Brake Specialists
Your braking system is the most important feature and you rely on it all day long. We recommend inspecting your brakes twice a year or every 10,000 KMs.
When we perform a brake inspection you will get a detailed report on the brake pad and shoes thickness at all four wheel as well as a report on the brake fluids moisture content.
Most cars brakes can be safely worn down to about the 2 millimetre mark, and we always measure the life of brake in mm as the commonly used percentage as extremely subjective and are often misleading. By measuring the brake life at every second oil change (or every 10,000 KMs) we gather a very good idea of how long your brakes will last and can recommend replacement at the right interval, based on your driving habits, this saves you money and gives you peace of mind.
We measure brake fluid moisture content in order to determine if the fluid has become contaminated with water vapour from the air. It is normal for brake fluid to absorb moisture and require replacement about every three years, in fact many European cars have replacement on their maintenance schedules. Water in your brake fluid over the 3% level is enough to cause corrosion in your brake calipers, master cylinder and ABS components and under extreme conditions like you would see on the Sea To Sky or Coquihalla highways, water contaminated brake fluid can boil causing a low spongy brake pedal.
A word of caution; Brake systems are made up of many components, all of which are important to the life and safety of your car or truck. When choosing a shop to replace your brakes, never rely on a estimate given over the phone, they can’t possibly know what your car actually needs without inspecting it first. Every mechanic knows this fact, but many will quote a price anyways. Have your brakes inspected, pay a reasonable price for the inspection (nobody works for free-those that claim to, have to make up for the loss somewhere and it will usually be hidden in your bill – or in plain sight as a part or service that may not be needed) and most importantly, ask questions!
Our experience is that a complete brake job (Pads, Calipers and Rotors) will often cost less in the long run as it will ensure your pads and rotors last longer, by having all the components working at their optimum. Complete replacement is by no means always the case, but by the second time of replacement, it is often required. Many vehicle manufactures have gone to such extremes to lighten up modern cars, that the rotors will not outlive a set of brake pads.|