03 Liberty In The Shop

[valvestem]

Friday on the way home, I heard an intermittant noise coming from the RR brake when used. I checked the rims and rotors for excess heat and the RR was too hot to touch. So I drive to the nearest 5 Star dealer in Westbrook Maine to have them tell me they do not have time to look at it, it's one o'clock at the time. After I put on a good show and a few loud words the service manager says he may be able to sqeeze me in. I get a ride home in their shuttle van and wait for the bad news. I wait for the call and it comes at about three o'clock, the man says are you sitting down? I say yes, and he gives me the bad news, the rear right rotor is ruined, the right rear pads are beyond wear limits, the ebrake pivot pins are toast on both sides,and the left rear pads are also gone. Then he says that's not all, while it was on the lift the tech found the front rotors are warped and the pads are gone as well. All to the tune of $1200.00 (yes twelve hundred). To top it off the man says that's not all, we can't get the parts until Wednesday or Thursday this coming week because they are not in any east coast warehouse at all. So now I am renting a Dodge Durango to get back and forth to work and awaiting a call from the shop when the job is done. I will post updates as I find out. 2003 Liberty Sport 36,000 miles, bought used July 05 with 26,000 miles. This has me worried, needless to say I am PO'd. I sold my 96 Cherokee with 72000 miles to buy this Liberty, and in one shot, I am putting more money into the Liberty than I spent all the time I owned the Cherokee. What do you guys think?

 

[AtlanticLiberty]

HOLY ****! - is what I think!

I hope my 03 doesn't get like that!!!

For that much I think I'd like to see the thing up on the lift for myself and have the mechanic show me.

 

[dnm45227]

Is the warranty going to kick in on the tab? I'd say there is no way "normal use" could cause all that.

 

[TireSmok007]

every car brand i have ever owned including jeep has fixed any issue i have ever had with brakes when it was under warrany. I would look into it hard befor I forked over that much $$. Brake pads a one thing but if it has something to do with warped rotors then it sould be covered. How many miles do you have on the brakes and do you have a habbit of riding the brakes??

 

[2003KJ]

something it obviously sticking on the brakes, indicating an unusual instance, and not "operator error", so they can't blame this on you, it's definately a problem that was not caused by you (unless you ride with the left foot on the brake and the right on the go pedal). I would DEFINATELY have this fixed UNDER WARRANTY. Orig. owner or not, the warranty still transfers untill the expired time. Then again, unless its got the extended warranty, you're at your limit, but at the same time, you can claim the problem may have begun prior to hitting the 36K mark. Mention the word "warranty" and see what happens, if not, try the word "lawyer" and see where that gets you.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

Well guys, it sounds like to me, he's out of warranty.

Well beyond warranty. Brake warranty, last I checked, was only from 0 - 12,000 miles.

I can't believe it's $1,200.... that would have me angry. Brakes? $1,200? Ridiculous.

 

[Tightwadsjeeper]

I wait for the call and it comes at about three o'clock, the man says are you sitting down? I say yes, and he gives me the bad news, $1200.00 (yes twelve hundred).

I think that's criminal... $900 would be EXPENSIVE. $1200 is not just robbery, but **** as well IMO.... ask the service manager for a kiss to go along with the ****ing you're getting.

I admit that I'm very easy on the brakes, but the stock pads in my TJ lasted until somewhere around 75K miles before I needed to replace the front pads, and the back ones weren't due for replacement until somewhere around 110K miles.

Luis

 

[JeepJeepster]

all i have to say is if u pay that much ur stupid. U could buy new calipers, new power slot rotors front and new rear calpiers and rotors for less than that, plz do not pay them that much for brakes.

 

[dnm45227]

Just a little prespective. Had a '92 Lincoln Continental, put 4 sets of pads and two calipers on for less than $200.00. Of course, that's me doing the labor.

 

[Eddo]

1200 dollars for brakes! Sound like to me like they are trying to really stick it to you. That is just wrong. Take it out of the shop and drive it to your nearest local mechanic.

Seriously, I think they are trying to take advantage of you. Go get a 2nd opinion at a private auto mechanic and you probably won't even have to wait for parts.

I think a good investment would be to buy a book or two on car repair for dummies and read it through. Not that you need to do it yourself but gives you an idea if they are trying to screw you or not. Some people really need to learn more about cars than the skinny pedal makes it go and the other one makes it stop.

 

[grogiefrog]

I'd go find someone else, at least for their two cents.

My last car, before I sold it I went and got the muffler replaced at Midas because the dealer didn't have time to take a look during an oil change. It was amazing at how quick and friendly the guys at Midas were. The manager even shook my hand and asked me to come back. When is the last time a dealer did that?

 

[-=JoN=-]

damn......already replaced the front's like twice on the KJ
they defintily have ****** pads....
probably spent that much on both times...both time requiring new rotors
2nd time around i wanted to do it myself, but i just dont have the space and time ......

take it to another brakeplace......dealers are usually 2-300 dollars more than other shops...

 

[valvestem]

Another place

damn......already replaced the front's like twice on the KJ
they defintily have ****** pads....
probably spent that much on both times...both time requiring new rotors
2nd time around i wanted to do it myself, but i just dont have the space and time ......

take it to another brakeplace......dealers are usually 2-300 dollars more than other shops...

The problem taking it to another place would have resulted in at least one of the same issues, the parts (ebrake pivot pins and "kit")were not available except from the DC Midwestern distribution warehouse.

I picked up the Jeep today, $120 for the rental-5 days; $1185.00 in parts and labor for front and rear brake work. Ouch. Nothing qualified for warrantee work as the build date plus 3 years had gone by, and I was just over 36,000 miles.

 

[Eddo]

Re: Another place

damn......already replaced the front's like twice on the KJ
they defintily have ****** pads....
probably spent that much on both times...both time requiring new rotors
2nd time around i wanted to do it myself, but i just dont have the space and time ......

take it to another brakeplace......dealers are usually 2-300 dollars more than other shops...

The problem taking it to another place would have resulted in at least one of the same issues, the parts (ebrake pivot pins and "kit")were not available except from the DC Midwestern distribution warehouse.

I picked up the Jeep today, $120 for the rental-5 days; $1185.00 in parts and labor for front and rear brake work. Ouch. Nothing qualified for warrantee work as the build date plus 3 years had gone by, and I was just over 36,000 miles.

Sorry, but it still sounds like they took you for the run around. The e-brake set up is not all the complex and the parts can't be all that expensive.