I have a 2000 mercury cougar v6 2.5L. I took it to firestone and they said i need to change the rotors in the front and rear rotors pitted ans roasted, brake fluid flush...those were the notes he wrote .for my car and he said itll cost 862$!!! i was like wo ill see if i ca find it cheaper somewhere else. but cant i order the parts and pay som1 to do it myselfCar Trouble! how to pick te right rotor?Cars are a constant money pit. You're either making payments or paying for repairs. You're 9 years from your car's production date, and if this is the first time you've replaced rotors, you're doing well.
If you don't have the money for rotors, ask if they're warped, or only scored. If they're only scored, you can either have them surfaced, or just slam in some brake pads knowing they'll wear prematurely (you'll get about half the life out of them). When I was a young man, I ran rotors regardless of how scored they were, I had better things to do with my non-union factory worker paycheck.
Having them resurfaced is best, but some rotors are only surface hardened, and the specs are so limited, they almost never can be resurfaced.
If you're going to do it yourself, find out before you take it apart if any special tools are required, or if there's anything peculiar about your particular car that you should know.
I don't currently own a car with disc brakes, and back when I did they were pretty straightforward, but my son in law just spend a small fortune on new calipers because he tried to push the pistons back in the usual way with a C-clamp, but there was a high-tech limiter because of the anti-lock brakes and unless the piston was turned before it was pushed, it damaged the mechanism. So be careful.
As far as changing the brake fluid, it depends on how long you intend to keep the car. Years ago I thought I was the only guy in the world who actually changed brake fluid every presidential election (once every 4 years). Brake fluid absorbs water out of the atmosphere, and over time, the wheel cylinders or calipers will begin to corrode from the inside out. Wheel cylinders leak before they seize, but calipers seize before they leak, which is probably why your mechanic advised you to change it out.Car Trouble! how to pick te right rotor?wow, the rotors for that car are about 60-80 per, for that car, the rest is labor fee.Car Trouble! how to pick te right rotor?That's sounds about twice the price I think.Car Trouble! how to pick te right rotor?What was the original problem with your car that caused you to take it to a shop?
Try taking it to a Mercury dealer and see what they think needs fixing, and what they charge, and compare.
I don't trust those tire and brake shops. They tend to be dishonest.
Dealers with factory certification are more trustworthy. Try the Mercury web site to locate a dealer.Car Trouble! how to pick te right rotor?you can buy the rotors for about 60 to 80 bucks pay 5 to 10 to have them re-surface and install your self if you know how .. as far as brake fluid flush that's just a waste .. i've own vehi for about 15 years never did a flush and never had a problem ..Car Trouble! how to pick te right rotor?Yes,you can do it your self.Get another opinion from another mechanic before you spend any money.Car Trouble! how to pick te right rotor?I agree to not let them to the work that is way too much for a simple brake job. I would find or ask someone you know that is a mechanic and have them help you do the brake job. as for the flush I would only change it if the fluid is dark brown or black. If you do need a flush it only takes about 15-20 minutes to flush the whole system.Car Trouble! how to pick te right rotor?Your local parts store can hook you up with the correct parts. You will need to know if you car has anti-lock brakes, and what engine and trans it has. They can also sell you a repair manual for your specific car, which will help you to fix it yourself. You might also ask some friends or co-workers, if they know how to do it. You might get it done real cheap if a friend can do it. I would not waste money on the flush, unless there is metal shavings visible in the master cylinder.
