OEM Rotors
20 bucks to turn rotors isn't a bad price by Cali standards.
In my twenty + years as a parts guy, I never understood why companies offer different pricing levels of brake parts and why people purchase them based on price. Whether you have a daily driver or tow 15k daily, you still have to stop, and the one time you really need to will be the time your cheap components will likely fail you. Granted I'm sure you DON'T need "maxi stop green polka dot pads" or crossdrilled Nascar approved rotors (FYI the mfr pays NASCAR for endorsing them not for using them) but let's be real. You can pay too little.
I understand everyone has budgets. If the adage is true that you "get what you pay for" my experience is that the cheaper rotors are softer and wear faster/ and are more likely to warp under heat. At that point, the 22.00 you saved over a higher quality piece (which is most likely cast in North America) becomes a more expensive redo.
Besides, you're trying to stop a very heavy nose heavy vehicle.
As an aside, many of these same guys that tend to advise you to "buy cheap" on brakes, tend be the fellows I see buying high dollar "super spark" plug wires and "unobtanium spark plugs" and "super flow turbo boost air filters" and 10.00 a quart miracle motor oils without a second thought. Many spend a lot of time posting in forums how badly you need them! PSSST....the jokes on them...
In my twenty + years as a parts guy, I never understood why companies offer different pricing levels of brake parts and why people purchase them based on price. Whether you have a daily driver or tow 15k daily, you still have to stop, and the one time you really need to will be the time your cheap components will likely fail you. Granted I'm sure you DON'T need "maxi stop green polka dot pads" or crossdrilled Nascar approved rotors (FYI the mfr pays NASCAR for endorsing them not for using them) but let's be real. You can pay too little.
I understand everyone has budgets. If the adage is true that you "get what you pay for" my experience is that the cheaper rotors are softer and wear faster/ and are more likely to warp under heat. At that point, the 22.00 you saved over a higher quality piece (which is most likely cast in North America) becomes a more expensive redo.
Besides, you're trying to stop a very heavy nose heavy vehicle.
As an aside, many of these same guys that tend to advise you to "buy cheap" on brakes, tend be the fellows I see buying high dollar "super spark" plug wires and "unobtanium spark plugs" and "super flow turbo boost air filters" and 10.00 a quart miracle motor oils without a second thought. Many spend a lot of time posting in forums how badly you need them! PSSST....the jokes on them...
Last edited by dsertdog56; May 5, 2009 at 12:00 PM.
at my local tire shop it cost 6$ a rotor if you carry them up there off the vehicle, i've had a few different cars rotors turned at that place and never had an issue with them. all they do when they turn them is put them on a brake lathe that has 2 tool bits, do a shallow pass to knock down the high spots then do a deep pass to get them true. so it shouldn't cost more than 20$ max anywhere you go because it doesn't take more than 15-20 minutes to do them both. you should call some tire shops in the area and find one that will do them both for less than 20$



