "dishonesty" . I am straight forward with my clients, and I never use scare tactics to get people to do their maintenance in my facility.

In my experience, whenever I put a used rotor on the lathe, its usually worn unevenly or warped. This causes vibration and causes the pads to become noisy. The groves in the rotor overheat the pad ( since maybe 40% or 50% of the pad is making contact with the rotor until it breaks in ).

Can you get by if you slap new pads on an old rotor? Probably. Will you get cancer watching your food rotate in your microwave from the radiation coming out of it? Maybe, maybe not. Should you accuse a shop of being money hungry because they want their client to do the job correctly? Absolutely not.

I think clients would appreciate the OPPORTUNITY to gamble on their old rotors (turned or not) before they fork out for new ones. I know radial run-out can be a persistent problem but so can over-cautiousness or a lack of sufficient funds.

[Hayden]

Originally Posted by woodsman

I think clients would appreciate the OPPORTUNITY to gamble on their old rotors (turned or not) before they fork out for new ones. I know radial run-out can be a persistent problem but so can over-cautiousness or a lack of sufficient funds.

I agree with you. Went in to my indy, they said I needed new brakes (46k on odo) and I was enthusiastic about changing them out, but then the shop (diehard porsche fans, mind you) says I need new rotors, etc., and then throw that price out there.

What happened? I walked - can't afford that for just a brake job at this time, or anything else on their list that I got done for 25%-35% less at another porsche mechanic who is much more laid back about this stuff. Regardless, I have a brake pad light on and compromised safety with a car that is off the road during prime top-down weather.

Which is the better scenario for that customer on the road a few months later? I presume the "can't afford to drive a porsche" argument will be used against this statement. Maybe they are right in their recommendation--I'm not going to say they are flat-out wrong--they aren't. However, their "go oem or go home" attitude is well noted in the local community, and a turn-off for lots of customers.

[Topless]

Originally Posted by Hayden

I agree with you. Went in to my indy, they said I needed new brakes (46k on odo) and I was enthusiastic about changing them out, but then the shop (diehard porsche fans, mind you) says I need new rotors, etc., and then throw that price out there.

What happened? I walked - can't afford that for just a brake job at this time, or anything else on their list that I got done for 25%-35% less at another porsche mechanic who is much more laid back about this stuff. Regardless, I have a brake pad light on and compromised safety with a car that is off the road during prime top-down weather.

Which is the better scenario for that customer on the road a few months later? I presume the "can't afford to drive a porsche" argument will be used against this statement. Maybe they are right in their recommendation--I'm not going to say they are flat-out wrong--they aren't. However, their "go oem or go home" attitude is well noted in the local community, and a turn-off for lots of customers.

Well, driving around on worn out pads and out-of-spec rotors is probably not the best plan. Maybe time to learn how to do your own brakes.

New or turned rotors is just standard procedure and good business for a Porsche shop. It makes certain that the cars brakes are at their best and feel smooth, fresh, and new which eliminates callbacks from: "You guys said you did my brakes but I still hear a grinding noise. I'm not leaving until this car is right and I'm not paying for a job half done."

We Porsche drivers can sometimes be a PITA

As a DIYer, I never resurface a rotor measured within spec that I deem serviceable. If it is heavily grooved, I go new. Rotors are cheap and expendable with front OEM Zimmermans at about $100. Hospital stays are expensive so choose wisely.

[Hayden]

Originally Posted by Topless

Well, driving around on worn out pads and out-of-spec rotors is probably not the best plan. Maybe time to learn how to do your own brakes.

Would love the time to do this. That's partially why the car is sitting. Maybe I will get a chance to tackle it. The wear indicator flashed once while it was 100+ degrees out after some hard braking and hasn't been driven much since. No light, and no abnormal sound or feel.

Regardless, y'all make a good point about liability with mechanics. It makes sense, and I suppose complaining about it doesn't change that fact, so...DIY for me or wait 'til I can afford the full treatment.

[woodsman]

Originally Posted by Hayden

Would love the time to do this. That's partially why the car is sitting. Maybe I will get a chance to tackle it. The wear indicator flashed once while it was 100+ degrees out after some hard braking and hasn't been driven much since. No light, and no abnormal sound or feel.

Regardless, y'all make a good point about liability with mechanics. It makes sense, and I suppose complaining about it doesn't change that fact, so...DIY for me or wait 'til I can afford the full treatment.

'The full service' probably includes new parts that many DIY'ers re-use: brake pad wear sensors, anti-vibration inserts and rotors. This is where knowledge and shopping around can get you what you NEED despite tight funds. In Canada, litigation is FAR less common and so the hysteria to ward it off is less great. The world is changing and soon shops won't even HAVE a lathe, designed and built, specifically for resurfacing rotors, as they've had for decades. Perfectionism costs and is partially responsible for the throw-away world were now stuck in. I say; IF IT AIN'T BROKE, WHY FIX IT?! underneath PERFECTIONISM IS THE FEAR OF FALLIBILITY--- lets keep it in perspective and our finances will follow!

[Bigsmoothlee]

Originally Posted by woodsman

I think clients would appreciate the OPPORTUNITY to gamble on their old rotors (turned or not) before they fork out for new ones. I know radial run-out can be a persistent problem but so can over-cautiousness or a lack of sufficient funds.

Originally Posted by Topless

Well, driving around on worn out pads and out-of-spec rotors is probably not the best plan. Maybe time to learn how to do your own brakes.

New or turned rotors is just standard procedure and good business for a Porsche shop. It makes certain that the cars brakes are at their best and feel smooth, fresh, and new which eliminates callbacks from: "You guys said you did my brakes but I still hear a grinding noise. I'm not leaving until this car is right and I'm not paying for a job half done."

We Porsche drivers can sometimes be a PITA

As a DIYer, I never resurface a rotor measured within spec that I deem serviceable. If it is heavily grooved, I go new. Rotors are cheap and expendable with front OEM Zimmermans at about $100. Hospital stays are expensive so choose wisely.

Thats exactly what Im talking about! Noise and vibration are two big reasons the rotor needs to be smooth on a customers car, in fact, if a client insists I dont resurface his rotors or refuses to replace his rotors, I make sure to make him understand he has no warranty if his pads make noise.

Kk2000s, if you cant afford to do brakes on a boxster, you cant afford to drive. There is really no excuse not to be able to afford maintenance items like brakes when you have ebay and amazon at your disposal. You can do one of two things.

A. Buy the parts online and bring it to ANY reputable shop
B. Buy the parts onine, and do it yourself.