Most of you might wonder about pricing when it comes to replacing brake pads and / or rotors.
At Briskers, we usually charge between $80-$100 labor for replacing the brake pads per axle, depending on application, however certain import cars require more work, so prices can be higher, sometimes exceeding $200. In certain cases only OEM pads and rotors will fit, so expect to pay a premium price that dealerships charge for their parts!
It is important to understand that the total price depends on the brake pads you choose. Brake pads run from $15 to $50 or even more! Most of the time you can get a top of the line ceramic set for about $40. So, the total price is between $120 – $150 per axle for brake pads replacement, and for this price you get the one of the best pads set.
So, what about so called “Brake Specials”? Can I really get brake pads for $79 or $99?
Short answer is: Yes, you can! Sometimes shops can go lower on the labor, we have specials all the time, too!
The long answer depends if you want quality, improved brake power, in a few words ask yourself “is my life worth the extra few bucks?”. Think about this when you choose.
While it’s possible to get a set of pads for $15-$20, you must realize that the quality simply does not match the one of more expensive ones, and paired with the rush of most mechanics to finish the job faster and not taking the time to properly lubricate the shims and the pins, you will soon get squeaks, a lot of dust on your rims, and your rotors will go out faster, as the low quality pads are usually too harsh.
Choosing a premium quality ceramic set, will keep your rims free of dust, will be milder on your rotors and will have a longer life, not to mention that they are less prone to squeaks (you still need to lube the shims and the other moving surfaces).
Remember, most shops will trick you into selling low quality pads, and there is no way to know what you get as they do not provide you with any proof.
Choosing Briskers for your brake repair, will guarantee that you get what you pay for, be it more or less, as we always provide you with the photo documentation about your repair. You will never be charged for something that you don’t get, period.

Here is a recently published article about the way Midas runs their promotions (original article can be found HERE…)

Maurice Irving Glad, the owner of 22 Midas auto repair shops, agreed Monday to pay $1.8 million to settle allegations from the California attorney general’s office that his shops charged some customers hundreds of dollars for repairs they didn’t need.

“For years, Glad ran a bait-and-switch scam, in which he deceptively lured customers into his Midas shops with cheap brake specials, then charged them hundreds of dollars more for unnecessary repairs,” Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown said in a statement announcing the settlement.

Midas International Corp. will acquire Glad’s 22 shops and honor all guarantees or warranties previously made or given to customers, the attorney general’s office said in the statement.

Glad’s attorneys did not return calls seeking comment Monday.

The settlement came after a four-year undercover investigation into Glad’s shops by the California Bureau of Automotive Repair to make sure Glad’s Midas shops were in compliance with a 1989 injunction against the businesses for similar violations, the attorney general’s office said.

The investigation found that Glad was in violation of the injunction and regularly advertised $79 to $99 brake specials at his Midas shops to draw in customers and then often charged an additional $110 to $130 for unnecessary brake-rotor resurfacing, the statement said.

In some cases, customers were charged hundreds of dollars more for repairs that were never performed, the attorney general’s office said.

Last June, the investigation led to a lawsuit by the state attorney general’s office, the Alameda County district attorney’s office and the Fresno County district attorney’s office.

In addition to paying the $1.8 million in damages, Glad is permanently barred from engaging in any business that requires any type of license or registration issued by the California Bureau of Automotive Repair, the settlement said.

Glad’s shops, all in the state, are in Campbell, Clovis, Concord, Dublin, Fremont, Fresno, Hayward, Manteca, Merced, Modesto, San Jose, San Leandro, Turlock and Walnut Creek.

Anyone who believes they have been overcharged by an auto repair shop can file a complaint with the California Department of Consumer Affairs by calling (800) 952-5210 or online at www.autorepair.ca.gov “> www.autorepair.ca.gov .