Had my MOT last week and as I thought- back brakes and handbrake below average... Resigned myself to paying out a fortune... till garage owner said - don't worry - It may not be brake pads.. they may just need adjusting - I haven't looked yet!!! and they did - cost labour - £20. Made up - but dissapointed - as previously I have had brake pads replaced which probably didn't need doing - guess if the brakes fail on MOT, garages just say - brake pads - £120 please!! I have had the same garage tell me on the MOT I would need brake pads doing, then owner saying I didn't when I went in for a service next week... thought it was strange at the time - that his mechanic had said otherwise.. he showed me they didn't as well... grrrr.. makes me angry - I only used to go to that garage because I trusted the owner - which obviuosly I can - just not everybody who works for him...

Do you mean brake shoes? Disc brakes cannot be adjusted like drum brakes can. As it is the rear brakes I assume you mean drums, in which case it is brake shoes, not pads. The rear brakes actually do very little work and should outlast the fronts by two or three to one in terms of consumables.

Do you mean brake shoes? Disc brakes cannot be adjusted like drum brakes can. As it is the rear brakes I assume you mean drums, in which case it is brake shoes, not pads. The rear brakes actually do very little work and should outlast the fronts by two or three to one in terms of consumables.

I 'thought' it would be the brake pads... my issue was - that this is just a standard thing they will say to make the job cost more... as I say - one bloke told me i needed them doing - his boss said otherwise... and i've been told that before by another garagem luckily I got my dad to look at the car who told me otherwise and I want to another garage.. I know the places to take it now, and of I'm going somewhere new - I say I've had it checked already - but don't tell them whats wrong.. just so they are aware they need to match whats wrong.. maybe I'm paranoid...

I 'thought' it would be the brake pads... my issue was - that this is just a standard thing they will say to make the job cost more... as I say - one bloke told me i needed them doing - his boss said otherwise... and i've been told that before by another garagem luckily I got my dad to look at the car who told me otherwise and I want to another garage.. I know the places to take it now, and of I'm going somewhere new - I say I've had it checked already - but don't tell them whats wrong.. just so they are aware they need to match whats wrong.. maybe I'm paranoid...

Your not being paranoid atall its not unusuall for a garage to add on extras.

Im not qualified but knwo my car brakes quiet well.

if you look through the front wheel you can see your own pads, and if you dont mind crawling around the wheel you can also check the pad on the other side. you can also run your finger up the disc to make sure it is not grooved, as some garages will pull that one and its very exspensive to have these replaced.

The back brakes as hagen said out live the front ones a few times, but when they need checking (shoes and pistons), will usually be when you here a noise of the brakes releasing off when you take off the handbrake. like a sticking sound, unless you park on a hill which sometimes causes teh same noise.

ive always got by with these methods, I change my own brakes, cant begivin me money away. I also have a friend who checks them over when im done if i have any concerns.

Also a basic car college course 16 evenings gives enough knowledge ( not indepth) for you to keep an eye on your vehicle and do very basic maintenance

hope this helps

BL:)