I recently took my MINI to a shop since the brakes were starting to make a grinding sound and I had been experience a coolant leak.

They were able to find the coolant leak (it was the thermostat housing) and determine that I needed new rotors and pads for each brakes. They estimated ~$1800 for everything and I was wondering if the estimate was reasonable.

I have attached the estimate for a breakdown of what they expected (Three price columns are parts, labor, and total):


http://imgur.com/wRvSYRY

I'm not a car guy or DIY'er at all, so I'm hesitant to do any repairs that are even remotely difficult on my own, but I really don't want to pay that much money to fix up my car.

Here are my 2 main questions:

1. Are these repairs that an extreme novice can do? (alongside someone with a general knowledge of car repairs)
2. Does this seem like a reasonable price for the repairs, or should I definitely look elsewhere?

Any other tips/advice/etc. you have would be appreciated.

 

Well, you only have two choices. DIY or pay someone else to do it. You already said you don't want to do it yourself so that only leaves the other option. You could get an estimate from another source to give you something to compare it with.

 

I suppose I didn't define my questions well enough:

1. Are these repairs that an extreme novice can do? (alongside someone with a general knowledge of car repairs)

2. Does this seem like a reasonable price for the repairs, or should I definitely look elsewhere?

Thanks

 

on my 2007 S the thermostat cost me $325 at an independent mechanic who does MINI. Subsequently found another guy who 'said' it would have been $250 ... the part is $100+ and they usually will flush the cooling system at the same time so $25 for coolant. Like I said I got this all done for $325 and might have done better if I shopped more ...

I DO turn wrenches up to a point but decided to pay for this one as some things must be taken OFF first, to get access.

On the other hand I DO my own brake pads and rotors. If someone can show you the first time ... you'll not have a problem. There's also a good DIY kickin' around.

heres a kit of rotors, & EBC Red pads for a GEN2 S that I've installed for a few folks and no complaints .. Under $500 - add sensors IF NEEDED is another $50 (sensors, one per axle are $25 .. your guy is marking up 100%)
http://www.waymotorworks.com/ebc-red...-cooper-s.html

On your estimate that leaves A LOT of $ for installation and a fluid flush.

Takes me about 30 minutes a wheel to do pads and rotors and I'm not rushing. A pro should be much faster . . . do the math.

Live near Cape Canaveral? Maybe I can help you out. Otherwise I'd try to get at least one more estimate . . .

You might even want to buy the various parts and get an estimate to install what you bring . . .

 

You have to better qualify extreme novice. To me that sounds like someone who would have trouble rotating tires properly. Brakes aren't hard to do but you will need a special tool for the rears. You can "rent" it from Autozone/Advance. What tools do you have? Keep in mind if something goes wrong a shop is much better equipped than a novice to handle any issues that crop up. Older cars can have stripped/rusted bolts which can pretty much stop a novice in their tracks.

The thermostat I would pay someone for. Not only is it a bit of a pain to get to but bleeding the cooling system on the mini isn't the easiest.

The prices don't seem outrageous but they're not exactly great prices either. I'm sure you could do better if you shopped around more.

 

Those sound like prices set by some shop doing a Mini for the first time, or maybe they are extremely cautious in their estimates and want to cover every possibility. Get another estimate, preferably one that at least has a sign that says they repair "Mini" on the door. Personally, I prefer to do my brakes myself but have no hesitation about paying someone else a fair price to do the thermostat but I am a fairly experienced mechanic that no longer does that for a living.

 

well for the thermostat I agree with ya. But ya know the MINI's brakes are just about as straightforward a set of disks as I've encountered (the push and turn deal on the rears is FAR from unique to MINI.

ANY decent mechanic should have ZERO trouble with rotors, pads, sensors and a fluid flush on the MINI. They might not know how to reset the service counters but you can find that right here on NAM and DIY without even getting your hands dirty.

BTW do you want one that repairs MINI or Mini?

To some of us there is a BIG difference. I doubt many MINI mech's have ever SEEN an SU carb!


My MINI and my Mini (a few years back)

 

I appreciate the advice.
I think I'll have this shop take care of the thermostat repairs and then get estimates elsewhere for brakes.
If it continues to be a very high price, I might look at replacing the pads and rotors myself.

Where do you order your MINI parts from?

 

ECS Tuning, Way Motor Works, and Pelican Parts are all sponsors of this BBS. All sell MINI parts...

 

We have an extensive MINI parts catalog as well as a few good technical articles for your review. Not a bad idea at all to read the articles so that you at least know what the mechanic will be doing if you choose not to DIY.

