Why the F are e-brake shoes so damn expensive!?!?!?!

[Mighty Subie]

I called up Maine Mall Subaru because I was going to be heading right by there today to see if they had any e-brake shoes for my REX. Their number isn't even in service anymore! So I called up Patriot because it's the next closes place. They quoted me a price of $86!!! I repeated to the parts guy that I only wanted the e-brake shoes and not the actual prake pads for driving. He said that those were the ones I wantes. So I laughed and said that I'm not paying $86 for damn e-brake shoes. He sounded a little pissed off that I was laughing at him and just told me "well that's the price." So I said "ok, thanks" and hung up. I mean, WTF?! They don't need to be anything special so why in hell jack the price up so high? Well I made a few calls around and here is what I have found for prices so far for an '02 Subaru Impreza WRX Sedan:

Patriot Subaru- $86

Bath Subaru- $71.27

VIP- $65.58

subarugenuineparts.com- $52.17

Autoparts International- $33

Now I'm going to pull off one of the shoes and bring it in with me when I get the new set just to make sure that i'm getting the right ones, but still, those are DAMN expensive! I haven't finished with my price searching yet, and I will post updates when I find contact more places. When I heard the price from Patriot I almost said right then and there that I was going to buy used ones, but screw that. I will be right back in this situation again if those aren't in that great of shape and mine are more than able to work correctly right now, but I will get some in the near future.

 

[mikebike357]

How do you burn up an e-brake pad? Other than lots of e-brake power slides and driving wiht the e-brake on...

 

[Mighty Subie]

they were pooched before i bought the car, i tightened up the handle and they still don't tighten up like they should when I apply the brake. I have moved the car with it on though because they suck. I never moved it more than 50 feet or so though.

 

[rallyXcramps]

You think that's expensive? Just did Acura suv ebrake shoes, $115, $60 for the pads, !150 for the rotors.

$120 for rotors on my wifes SUV.

$450 to have front braqkes on any Saturn L300 or L200.

Hope to GOD you never have to do brakes on an STI or EVO.(you'll need a loan and a hanky)

You can call Napa t0o, they have Subaru parts. I prefer Napa over Autoparts International.

 

[Mighty Subie]

but this isn't even the important stuff, it's JUST the e-brake! I'm not pricing up rotors with them or anything. priced up from Maine Mall Subaru today, $89.10

I also got my rotors turned the other day at the local carquest up to Dexter and it only cost me $6 per rotor. I heard that it was about triple that down here.

 

[Pedro]

call exeter subaru if you want. I can pick them up on my way home from work some day

 

[Mighty Subie]

call exeter subaru if you want.

 

[Shorty]

ALRIGHT, I've kept quiet long enough! List price on your shoes are $71.27. STM's discounted rate here puts you at $57.02. After market parts are cheap because they suck. I'd rather have old used up OEM ones than new aftermarket. They save money somewhere. They either won't fit right, won't last or both. Check the thickness of the linnings. A hair too thick and they'll drag just enough so they'll be a bitch to install. A hair too thin and they won't contact the drum all the way around. They will need constant adjustment and still never be right. "jees, I just put in new shoes and my E-brake still doesn't work right. What else could it be?" YEAH.

 

[silver bqqst.]

I don't really understand this bitch..

A) You drive a HIGH PERFORMANCE CAR= extra money to maintain... we all know that.

The prices you listed are not even close to outrageous..

buy some, and be happy you can install them yourself. (we are, because otherwise you'd have another bitch thread about labor costs too.)

BTW I agree with Joel, you'll be bitchin about those el-cheapo's before long.. Do you squeak when you walk?

 

[silver bqqst.]

I guess I get agitated when people spend 10 hours shopping for $75 parts. MY time is worth WAY more. that's all.

 

[Pedro]

I don't really understand this bitch..

A) You drive a HIGH PERFORMANCE CAR= extra money to maintain... we all know that.

The prices you listed are not even close to outrageous..

buy some, and be happy you can install them yourself. (we are, because otherwise you'd have another bitch thread about labor costs too.)

BTW I agree with Joel, you'll be bitchin about those el-cheapo's before long.. Do you squeak when you walk?

long day at the office?

and OBKWG what is this discount and where do I get it?

 

[silver bqqst.]

No I just don't understand.. Matt how about If I buy you some, would that make everything better?

 

[silver bqqst.]

:-X

 

[Rightseat]

I don't really understand this bitch..

A) You drive a HIGH PERFORMANCE CAR= extra money to maintain... we all know that.

The prices you listed are not even close to outrageous..

BTW I agree with Joel, you'll be bitchin about those el-cheapo's before long..

OMG! vinnie and rightseat actually agreeing on something!?

I have had nothing but problems with aftermarket Subaru brake parts. this is a case where the OEM costs a bit more (but WAY less than brands like Volvo, VW or F-O-R-D) but fit and work right first time. OK, the initial price difference is attractive, but not when you have to go back and re-do the job after the cheapo parts don't work like they should. is your own labor time worth NOTHING?

examples: aftermarket rear pads on the RS--had to file the tangs to get em to fit right. aftermarket pads n rotors on the WRX, fricken nightmare, still dragging after extensive tuning, filing, fiddling. etc etc. Only time aftermarket stuff has worked on one of my Subys is the time I put F pads on the G/F's Forester--I pre-filed the tangs and by jeez they are still OK 20k miles later...

so suck it up Mighty and pop for the good stuff. even your e-brake is worth doing right. $70 for ebrake shoes is less than 2 tanks of gas! :

DG

 

[silver bqqst.]

somebody mark it on the calender! hehehehe

Matt we're gonna have to give a new name... that's it, I'm adding a poll.

 

[Mighty Subie]

somebody mark it on the calender! hehehehe

Matt we're gonna have to give a new name... that's it, I'm adding a poll.

Vinnie... *sigh* thanks for the multiple flames man... and the poll.

and...

No I just don't understand.. Matt how about If I buy you some, would that make everything better?

Yes this would make EVERYTHING all better.

I could stop crying myself to sleep over it.

 

[silver bqqst.]

Sorry man, I was just kinda bored right back then...

 

[Mighty Subie]

I still wouldn't mind you buying the shoes for me!!! ;D

 

[robu]

Ebrake shoes are expensive because they are a very low-quantity production part.

The parts manufacturers punch out millions of front brake pads, 1/4 that number of rears, and a few dozen ebrake shoes. The cost to develop the tooling is the same for all three...