I've had my Rover for 8 years now this Spring. I love it but am wondering if it's time to pack it in. I sit here crying at my work desk because I took it into the shop for what I thought was an easy brake pad replacement and the shop quoted me $2250 for everything that needs to be done.

I've been down this road before and it seems when things are up they're up and when they're down, they're really, and I mean reaaaaallly down.

Do all of you take apart your brake components yearly to grease and kiss them up? I don't. I didn't know that was part of Rover ownership but according to the shop I took it to, it is. I was told that Rovers aren't typical vehicles (which I know) and that they need yearly maintenance in the brake department. Something I did not do. Maintenance to me was changing them out 2 1/2 years ago and they have now failed. So I sit here with one frozen caliper, one stuck caliper, 2 rotors that need replacing (I thought Rotors could be turned?), 2 tie-rods that are shot, one broken coil spring (high up) that is supposedly making it's way out of its 'mount' and 'oh, by the way, I bet you no one ever told you that your ABS issue is an easy fix to the tune of $450... ' for a grand total of $2250.

I also got to hear about how well versed this gentleman was in fixing Rovers and how he has Air Force guys bring their Rovers in yearly to get fixed up by him. It didn't make me feel any better and that was after he gave me the 'I've got a Rover discount'.

So i took back my beloved Rover, thanked them for their generous 'assessment' of the situation (which i thought was just brake pad replacement), and carried on, not so calmly, I should add.. back to my workplace where I could wallow in self pity. 2 mini jimmy john sandwiches and a sugared coke (no diet today), a lime green Saf-T-Pop and lots of tears.

A friend of mine told me that I should just trade it in and get a Kia Soul. I like Souls but I think I'd be selling part of mine if I let my Rover go.

Any thoughts?

Desperate & Down

 

Sounds like that mechanic has a very large upcoming boat payment he expects you to pay. In my opinion and experience that is just way too much money.

Last time I did brakes i was quoted $750 for pads and two rotors, did it myself for a few hundred using premium quality Akebono ceramic pads so no brake dust on the front wheels as a bonus.

With a little time spent on line parts shopping and researching this forum you can find the right parts and with some elbow grease you can save quite a bit of money.

IF those things are all true, they should be done anyway as part of routine maintenance, Your only issue is you waited to for everything to pile up on you.

Chances are you need new springs anyway, once you get the brakes sorted then you can fix the ABS amigos for less than that quote,

Search is your friend.

Good luck, and think of it, once you get this done, you will be sailing smooth for another several years.

Much cheaper than a KIA Soul.

 

You could spend less than a third of what you were quoted, including buying any tools that you lack, and have heavy duty replacements for everything except an ABS module. That's absurd.

Tie rods bolt off, bolt on. Basic tools.

Give yourself an alignment. Basic tools and a tape measure.

Coil spring broken? Never heard of that but new springs are cheap and you can give your Rover a lift if you want with taller springs. Basic tools and a jack.

I don't mess with my brakes at all except to change the fluid and pads. I have done both 3 times in 16 years of ownership. Basic tools.

Rotors can be turned and nice replacement ones for rovers are reasonably priced. Basic tools and a jack. If yours are horsey you might need a 5 dollar rubber mallet to beat them off.

Calipers? Expensive. Easy to replace with basic tools. They can also be rebuilt by brake shops.

I assume he is referring to the ABS sensors because an ABS module would be truly expensive. The sensors can be bought for cheap or you can go whole hog and replace the entire hub for 110 each for the problem ones, which includes a new sensor. Get the right scanner for 100 dollars and it will tell you exactly which one to replace (icarsoft 903 on Amazon.com) then reset the trouble code. Basic tools, an Allen wrench, and a jack. If you replace the hub you do need a giant torque wrench (300lbs! Of torque!).

Sounds like they wanted to skin you.

Everything you need to do can be done with the same basic tools and at the same time since you would be jacking up corners of your truck. If you had your tools and parts assembled you could do it all on a nice Saturday.

 

I will say, the torque wrench is entirely unnecessary on the hubs. I've replaced two and I just use a 3 ft breaker bar with another 2 ft of pipe off the end. About 5 ft total and I just lean on it. Get it as tight as you can that way and you're perfect fine. No trouble in 15k miles, and I've abused it.

As far as whether or not to pack it in, I agree with the other two. That price is absurd and you can likely do the work yourself. None of that is complicated work. Even if you run into bumps, the forum is here and full of awesome people who will help you out.

