recommend pep boys for brake pads replacement

Discussion in 'General Motoring' started by curious, Aug 23, 2004.

  1. curious

    curious Guest

    Hello,
    Need some advice. Is it a bad idea to
    buy brake pads from Honda and get to Pep Boys
    for the labor of replacing them?

    If not, any other chain shops that do
    a decent job?

    Also, do they do a decent job at some of the
    fluid changes, like oil and cooling system.

    Let me know any experiences you may have had!

    THANKS
     
    curious, Aug 23, 2004
    #1
  2. Probably. My experience was that the chain stores may not bother to
    clean and lube the hand brake lever and other parts. Might be OK on
    the fronts.
     
    Gordon McGrew, Aug 24, 2004
    #2
  3. curious

    Caroline Guest

    I think brake pads are so easy that I'd trust Pep Boys to do them right,
    especially if you're going to hand them OEM pads.

    Firestone did my 91 Civic's rear (drum brake's) shoes a few years ago, and I've
    seen no problems. I don't even know what brand they used, though I'm betting
    they were not OEM. (In my never-ending quest to learn more about my car and
    mechanical engineering, I recently took apart the rear drum brakes and inspected
    all, too, so I don't write this casually.)
    Pep Boys is the same roll of the dice as any other chain store for oil changes,
    IMO.

    Buy a new oil drain plug washer and Honda Filter, and bring your own oil, if you
    want, and all should be about as good as you can get without doing it yourself.

    Always be alert to the oil pressure light coming on right after an oil change.
    Sometimes the technicians don't get the filter on right. Not likely, but I've
    seen it personally once in my life, 20+ years ago, courtesy of a Sears kid
    technician.

    Of course, since then, no one but me changes the oil. :)

    As for the coolant system:
    Consider the dealer or an independent shop that uses OEM Honda coolant. There's
    evidence that Honda cars are persnickety about the type of coolant put into
    them. If you want to sleep well and are not a DIYer, then you want OEM coolant
    only.

    I used Prestone in my 91 Honda Civic for a few years and think paid the price in
    broken water pumps. I think I'm on my fourth, with two failing within two years'
    time from 1999-2001, IIRC.
    Welcome. :)
     
    Caroline, Aug 24, 2004
    #3
  4. curious

    SoCalMike Guest

    unless they "find other things wrong"...

    sticky caliper? total pressure bleed? who knows. id do it meself.
     
    SoCalMike, Aug 24, 2004
    #4
  5. curious

    SoCalMike Guest

    to be on the safe side? sure.

    ive had orange prestone in for the past 3 years- since the 3 yr/36k mile
    change. just changed it again, the old stuff looked good as new- no
    floating particles, no scale, nuttin... and the radiator core looked
    brand new too, nice n shiny. its the silver jug, "100k miles" (ha!)
    silicate and phosphate free stuff. to be mixed ONLY in a 50/50
    concentration (or less coolant) with distilled water.

    but no- the green crap is bad news in all modern aluminum engines.
     
    SoCalMike, Aug 24, 2004
    #5
  6. curious

    E. Meyer Guest

    When my '96 Odyssey came up for its first coolant change, the parts guy at
    the Honda dealer told me the orange Prestone would work as a substitute for
    Honda fluid. He made a point, though, that absolutely nothing else would
    work.
     
    E. Meyer, Aug 24, 2004
    #6
  7. curious

    Rex B Guest

    On 23 Aug 2004 15:28:02 -0700, (curious) wrote:

    ||Hello,
    ||Need some advice. Is it a bad idea to
    ||buy brake pads from Honda and get to Pep Boys
    ||for the labor of replacing them?


    Why not do them yourself?
    It's a 2 hour job, at most.
    It will save you probably $100.
    Do you make $50/hour?

    ||If not, any other chain shops that do
    ||a decent job?

    It's a crapshoot. Chain shops don't always get the best techs. They usually
    have one that knows what he's doing, and a bunch of 'parts replacers'. The good
    guy is supposed to do the critical jobs while the other guys do the ones he
    doesn't want. He's supposed to keep an eye on the other guys, but unless they
    ask him, he will never see your car
    ..
    ||Also, do they do a decent job at some of the
    ||fluid changes, like oil and cooling system.

    That's probably well within their capabilities.


    Texas Parts Guy
     
    Rex B, Aug 24, 2004
    #7
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