ML320 brake pad labor cost question
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Newbie
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1
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'99 ML 320
ML320 brake pad labor cost question
Hey, I'm new to the forum. I've joined because I want to ask the community a question so I can sleep easier at night. I had a good friend of mine, that has been handy with cars forever, to help do normal maintenance on my '99 ML320. He needs the money with 3 teenage boys, and I trust him (even though I know I'm risking low quality job.)
Here is my dilema, he is asking $400 in labor for all four corners of pad replacements. He is asking about twice that of shops that would include the pads in the price. (I purchased the pads, and I understand shops make money on parts mark-ups also, so I considered that.) He helped me with a punch of stuff on this vehicle: struts + shocks ($600 labor), wires + plugs ($250 labor and the throttle seems way off and I've not noticed any gain in MPG), blower replace ($300 labor which seems high also, but oh well), tried to fix my AM antenna but failed (so I gave him a couple bucks for trying). However, the pad replace cost seems crazy to me. I have 185k, and I love my ML. Second owner, first time maintenance under my ownership.
Can someone please confirm that this absurd price for pad replacement? He won't reason. I'm afraid he thinks I'm his cash cow.
I'm new and I know you guys love pictures so I'll try to get some action shots of my ML in the mountain snow soon! I own a Jeep and AWD chevy, but I'm driving the ML when I want reliability when it's dumping snow!!!
Cheers everyone!
Here is my dilema, he is asking $400 in labor for all four corners of pad replacements. He is asking about twice that of shops that would include the pads in the price. (I purchased the pads, and I understand shops make money on parts mark-ups also, so I considered that.) He helped me with a punch of stuff on this vehicle: struts + shocks ($600 labor), wires + plugs ($250 labor and the throttle seems way off and I've not noticed any gain in MPG), blower replace ($300 labor which seems high also, but oh well), tried to fix my AM antenna but failed (so I gave him a couple bucks for trying). However, the pad replace cost seems crazy to me. I have 185k, and I love my ML. Second owner, first time maintenance under my ownership.
Can someone please confirm that this absurd price for pad replacement? He won't reason. I'm afraid he thinks I'm his cash cow.
I'm new and I know you guys love pictures so I'll try to get some action shots of my ML in the mountain snow soon! I own a Jeep and AWD chevy, but I'm driving the ML when I want reliability when it's dumping snow!!!
Cheers everyone!
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 260
Likes: 2
From: New England
1990 190E 2.6, ... 1998 ML320, 2005 ML500SE
Replacing then pads on a W163 ML is extremely easy. 1/2 hour labor per corner is very generous. Took me about 15-20 minutes per corner. If he is free lancing the work (ie. not paying taxes) than $50 an hour is Very generous. $150 - $200 for a shade tree mechanic to do this work is very generous. $400 for just replacing the pads seems very high from your ex-friend. This assumes he is not doing anything else. Mercedes recommends against turning the rotors so I hope he is not intending to do that.
$400 for Pads and Rotors, with you supplying the parts, may be a fair price but still a little on the high side.
I recently had the same situation with a free lance Tree Removal guy. Gave me a fair price for taking down 5 trees and when he showed up hurricane damage took down one more tree. He charged me ~40% more just for the additional tree.
Mike
$400 for Pads and Rotors, with you supplying the parts, may be a fair price but still a little on the high side.
I recently had the same situation with a free lance Tree Removal guy. Gave me a fair price for taking down 5 trees and when he showed up hurricane damage took down one more tree. He charged me ~40% more just for the additional tree.
Mike
Last edited by Mike's ML; Nov 16, 2011 at 10:24 AM.
Member
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 144
Likes: 6
From: Palm Beach County, Fl.
W163 ML500 w/Kleeman headers (gone but not forgotten); R63
Replacing then pads on a W163 ML is extremely easy. 1/2 hour labor per corner is very generous. Took me about 15-20 minutes per corner. If he is free lancing the work (ie. not paying taxes) than $50 an hour is Very generous. $150 - $200 for a shade tree mechanic to do this work is very generous. $400 for just replacing the pads seems very high from your ex-friend. This assumes he is not doing anything else. Mercedes recommends against turning the rotors so I hope he is not intending to do that.
$400 for Pads and Rotors, with you supplying the parts, may be a fair price but still a little on the high side.
I recently had the same situation with a free lance Tree Removal guy. Gave me a fair price for taking down 5 trees and when he showed up hurricane damage took down one more tree. He charged me ~40% more just for the additional tree.
Mike
$400 for Pads and Rotors, with you supplying the parts, may be a fair price but still a little on the high side.
I recently had the same situation with a free lance Tree Removal guy. Gave me a fair price for taking down 5 trees and when he showed up hurricane damage took down one more tree. He charged me ~40% more just for the additional tree.
Mike
Regards,
Jerry
