A car/mechanical query

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We took the car for a full service and to have the snapped handbrake cable fixed. Our mechanic (a friend of my da, highly recommended by da) carried out the work, fixing the handbrake cable. He advises though that the brake discs on the side the cable snapped will need replacing shortly. The work was done yesterday at a cost of £150. Today there is a grinding noise from the rear left wheel. Went back to the garage. He says that this noise is because the handbrake cable caliper (?) is rubbing against the brake disc because the brake disc needs replaced. He says it's not causing any further harm and won't do and it's okay to drive until we get the disc replaced - which he can do in a weeks time.

I know very little about cars, as does my man, but this noise is not very reassuring and we don't know whether to trust in this chap despite my dad saying how good he is. Please please advise.

― Rumpy Pumpkin (rumpypumpkin), Friday, 7 May 2004 09:21 (twenty-one years ago)

you got no choice but to trust in him. i find that most noises in cars, reassuring or not, are indictive of an oncoming prolblem but not a current one--you can probably drive for al ong time wihout fixing whatever is making the noises. I am sure your break disc need replacing, I dunno why the guy would lie, right but he thing is that i am also sure that it will surivive another 3 weeks without help, if not more. cars are built to withstand alot of shot. at any rate, just trust the dude, eh's your only hope to be honest. he doesn't seem like hes' overcharing you thogh i would need to knwo what make of care you have t o judge that proper like

― allyzay, Friday, 7 May 2004 09:30 (twenty-one years ago)

I just feel a bit suss because he said in the same breath that he couldn't fit it in for a week and that it was alright to leave it for now. But doesn't a grinding noise mean that damage is being done? Besides my dad a bit of a fly by night and has invested quite a bit in this dudes business.

(It's a Peugeout Rally btw)

― Rumpy Pumpkin (rumpypumpkin), Friday, 7 May 2004 09:37 (twenty-one years ago)

there's a bit of damage being done but, again in my experience, not as much as you think. I just find that cars tend to be cranky, noisier than you would think for their predicaments. I think he's right, leaving it for a week (or more) might be annoyig to you cos you have to hear the noise but will cause no great damage to the car, nor will it put you in massive danger.

My opinion is based on many eyaers dealing with v. shitty cars via my mother, fwiw.

― allyzay, Friday, 7 May 2004 09:41 (twenty-one years ago)

AND I've fell out with my dad. Is £75 reasonable for a brake disc?

― Rumpy Pumpkin (rumpypumpkin), Friday, 7 May 2004 09:42 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't really know thhe conversion rates to be honest. Whe my my mom hhad to repalce the breaks in her volvo it cost arond $200, whihc I think is around 100pd so i think your price is fair, tho what make of car have you?

― allyzay, Friday, 7 May 2004 09:44 (twenty-one years ago)

A Peugeout 106 Rallye. Brakes are kind of important aren't they? I suppose if they fail we can use our lovely new handbrake....

― Rumpy Pumpkin (rumpypumpkin), Friday, 7 May 2004 09:46 (twenty-one years ago)

well the thing is that in my experience ive found that brake rarely fail. they might make horrid, horrid noises but they rarily fail.
don't take my word for this thoug, i mean id o not have a drivers license at this jnction. my commentary is ont he basis of my mom owning many many crap cars which i have driven intermittently thru my life, and the breaks and such might'e made noise but the only tim they failed was when they were sabotaged.
you can alwys go somehwere else for seond opionn but i don't think a week is too long, they will make noise but not neceessarily fail. if anything he is possibley charing you tyoo soon for the break.

i am sorry for the manner in which thhis email comes across.

― allzay, Friday, 7 May 2004 09:52 (twenty-one years ago)

That's perfectly alright, at least you're coming across. (in some manner) Can i ask if you are drunk?

― Rumpy Pumpkin (rumpypumpkin), Friday, 7 May 2004 10:06 (twenty-one years ago)

The handbrake will not stop you properly, it's just for stopping the car from rolling away when parked.

I had to replace the discs a couple of times on my old saab, and once I ran it for like 3 weeks or something before it could be fitted in at the service place. It was ok, IE it pulled up allright, but the noise is horrible. If it worries you, get the bus/train (if this is possible) for a week.

The price sounds ok to me, a little cheaper than the discs formthe saab, but then the saab is a big, heavy car, so presumably the discs were bigger or something.

― Pashmina (Pashmina), Friday, 7 May 2004 10:09 (twenty-one years ago)

i am quite fucked up yes, perhaps you shoudl not take my adivce but lieke i said i ahavem uch experience with my moms very shitty cars , and hse managed very, very long wtihout mechanic, she just learn how to dianose things herself and just ingore the noises to gbe honest.

― allyzya, Friday, 7 May 2004 10:09 (twenty-one years ago)

It's okay, I find your words in some way, soothing. Once deciphered.
Thanks Pash, we're running the car lightly just now, no unneccesary journeys kind of things. I'll let you know if I die.

― Rumpy Pumpkin (rumpypumpkin), Friday, 7 May 2004 10:14 (twenty-one years ago)

(As someone who has actually replaced brakes on many cars...)

Sounds from your description like it's probably fine for now.. if you're going to replace the disc anyway later. A little metal-on-metal grinding (as you describe it) won't do a significant damage .. It's squealing and heat buildup that indicate an imminent disaster.

"handbrake cable caliper is rubbing against the brake disc because the brake disc needs replaced" .. though I can't exactly picture what he means here ..

.. Don't drive for long periods at high speed. Otherwise, it should be fine for the time being...

― dave225 (Dave225), Friday, 7 May 2004 12:31 (twenty-one years ago)

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