Midas lifetime brakes

[Paexplorer94]

I just saw a commercial for midas saying that they have a lifetime guarentee on brakes. I do need new brakes and for 100 dollars it seems like a good deal if since i'd never have to put any more money into my brakes. Just seems like there is a catch. Usually those places try to rip you off by saying you need much more work than you actually do. But I figure i know what needs done so i'll just let them do the brakes and not touch anything else. Anyone have any experiences with that deal.

 

[Albino 94LTD]

The guarantee is on the pads and shoes ONLY.

Labor, turning rotors and drums etc still cost you.

A lot of places have lifetime guarantees on the pads and shoes.

Shop around, you can even get a guarantee from some parts stores

 

[Tony H]

No personal expience but I bet they will want to sell you new Rotors every time.

"I'm sorry, I can't put new Pads on with these Rotors. They do not meet the minimum thickness." I can hear it now.

 

[BradE.]

Buy a set of good pads and do the work yourself.

Midas will charge you labor each time they change the pads, so your "lifetime" brakes are going to end up costing you a hundred each time ya change em. Knowing Midas, I'm sure the pads are the biggest pieces of crap on the plant, and probably need changed every 15K miles.

 

[spta97]

I worked at Midas years ago before I decided that I didn't like to get dirty

The trick is they will sell you everything under the sun everytime you go in there (within their scope of services). Its funny how everytime I saw a car come in the mechanic was like:

"1 more mile and I couldn't have helped you, but you're in luck! As it turns out, your brakes, shocks, and exhaust system are shot and need replacing"

The mechanics make a really crappy salery and have to make it up in volume. I'm not going to say that there are not some honest ones in there however. If you are mechanically inclined, swapping pads isn't hard at all. I've never done it on the explorer, but I've done it on several cars and it's pretty strait forward. Also, a good set of pads should last you a while.

 

[Chew_12]

I have a very bad experince at Midas, they said they did a service, alignment and actually they didnt. I had another shop test it and IT was EXACTLY the same as when I went in. I even asked for the specs and they said that there printer was broken. DO NOT GO TO MIDAS!!!

 

[DeRocha]

I have replaced my brake pads 3 times. The first time the cost was almost $100 since I turned the rotors, purchase some tools (axle nut socket, bearing packer, synthetic grease), lifetime semimatalic pads, Wheel seals. Now it only costs me about $30 for a brake job. $20 to turn the rotors, $8 for new wheel seals, and about $2 worth of synthetic grease.

 

[huskyfan23]

I also agree, do the brakes yourself. I used to go to Midas to get various things done. I stopped after they 'welded' my exhaust. I brought the X in there to get the clamps removed and pipes welded. They gave a small tack on each pipe, but left the clamps on. On the outlet they used JB WELD. I showed it to various mechanics and they agreed, it was JB WELD. Midas mechanics are not only lazy, they're stupid (here at least).

 

[Robert]

Here's a funny brake story

When it came time to redo the brakes on my Wife's '93 Mercury Sable, I printed out the price for Autozone pads (they were about $5.00 cheaper than the same brand at Pep Boys). Since I needed the front rotors turned and Pep Boys could do it that day, I went to them expecting them to honor their price match guarantee for the brake pads. I was also buying new rear drums for the Sable. The not-so-nice Manager at Pep Boys told me that she wouldn't discount the pads by $5 since Autozone only offered a 2 year warranty on the pads and Pep Boys' warranty was "lifetime". I told her that I was also buying a new set of drums along with the pads and if she wasn't going to discount the pads to match Autozone's price I would just go there and buy everything since they were only around the corner. I didn't care about the lifetime guarantee since the car went through brakes every year or two anyways. Nope, no deal. As I was pulling out of the Pep Boys parking lot, something clicked, did she say life time guarantee? It then dawned on me that 18 months earlier, I bought my brake pads and shoes from Pep Boys. I went home and dug out the receipt and took the worn brakes back to Pep Boys to have them honor their lifetime guarantee. It was funny when the manager asked me if I still needed the new drums. I told her no, since I picked them up on the way home to get my receipt. Her refusal to discount the pads by $5.00 cost Pep Boys a complete set of pads and shoes at no charge and lost a sale of drums at their selling price. Nice going Pep Boys. You can bet I'll remember Pep Boys lifetime guarantee next year when it comes time to replace the pads and shoes again

I'm with the others, get high quality pads with a lifetime guarantee and change them yourself. Turn the rotors if possible. I end up replacing my rotors at the 100K brake change on my explorer (with lifetime rotors). Now as long as I do the work myself and nothing breaks, it brake changes should remain pretty cheap.

 

[spta97]

It's amazing that stores like Autozone to through so much trouble and spend so much money to get you in the door only to be turned away by a stupid employee that could care less. Why bother going through all the hassell of druming up business if you aren't going to have good people behind the counter?

I agree. Unfortunately, there are very few stores in general that really want your business. I've had good luck with the Autozone by me but only when the manager was there.

I called another Autozone once looking for a battery and spoke with a helpful gentleman that asked me to call back in a few mintues because he had a lot of customers. When I did, I got some idiot on the phone instead:

Me: Hi I just called before, did I speak to you about the battery?
Idiot: No.
Me: Well, is the the guy who I spoke to there?
Idiot: I don't know.
Me: How many people are there?
Idiot: Two
Me: Well, wouldn't stand to reason that if there are only two people there and you are not the person I'm looking for that the other person would be him?
Idiot: Ummm *long pause*....when did you call?
Me: 5 mintues ago.
Idiot: Hold on.

 

[modette]

I never had a problem with Autozone...last time int he guy came out and looke dat my wiper blades because the X is a 2004 and was not int he computer...friendly and nice, I try never to call a place...to hard to explain sometimes what you need, best to just go in. Actaully now I do rememebr a bad experiance in there...LOL I went in to see about the touch-up paint for the lower half of the Explorer...guy got the ladder and said here you go go up and see if we got what you want. I was liek I have no idea what I need, told him the year and make, and model and asked if they had a book to see what the code was....he was like I have no idea, and said they were sorted by make. hmmm...then he said he knew nothing of paint...LOL I left and went elsewhere where they were more helpful in the paint area...ended up at the dealer though. However I still would go to Autozone first for anything.

 

[dreamr]

May all evil will decend upon Midas....particularly the one on a 130th and Aurora!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[MaverickDaKid]

lol, Midas can go to hell. Took them 4 tries to get my dad's Dodge spirit Rt's brakes right. Dumb *****.

Autozone is alright here, when I had problems with my battery they hooked me up nicely they took it out tested and instaled the new one, I just had to pay for battery which was around 40 bucks. Not a bad deal.

 

[wpurple]

Years ago I went to Meineke for a new exhaust on my Mustang. When they installed it they didn't line it up right and the rear pipe vibrated against the gas tank lip (where the top and bottom on the tank is pressed together)

I went back to have them move the pipe and they wanted to hammer the gas tank in where the pipe was hitting it!!!!!!

There was an article in the local paper here the other day that stated that there is going to be a severe shortage in mechanics over the next several years due to the complexity of cars these days.

 

[modette]

It is not a shortage of mechanics, but mechanics that know how to scan these new cars computers to read error code. Autos are becoming so complex a dealer is sometimes the only place you can go (just because they have the expensive tools to test the car with)...my local mechanic will tell me if he can do the work or if I should go to a dealership....he is pretty good and a nice guy. He always tells me to take it to so and so he knows that works at whatever dealership and I get a price break...no biggy.