[69velle]

My wife has an 07 Audi A4 with 40,000 miles. Her family has a "trusted" mechanic they have been going to for many years for maintenance and repair. Last Friday she took the car in to get the oil changed and first set of brake pads replaced. I just looked at the receipt today and it shows they charged $200 for new rotors. Is it normal for Audi's to need new rotors at 40,000 miles?
In taking it in for other maintenance before, he never mentioned anything about uneven pad wear or rotors warping. I feel like he took/has taken advantage of the family's trust, but I don't know if Audi's are different than the Chevy's and fords in which I've only needed to turn the rotors, never replace them.

 

[Chicken Coupe]

It's common to replace them with the pads. Runout specs less "meat left to cut" equal go or no go...and they do not have much meat to cut.

 

[FerrariTruck]

yes it is normal. Euro cars have superior braking systems but at the same time they wear very aggressively. To top it off parts for oem stuff is pricey

 

[69velle]

Alright, will leave it as cost of ownership.

Thanks guys.

Mike

 

[mwiggett]

Speaking as a shop owner, I will tell you that I always replace pads and rotors together. I don't think any shop that does not do this is doing the owner any favors. Why do the job twice? Though some shops like to so they get paid twice, because the car will usually have a brake pulsation later on.

 

[Chris R]

I have always replaced rotors with new pads too. Have been doing so for many years now. For the customer, its not any cheaper to have a set of rotors turned then it is to replace them. Especially since there isnt a lot of meterial to remove in many of todays rotors to begin with. So they have essentially become a remove and replace item too. Especially if machining them leaves you with a warped rotor shortly after the job is finished.

 

[rianbechtold]

I have done quite a few brake jobs on both the a4 and passat (basically the same car) and can tell you from experience that the rotors must be replaced. Resurfacing them is not worth it. I resurfaced them on my passat and within a week they had warped pretty badly.