 

Are you handy at all? Can you attempt any of this, with lots of help from here?

Easiest to tackle are the brakes. We can point you towards the bits to order and the stuff you'll need.

Then you take it somewhere for a second opinion on the rest.

The ABS can wait, until you have the suspension and brakes sorted IMO.

Alternatively, order the rotors and pads, take it to the 'second opinion' place, and you already look like you know your stuff, turning up with the right bits.

Don't sell it. The stuff you say are routine maintenance, sucks they are all here at once, that's all.

No one is going to let you pay that silly figure for this.

 

Now, Alex, don't rain on my parade. That's the only thing I've ever torqued properly on my truck so I like to mention it! Hahha. The RAVE, or maybe some raving member, lectured me about pretensioned bearings and other things that I don't understand and scared me half to death. I still have that borrowed, 600 dollar torque wrench. My mechanic buddy said it was safer with me than at the shop.. but that's only true if I ever give it back.

 

You'll spend the money for sure, just don't give it to that guy. Learn to change the brake pads and rotors. It's pretty routine and doesn't take many tools. Both are wear items, and they cost something, but you'll have to pay this for any vehicle. They all use the same kind of pads and rotors, and none of them are free or last forever.

Brake calipers are $50 each for the front. Rear are cheaper. Lockheed AP rebuilt by Cardone on partsgeek.com

The tie rod ends are cheap and easy to replace. Like Charlie wrote, that's not harder than changing a spark plug. With the solid axle, alignment is easy too, with a measure tape.

Change out your coil springs for a new set. The original are sagging and one is broken.

The most expensive thing you'll need is good lifting equipment to keep yourself safe when working. You'll want a good jack and jack stands. A floor jack is the most convenient for working in the garage or driveway, but a bottle jack can be taken with you to change a tire, and the Discovery comes with a good one from the factory if you still have it.

If you have the OE bottle jack, then all you need is some good jack stands that will hold your rover up high enough to pull the springs. I believe some people have use the bottle jack between the axle and frame. There's plenty more advice if you research changing springs. Most people change them to aftermarket (Terrafirma or OME) springs to give a lift. You may not want to lift it if you're not prepared to buy longer shocks, and revised shock mounts/towers as well (see I warned you that you would spend the money).

 

I suppose there is a time to pack it in. For me it would be if I moved to the city for the long term, or if I became disabled so that I couldn't drive. A wreck that really totaled the frame and body would present a dilemma. I would certainly salvage the parts I could, and then have to decide if I'd build up another one, or sell them and build something else. Several of my choices would be other Land Rovers though.

 

You can get very good quality Power Stop Rotors/Pads for F/R off Ebay for 200.00, heck TF HD Steering Kit for 237.00, and coils cheap. Then calipers aren't that much either.

 

Thanks for your input. I am a woman who can be mechanically inclined when I put my mind to it but it's overwhelming to think about doing all of these things on my own. I am embarrassed to say that I was the assistant helping someone on this forum do all of my brake pads and rotors two and a half years ago. I wish I had paid more attention rather than being the assistant handing over parts.

I'm trying to remind myself that nothing has changed since I first took the Rover in this morning. I knew that I had a brake issue, I just didn't know it would be to this extent. I knew that I had a broken coil spring, I've had it for the past five years (at that time I paid to have the front coil springs replaced - this is a rear spring), I just didn't expect the scare tactic that it's 'making it's way out of its footing/mount/connection' or whatever it is called.

I've been driving with the ABS issue for years. The mechanic alluded to the fact that it may be a contributing factor to my rear brake issue. I wouldn't know, but I do know that the winters are bad here and that could make the calipers stick/freeze? Debris and the such like?

The tie rods.... I wasn't aware of an issue. I did notice, however, that the steering was getting a little wonky a month or two ago but figured it was my imagination (sadly). Sooooo... I guess I need to look at this rationally.

One: order brake parts again and try to replace them myself or find a shade tree mechanic willing to work on Bertha.

Two: Figure out how hard it is to replace my own tie-rods

Three: Sub out the Coil Spring issue and get them replaced. I don't think this is something I'm able to tackle on my own.

Four: Figure out the ABS issue that I've been dealing with for years and do it this summer in case it is related to my sticking caliper/destroyed rotor issue.

It appears that $1530 of the estimate was for parts. $602 was for labor.

Thanks for your advice. I do appreciate it.