Car, Truck and SUV Brake Repair Services Blaine MN

Maybe you’re hearing a squeak, grind or you have to put your foot all the way to the floor to bring your vehicle to a complete stop, and still then it might creep forward. These are signs that your in need of brake repairs. Clark Automotive, in Blaine, MN services car, truck and SUV brakes at an affordable price to you. We have almost 20 years as an auto repair shop and have satisfied client all around the local area, from Mounds View to Ham Lake, even Circle Pines and Lino Lake residents have trusted us for quality vehicle repair and maintenance work. We are dedicated to not only providing your vehicle with the best repairs at the most affordable prices, we also would like to share some industry advice with you, being on the other end of the vehicle repair spectrum can be an advantage to you, if you know the right mechanic.

What Blaine Repair Shop to Trust?

We have established you need a repair shop to look at your vehicle. Maybe you’ve look at some specials online, drove by an advertisement or your paper has a brake special that caught your eye. Example: Bargain brake job for $99.00 on the front or rear of your car! Is this really a deal? Is this company putting all others out of the market because of their special?

Here is our experienced take on the matter:

The thought that comes to mind is, “Buyer Beware”. There is small print under that offer? If so, what is it? Generally this type of up-front pricing is for base (inexpensive) parts and a minimal labor charge. The extremely reasonable, up-front price is to get you in the door. The service technician will determine and then discuss with you what is required. When your car is driven into the shop it will be inspected and an estimate prepared. That estimate will then be presented to you.

Is that estimate correct, is the pricing excessive, does it include parts and labor that can be done later? You were hoping that the bill would stay in the $100 dollar range. They are now recommending Heavy Duty Pads recommended by the Automobile Manufacture for $75 dollars. The technician walks up to the service writer and now they are telling you that the rotors are so rusty and warped that you need new ones. Now the estimate stands at $275 dollars just for the back brakes and to make matters worse they say you should really do the front brakes to. I’m not saying that the bargain price never happens, but seldom does the final repair bill reflect that number. You are left to wonder, “Do I really need all this work right now”.

Brake Rotor Replacement

Rotors are made from cast iron with a machined surface for your brake pads the rest against. We as Minnesotans get to struggle with road salt causing rust. Many brake rotors are cast with cooling vanes built into them. These vanes get filled with rust and do not allow the brakes to cool correctly, causing ineffective and rapid brake wear. If the extra heat is not enough, the rotors warp like a saucer plate when they get hot. On front brakes that is what causes your brake pedal to chatter, or the front of your car to shack when the brakes are applied. As your brake pads reach the end of their life they cannot dissipate heat as well, so the brakes run much hotter, again causing the rotors to warp.

If it is starting to sound like the rotors being warped is common, it is. To correct this warp age they must be machined. In the process of machining them we are limited to how much metal can be removed, or they will run much hotter, causing your new brake job not to be what you expected. The machining of the rotor generally removes too much material. We at Clark Automotive seldom reuse your old rotors, because of the above observations. In Minnesota Vehicle Rotors have to operate in a very harsh environment and are just best replaced.

Different Brake Pads and their Quality

Brake pads for your car come in three basic forms; organic, semi-metallic, and ceramic. I will first cover the organic pad; it tends to be the least expensive, wears the fastest, and creates the most brake dust. So, you see black wheels on the front of a car, it indicates they used organic pads. Organic pads also provide great stopping force if not used to the extreme. In an Approximation, if you’re paying $70 dollars for good HD pads, you’re paying $25 dollars for the organics.

The next step in quality and price is the semi- metallic pads. These have small bits of metal built into the pad to increase their life expectancy and stopping power. These pads general create much less brake dust. They come in many different quality levels and may lead one to a whole separate discussion. Prices vary considerable for semi-metallic pads, but generally the top quality line of the semi-metallic pads is considered to be Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) quality.

The last level I will discuss here is the ceramic pad. The ceramic pads create the least brake dust, and can operate in a much hotter environment. Because of the ability to handle higher heat levels, they tend to be used more in heavy duty applications. Ceramic pads tend to have the longest life expectancy, but accelerate the wear of the rotor. If using ceramic pads you will need to replace the rotors for the next brake job. Ceramic pads again come in many quality and price levels. Generally the best pads available for your car are the top of the line ceramic pads, with costs approaching $100 dollars or higher. One last advantage of some ceramic pads is they tend to squeak the least.

Brake Repairs, Rotor Replacement and other Auto Repairs Blaine MN

If your in need of Brake Repair, Rotor Replacement or any other Vehicle Repairs Contact Clark Automotive Online, stop by our shop or call us and speak directly to Chuck Clark:

Shop Location
9985 Davenport St. NE
Blaine, MN 55449

Phone: (763) 784-7944
Email: info@clarkautomotiveblaine.com

Shop Hours
MON – FRI 8:00 – A.M. – 5:00 P.M.
SAT (BY APPOINTMENT ONLY)