How much does it cost to repair the brakes on a 99 saturn?

[George Brown]

Hello friends,

I really need to repair the brake does anyone know how much it should cost, so I don't walk into a repair shop clueless.

Any advice you can give is appreciated!

Thanks
George Brown

[Setec Astronomy]

Where do you live (local cost of living, etc.), is it front or rear or both, is it just linings or is there something else wrong? Are you metal to metal already, how old are the rotors, have they been cut before, etc.

[kronos]

Not much if you buy the parts from Autozone. I have a 99 SL2 and I replaced the front rotors and pads together. It's easy and cost less than $150 (estimating high). I did them myself, were you planning of doing the same?

[Jaretr1]

A reputable repair shop using quality parts and practices will cost you about $150 for replacing of pads. Add another $100 or so if the rotors need replacing as well.

[opie_7afe]

brakes are EASY, 150$ for replacement of pads there is no way on a saturn....go to rockauto.com to check prices. are you doing all 4 wheels? or just the front? are the rears drum brakes? if your doing all 4 wheels need to know if the rear are drum or disc brakes(yes newer cars can still use drums in the rear) for the fronts pads should run 15-40$ for both sides.front+rear rotors about 15-25$ EACH. if your rear brakes are drum's then you just need brake shoes(drums dont need to be replaced or resurfaced nearly as much as rotors) brake shoes run 15-25$ for both sides however you need a tool to remove the springs. for the fronts you will need to rent a tool from autozone/advance auto it looks like a clamp but with GM brake calipers to push the caliper piston back in to fit the new pads it twist's in and out, some cars they just push in and can use a C clamp and a piece of wood. tool rental is free from most auto parts store's just require a deposit the price of the tool. best thing to do is google a place called "valore books" and search for the ISBN number of the chilton or haynes repair manual will show you how to replace most parts with ease....but rockauto.com is one of the best places i found to order parts. good luck with your brakes, imo dont use autozone or advanced save your money and use rock auto, sometimes you can get way better parts for the same price you would pay at the local big box auto stores....and a repair shop will make you bend over and take it, so id find a competent person to do your brakes that is mobile, or ask your friends if they know anyone good....i do all my own work, and replacing brakes are really easy if you have a simple set of tools(gm calipers require a big hex bit for removal) and are somewhat mechanically inclined. you could also post a craigslist add and see who responds just ask them questions you know any competent mechanic should know.

[2old2change]

Where are you located George ? There are a lot of members that could help you repair your brakes or do the job for you if they are located near you.

[mwoolfso]

A reputable repair shop using quality parts and practices will cost you about $150 for replacing of pads. Add another $100 or so if the rotors need replacing as well.

To add to this, the type of pad you choose affects a number of things moneywise:

1. Cheaper, non-OEM pads have a shorter lifespan than genuine pads.
2. Non-OEM pads typically wreak more havoc on the rotors, affecting the lifespan of the rotors as well.

If you plan on keeping the Saturn until it stops running consider higher quality parts. You will pay more upfront as opposed to revisiting this scenario every 2-3 years. I had a '95 Saturn and up until I sold it last year I was putting around $1K per year into the car just to keep it running. Those "fugazy" parts got me ticked off.

[opie_7afe]

depends on the aftermarket part mwoolf, some pads are cheaper then OEM and last way longer,stay cooler, and grip better. MOOG parts for example take whats wrong with the oem part, finds a solution and sells a better part then oem...just depends on what parts you use, oem is not always the best choice...