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Volkswagen service or Just Brakes?

My brake pad wear indicator light came on a few days ago for my 2000 vw beetle. I probably need new pads all the way around. I'm thinking of going to one of the discount brake shops like "Just Brakes" or "Brakes Plus". Do they do good work or should I stick with having VW dealer service department do it? VW service prices for brake work seem outrages to me but I worry that the places like Just Brakes might not have the same quality or worse, that they will rip me off.

Reply to
Gary D
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I've had really excellent and just ok service from the Brakes chains. I think they're all franchises, so the quality will vary a bit. Go in and talk with 'em. You can usually spot someone trying to take you for a ride. Someone incompetent is harder, but if the store has been around awhile, I'm betting they're ok.

Don't be surprised if they call for rotors. At least on my '95 it seems the rotors wear about as much as the pads... (that is, once the pads are about gone, so is the rotor)

Check the BBB for complaints too.

Mark '95 Jetta GLS

Reply to
Mark Randol

I locked in my two mufflers and brake pads at Midas, before their warranty went downhill. Free replacement for as long as I own the vehicle. I still pay for other stuff like tailpipes and other brake parts if needed. These other parts and corresponding labor are nowhere near dealer cost.

Reply to
Jonny

These free replacement warranties are usually worthless because they always have loopholes or they "find" other things that need to be replaced. I had a lifetime free replacement warranty from Midas on bake pads for my Honda Civic a few years ago. When I brought it back in for a brake job, the price was still high because they claimed I needed all kinds of extra work on my brake system. When I took it to the dealer, they told me that there wasn't any of the problems Midas said there were. They changed the pads and I got another 50,000 miles out of them.

Reply to
Mike Wolf

IMO places like the ones you mentioned don't do very good work on imports. On the other hand, VW dealerships charge an arm and a leg. I think you should seek out a "Mom and Pop" repair facility that specializes in imports. Ask your friends who they recommend.

Reply to
Papa

If I had no familiarity with parts, how often they're normally replaced, or their appearance if replacing is deemed needed, I'd feel the same way. I was living in apartment at the time when I had the work done. Nowhere for me to do it. Now, I'm glad I did. There are now "loopholes" in the current Midas guarantees/warranties. Previously, there was not. But, I strongly hinted in that in the prior reply.

Reply to
Jonny

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