andrewclaus

This is just a short rant. I recently replaced disc brake pads on both my well-used bike (5K miles/year) and seldom-used car (2K miles/year). The parts cost about the same, $25 for pads for two wheels. If you've never done a brake job on a car, the pads must weigh about 100X more. I get the economies of scale, but I think it's a shame--it should be the other way around.

Germany_chris

The 8 control arms I put on my Jeep cost more than many people's entire bike. My not inexpensive RH tires cost $170 to my door and that's about 2/3 of the price of one tire and there are five.

rsbob 

Recently had the front discs and rotors replaced on my euro-ride vehicle - $2000.

The rears will need to be done in the not too distant future to the tune of $1500.

Replaced my front disc pads on my road bike, $25. Don’t care to calculate the grams to grams value between the two, but might be similar.

Feel a bit better now?

chaadster

Yeah, that’s gonna depend on the car. Front brake pads for my Giulia are in the $170 range, not $25, and the rears around $150. Once you add in labor time, tool and equipment cost, you’ve got your 100x cost increase and then some.

billridesbikes

I don’t think I could even get a Volvo keychain from the dealer for $25.

dedhed

I hope you got good ones.
see 6:30

Rolla

$25 to replace the brake pads on my bike sounds fair to me. I don't really care how it compares to car parts.

Mojo31

Tires fit this test as well. I paid about $50/tire for the bike. The tires for my car are about $400/tire.

rsbob 

Just bought two Conti 5000 TLs at $100 each. Times are changing.

roadcrankr

I ride my bikes more than I drive, so I spend far more on bicycle maintenance.
On the other hand, a triple-bypass costs far more than said maintenance.

livedarklions

I'm pretty sure my fuel costs on the bike are more, but I just can't stand the taste of gasoline.

Iride01

LBS doesn't charge much to install those disc brake pads on a bike. Think about what you'd be charged by the auto dealership if you had them replace those disc brake pads on your car instead of DIYing them.

Yes economies of scale do apply here for the manufacturing of the pads themselves.

burnthesheep

I realize not everyone falls in this camp, but you go on group rides or attend races or view bicycle chat groups and see the comment "expensive bikes too expensive for me! Wish I could have that fancy excessive stuff". Then the person drives home from the group ride in a $40k+ vehicle.

I've always found that one curious.

livedarklions

So basically, bike brake pads should be heavier to make them a better deal per pound?

Germany_chris

I like my bike and Jeep parts boutique.

I love me some Savvy Offroad

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo6...LWvUwyA/videos

andrewclaus

See next post. Forgot to include the quote.

andrewclaus

Yes I do feel better, thanks.

I drive a 1998 Subaru Legacy Outback Wagon--inexpensive, reliable, versatile, and it even has a cassette tape deck! Your two brake jobs will cost more than the entire lifetime cost of the car I bought used ten years ago, including the purchase price and new tires. I'm at $3100 so far. But I don't feel like an Italian count when driving it.

Troul 

The OEM replacement parts tend to be a pocket sizzler, but the aftermarket (not the questionable brands) pricing usually is less..... Just hard to find sometimes.

You do the headgasket delete yet?

Mojo31

You do know, don't you, that a $40k car is less than an average car these days?

https://www.kbb.com/car-news/average...ce-tops-47000/

Tomm Willians

Purchase a high mileage BMW and bike parts will seem like they’re free.

Mojo31

Count yourself thrifty. I had a car not long ago that had a cost of $22k for 4 rotors, plus the cost of pads and labor. Fortunately, I never had to replace them.

andrewclaus

The seller had just done the HG job, then it threw another code and he just got tired of dealing with it. The code was for the knock sensor--quick easy repair. Got the P301/303 misfire once, new plugs took care of that. PIA replacing those, probably never again.

Yeah, body parts especially are getting hard to find. Broke a dome light switch last month--forget about it.

delbiker1 

My bikes mean a lot more to me than my car does. And, for the third consecutive year, they will get more miles. I also put more money into them than my car. I just had a oil-filter-lube job done at not quite 3,000 miles, but the last one was done July 7th of last year. Other than fuel, that was the only money spent on the car. I spend money on bikes for things I want, but really do not need, on top of what I consider needed. I don't do that with the car.

alcjphil

I don't get it. OP's bike got a full brake job and the car had a 50% brake job. What's the problem?

Koyote

This thread reinforces my choice of a Honda. Our older one has 150k miles and still has 40% life left on the front pads; rear pads have almost no wear. And in the unlikely event that I ever do need to replace them, I know (from experience) that the cost is reasonable.