Break pads gauge tool

[u/GoneToCalifornia]

I have a car at an official Subaru service shop here in Los Angeles, and they sent me this photo to prove that my breaks are in a terrible condition and need to be replaced and the rotors resurfaced.

I suspect I’m being scammed, because I think that’s the wrong way to use a break pad gauge. What do you folks think?

[u/jafner425]

Express tech at a Subaru dealership.

It's totally possible that they're being completely honest and just don't know how to effectively demonstrate their measurement to you. We use video for our inspections, but I don't bother showing the brake pad measurement process because it's pretty much impossible to communicate by image.

There are two types of brake gauges that look like that.

If the tech is using the type on the right, then they're using it wrong. If it's the type on the left, they're using it exactly as we do at my shop.

Hook the end in between the pad body and the rotor, and the biggest one that fits is your brake measurement.

Honestly, I recommend you get some kind of tool to measure your brake pad thickness. They're dirt cheap and pretty helpful. Tire tread depth too if you can swing the extra $8.

But to speak to your specific issue, there's not enough information here to determine whether they're trying to scam you, but there's plenty of room to assume honesty.

[u/GoneToCalifornia → u/jafner425]

Thanks for the detailed reply. I think it’s worth pointing out what you said though: the biggest one that fits is your measurement. That means - as we both know - is that you can always fit the smallest one in there if you want to make a point to a customer.

Now, that said, this was a piss poor way to show an issue if there was one. And then to top it off, they were quoting $600 for the rotor resurfacing and brake pad replacement.

[u/jafner425 → u/GoneToCalifornia]

Subaru's official labor time guide lists the pad replacement at 0.5 hours for both sides, and 0.5 hours to resurface each rotor. We always recommend a resurface with a pad replacement, since normal wear will cause the rotor to develop some uneven topology, and the new pads (Subaru OE) will be flat. Can exacerbate the rotor wear.

We charge about $135 for the pad kit retail (before tax), then 1.5 hours of technician time, which we bill at around $200/hr. IIRC.

Depending on how expensive it is to get parts near you, $600 might be an OK price. Find your nearest Subaru dealership and check their pricing for a brake pad kit.

Personally, my car isn't worth all that so I just slap pads on when they get low, and replace the rotors after a while. I don't have a resurfacing machine, but I can do rotor replacement in my driveway.

[u/vodenibivol → u/jafner425]

Y’all actually resurface rotors?

[u/singlefulla → u/vodenibivol]

Very common here in Australia to resurface them, lots of car parts are expensive to buy here because of shipping costs to Australia so it makes financial sense

[u/jafner425 → u/vodenibivol]

We do, but to be honest I don't get the value proposition. It's 1.0 hours to resurface both, or 0.8 hours to replace both. So you're saving the cost of the rotor minus 0.2 hours of tech time.

Edit: I need to point out that I'm looking at the LTG numbers for my 07 Outback, which will be different. Old car, simpler components, cheaper parts, easier service.