On Tue, 23 Dec 2003 23:36:32 +0000, Alan
wrote:

In message , Niall
wrote
On Mon, 22 Dec 2003 23:40:46 +0000, Alan
wrote:

In message , Niall
wrote

I have a similar problem trying to get my vehicle maintained. The
industry is geared to customers who won't accept that something needs
replaced until it physically falls off, not even then if the vehicle
can function in some manner without it.

If it ain't broke don't fix it.

For safety reasons it may be prudent to replacing brake parts etc.at the
recommended service intervals but replacing components just for the sake
of it may not make your car more reliable.


Replacing things that are broken but can still be used, OTOH, will,
and usually makes the driving experience rather more pleasant.

But you was writing about replacing parts that were not broken.

Not as I read what I wrote.

if the brake pads are not down to the metal but
clearly don't have another 6000 miles in them, I suppose you'ld rather
the garage left them until you've had the use out of the very last bit
of friction material then go through the whole fandango of booking it
in, getting back from the garage, not having the vehicle, getting back
to the garage, running the risk that there wasn't as much left as you
thought and wrecking a disc..

If it's obvious that the pads are not going to last you could ask the
garage to change them. I know of no garage that would turn down money if
offered

The point here is I pay them to service the vehicle at the
manufacturer's intervals on the basis that for instance I do not have
to monitor the condition of the brake pads in the interim.

On the other hand, do you trust all garages to tell you the truth when
they are short of work? During an MOT one garage told me that the brake
disks although okay for the MOT were getting thin and they needed
replacement soon. They offered to do the work in the following weeks.
Ten and a half years later, and ten MOTs, the car was scrapped with the
same (original) disks!

If they are going to do that they have to balance the profit they will
make doing it against the future profits they will lose if I find out
they did it. It being fairly obvious that I know my way round a
vehicle.

I've always considered pad and disk replacement an easy diy job.

I did car mechanics myself when I had to. I no longer have to, and
would rather do what I do to earn the money to pay someone to work on
my van. I don't have a garage big enough to take the vehicle let alone
have room to work on it, and being in the west of Scotland it
invariably starts to rain as soon as I start to work outside.
The last time I had a set of discs replaced the mechanic certainly
didn't think it was easy. I saw the remains of the old discs, and I
believe him.

--
Niall