[baco99]

I took the car to the dealer and was quoted $575 for front and $530 for rear brakes. Can this be for real?

What should a privateer charge for that work?

 

[valbowski1980]

A bit high IMO.

A good set of front disks and pads (Brembo and PBR) should cost around 100 bucks. Back ones should be around the same.

These are just part costs of course.

What kind of shape are your calipers in? If they are sticking Autozone sells them for not too much.

 

[Superaero]

Dealer prices for a four wheel brake job using all new parts which would be pads and rotors but no caliper parts ( no turned rotors for me) plus brake fluid flush (highly recommended at least every two years) cost me CAN $1251 which at today's exchange rate would be $1,026.

If you use non SAAB parts you can save quite a bit but IMHO you will often be left with inferior braking. If you use top quality aftermarket parts you might save a little and get as good a system as SAAB supplies. You can also save a little by using a good aftermarket repair shop as dealer shops have very high overhead and profit expectations.

I use the dealer because I know that if I have a problem later I can lean on the dealer and he will lean on SAAB for me. Also, the newer your car the more valuable the dealer as he gets the latest training and info from the factory. As the car ages the aftermarket guys catch up and good independents are worth every penny. They tend to know what aftermarket parts work best also. Remember that the factory does not make brakes so there are aftermarket parts out there made specifically for SAAB, trick is to know which ones are made for SAAB, unless you know brakes well and know what braking characteristics you are looking for.

Factory SAAB brakes are pretty much perfect for most street driving.

 

[Basre]

Perhaps.. you may think so.. But Brembos are generally considered at the very least equal (usually Superior) to OEM rotors.
PBr's while inexpensive are usually used as small but genuine upgrade over OEM pads.. strangely enough they are approx 1/4 the price.
For equal pricing to OEM pads.. Pagid or Ferrodo wil Dramatically improve the braking performance... no joke there.
Suspect you've been reading far too much of the Saab 'Brochure Babble'

 

[Superaero]

Who makes SAAB's factory brakes?


Besides, brake pads and rotors cannot improve braking performance unless the tires are so good the brakes cannot activate the ABS on dry pavement.

"Better" brakes are extremely hard to evaluate objectively. I find SAAB factory brakes to be among the best available for street driving, they bite hard from dead cold and do not fade easily. Other pads tend to need at least one warm up to work properly.

 

[midway]

my last brake job, pads, rotors and labor was about what the dealer wants for your front brakes.

 

[baco99]

Who makes SAAB's factory brakes?


Besides, brake pads and rotors cannot improve braking performance unless the tires are so good the brakes cannot activate the ABS on dry pavement.

"Better" brakes are extremely hard to evaluate objectively. I find SAAB factory brakes to be among the best available for street driving, they bite hard from dead cold and do not fade easily. Other pads tend to need at least one warm up to work properly.

i disagree here, i think the pedal feel is less than spectacular on these cars. i test drove 95 Aero wagon the other day and hated the brake feel.

if possible, i'd like to upgrade to slotted rotors. anyone have any special recommendations?

 

[yaofeng]

A bit high IMO.

A good set of front disks and pads (Brembo and PBR) should cost around 100 bucks. Back ones should be around the same.

These are just part costs of course.

What kind of shape are your calipers in? If they are sticking Autozone sells them for not too much.

I am astonished at your calm demeaner. My blood would boil at $1,100 for doing the brakes. The cost for parts is no more than $200, pads and rotors.

 

[baco99]

I am astonished at your calm demeaner. My blood would boil at $1,100 for doing the brakes. The cost for parts is no more than $200, pads and rotors.

i agree. calipers are not sticking and rotors can be resurfaced, but dealer refuses to do it. i think $100 per wheel is an appropriate estimate for all work. we'll see what my local garage says.

 

[Robinb]

Promise me you won't get the rotors skimmed - before very long, you'll wish you had got new ones.

 

[Superaero]

Pedal feel has very little to do with brakes. Tires stop the car, the brakes only stop the wheels (or nearly so if ABS equipped). You can only improve brakes if the tires are up to it.


Now if you're talking esthetics rather than performance then sure, buy whatever brakes make you feel good, just don't think your car is stoping better just because the brakes feel better.

Spend money on grippy tires, then see if the brakes need improving.