Click here to visit our brake rotors & pad sections and click here for our technical article section which lists the different areas we cover.

There's plenty of support here on NAM so don't hesitate to ask questions.
Mark/Pelican Parts

 

See also

MiniMania.com for parts, a 'forum' & cars for sale

They get poopoo'd by many for their prices but I've found you need to compare all the vendors and remember to include SHIPPING .. no one has the best price every time IME

I get a fair bit of stuff for my 79 from MiniMania

btw that's WAY MOTOR WORKS .. http://www.waymotorworks.com/. He's shipped same day for me and used USPS flat rate priority mail ... I usually get stuff in 2 days if I order early in the day. He has a shop in Atlanta if that's where you live . . .

 

If you know you have the tools needed and read the DIY guides thoroughly, doing the brakes yourself shouldn't be an issue. I also like many others decided to have the dealer replace my thermostat housing as it's got a lot of connections and if done wrong, well lets just say I don't want to toast my engine. I did my brake job two months ago on my MCS on just the front and thought it was a lot easier than anticipated, however the rear will require a special tool to push the calipers piston back in so you can fit the new thicker pads in, like others have stated you can rent this tool. I felt that out of all the cars I have owned, the brake job on my Mini was the easiest by far!

I hate carburetors, my brother has to change the jets every time the weather changes on his fully restored Honda Z50 (bored out to 75cc).

 

To give you an idea when shopping for brake replacement, the market rate is somewhere between $400 to $500. And that is with OEM rotors and pads.

If you want EBC pads or Hawk pads the cost will go up.
Same if you want powerslot rotors or other non-oem rotors.

 

the market rate is somewhere between $400 to $500.

all 4 corners or per axle???? Market = what?

interesting point comes to mind tho ... IME 99% of the time the fronts wear MUCH faster than the rears. If some one is telling you to get new pads and rotors on all 4 corners I'd throw the BS flag . . .

IME

I change front pads 2 times to a seat of rear pads

I do 2 sets of pads to a set of rotors

I do NOT track

I prefer (now) EBC RED pads

slotted or drilled is BLING .... the MINI brake system is already OVER engineered for street use.

*******
did your wear sensor trip? I forget and am too lazy to read back up.

 

My advise is that this,
Get more than one quote, get a shop that worked on MINIs before, if you post where you are located you will have a better chance to get help finding a good Indy MINI shop,Detroit tuned,Helix, Way M Works and the likes, they are honest vendors and service lots of MINIs.
I purchased my R53 a bit more than a year ago and before this car all I did on a car was drive it change an air filter, bulbs and rotate tires that's about it. After getting this car Changed my brakes, fixed my window regulator and motor (Thanks Pelican) changed all my struts and a friend's MINI too, fixed some electrical issues, installed a Pulley, took the supercharger off and changed the oil, and the biggest pain in the rear, changed my clutch what PITA but got it done and I enjoy working on my tiny car, go ahead and learn how to do it follow Pelican Parts DIY section research and have fun and SAVE some money because this is just the beginning this little devils are expensive to keep up.

 

$400 ~ $500 is for all four corners.
And market is any reputable shop other than a dealership.

Capt_bj is right, the front wears almost twice as fast as the rears.
If they suggested that you change ALL the brakes, and your front brakes are toast, chances are you probably still have some life, maybe 20% left on your rears. But that also means it's a great time for the service guy to do some up-selling

And yes, the existing braking system on the R56 is more than adequate.
It is probably engineered to stop a car easily twice its size
But still, some people want bling more than others.
I'm just giving OP all of the available options when it comes to brakes that's all.

 

I can tune an SU Carb in my sleep... that is an easy peasy.... only one SU!

 

I believe that NOT . . . .

question .. how do you tune an SU?

there is only ONE correct answer and I have dozens of references to support . . . .

 

Well I do not know what your references are.... but I used the Bentley Manual for my my MGB's and a Drake manual for my TR4... Assuming the piston is clean, drops free and the needle is centered and not bent I think this is how how I did it....

1) disconnect the throttle linkage.... skip for the mini...
2) set the idle to about 1K by screwing in the idle screw... repeat as needed
3) check mixture by lifting the piston about 1/32 - engine speed increases significantly - too rich - weaken mixture by rotating mixture nut counterclockwise - if speed decreases - mixture too lean - rotate mixture nut opposite direction - if speed slightly increases... just about right
4) repeat 1-3 until perfect

God I miss those old carbs sometimes!