just wondering what the time estimate should be to change the rear pads and rotors on a 2004 cl600. i was quoted 2-2/12 hrs. seems a bit high. is it high and what does the book call for?
thanks

 

I am a amateur and have done this job in under 60 minutes (includes lifting the car and removing/re installing the rear wheels. I would think anything over 60 minutes of book time is a joke.

 

Including rotors? I would be surprised.

2.5hrs seems reasonable.

 

For an inexperienced and ill-equipped amateur, perhaps.

Changing pads & rotors is the easiest of jobs, and for someone in a fully-equipped workshop, who has done it many times before, it should take a fraction of that.

Maybe it takes an hour to type the customer's name and address into the dealer's computer system. Either way, its a lot of money for not a lot of work.

Cars with electric/automatic parking brakes DO have complicated procedures, but that doesn't apply to a 2004 CL600.

Nick

 

so what is the consensus. should they be charging 1 hour labor, or more? seems like a pretty easy job to me, but i'm not doing the work.

 

Yes, including rotors which is one bolt and a mallet to remove

Pad's only is a 30 minute job.

 

with the right tools it takes me about an hour and a half

a question on the topic of brakes though, i replaced the rotors and pads and now they squeal when they get hot (heavy stop and go traffic) and it's quite annoying. i've tried spraying on disc squeal spray to the pads and it helped a little but eventually became worse...now i have a constant dull grinding noise on the right side rear rotor but i've read that's just a "rust ridge"

 

the Mercedes brake rotors/pads are notoriously noisy. I swapped all mine out as soon as I got the car, hasn't made a peep since. I don't remember what kind they were- get a quality aftermarket rotor and some good pads, you should be fine.

 

well i'm glad i didn't buy the expensive mercedes ones since it sounds like they're just as noisy!

but the problems i'm having with my rotors/brakes are actually aftermarket. maybe there's a reason why the rotors and pads were the cheapest available lol

right now i'm debating fixing the current set up, or saying screw it and upgrade to the amg set up in the rear

 

IDK how many articles I've read saying how easy something is -- only to find myself really struggling -- but am pleased to report that this was a piece of cake. While I've had a fair amount of experience working on my CL (... almost always out of necessity), my only other experience with brakes was on my neighbor's minivan, so I'm pretty far from an expert. And for sure I didn't run into any problems like rusted bolts that would have made it more difficult. I know I'm replying to an old post, but a quote of 2.5 hrs sounds predatory.