 

[baco99]

i think my tires are sticky enough for my purposes. Nokian summer tires. they handle great in the corners, wet or dry.

i talked to my shop and he said new discs would only be a few bucks more than resurfaced. should get this resolved soon. i'll let you know a quote (FYI) tomorrow.

 

[Basre]

Pedal feel has very little to do with brakes. Tires stop the car, the brakes only stop the wheels (or nearly so if ABS equipped). You can only improve brakes if the tires are up to it.


Now if you're talking esthetics rather than performance then sure, buy whatever brakes make you feel good, just don't think your car is stoping better just because the brakes feel better.

Spend money on grippy tires, then see if the brakes need improving.

Well Mate ...everyone is entiteld to their Opinion. that's what makes the world interesting Decent tires are a given.. Dohh ( to paraphrase Homer).. but Decent brakes really are discernable.. not a lot of ambiguity there.
Suggest you ..do ..try a set of Ferrodos.. that WILL put an end to your current views.. rather quickly
Saab 9000 brakes in OEM configuration are fairly described as 'average' at best.. they Can be made to do better.

 

[Robinb]

Saab 9000 brakes in OEM configuration are fairly described as 'average' at best.. they Can be made to do better.

Have to agree - of all the cars I ever owned, the 9000 Aero has been way the most fun, but I was not impressed with the OEM brakes.

It goes without saying that Ferodo pads are great for the track, but can you give me your opinion on their performance at lower (city) speeds? I have nearly terminated a few citizens who suddenly appeared on pedestrian crossings in front of the Saab.

 

[Superaero]

That's the problem. "Better" brakes for what? My uniform experience with "performance" brake pads is they are no good on the first application.

For street brakes you need brakes that bite hard when dead cold.

For performance driving on the street you are hardly using your brakes at all if you know what you are about.

 

[Basre]

Well then it comes down to on'es definition of what a Good brake should be.
IF you want brakes that will lock your wheels at 1 MPH everytime.. just get some Canadian Tire Ones.
Want your brakes to keep you from running into the back of the Semi that just jacknifed in front of you.. Use the Ferrodos.
Want to still have powerfull fade free braking duringthe long downhill thru the Rockies? Get the Ferrodos.
I hear that one repeatedly.. But they take time to 'heat up' ..NO they do not.. What these won't do is lock up at parking lot speeds.. a Tradeoff granted.. no arguement there.. but yr not likely to Die inna Parking lot
I like My brakes to be able save my life.. everything else is irrelevant.

 

[KevinC]

Ferrodo DS2500 pads, s/s lines, Brembo rotors and 5.1 fluid TRANSFORM a 9k Aero from so-so braking to very good braking. If you drive fast/hard/ ot tracks or autobahns this set-up or as above w/ Pagid fast-road pads are good.

Only downside is the back ones will try to squel sometimes at slower speed stops. Still seeking a fix for that, and they will be perfect. Pagids have downside of enormous amts of brake dust.

 

[baco99]

i think i'm going to have my mechanic include SS lines and new fluid in the change as well. that should help the brake feel. i haven't noticed much fade in my car with OEM parts, but i also have an automatic and tend to use it more like a truck than a car, like my MX5.

are there any hardware pieces on the calipers that need regular replacement: pins, springs, etc..?

 

[yaofeng]

There are no pins on the 9k front caliper. The stainless steel spring clip does not deteriorate. So unless you are replacing the caliper, nothing needs to be replaced.

A caliper is $60 and change with core exchange, two bolts and one brake line connection.

The brake line has two rubber grommets to be fastened to the strut so it does not rub on moving parts. The SS lines that goes in needs to have the same arrangement.

 

[valbowski1980]

i agree. calipers are not sticking and rotors can be resurfaced, but dealer refuses to do it. i think $100 per wheel is an appropriate estimate for all work. we'll see what my local garage says.

Unless you know someone on the inside, you probably won't find a shop that will do it for 100 bucks per (If you do please let me know where it is since I'll take my car there for a valve job). I shopped around when my fronts were done for and the best I got was $175 with turned disks and pads.

Also, I am not a fan of resurfacing disks because new ones aren't that costly anyway and you aren't as likely to get a warp later. If you go the DIY route you can have a good set of new Brembo disks and PBR Deluxx pads (mine have been great) for around 100 bucks per axle.