New Rotors with Brake Job?

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Care, Maintenance and Troubleshooting' started by Philtration, Oct 7, 2025 at 8:30 PM.

  1. Philtration

    Philtration New Member

    Joined:
    Yesterday
    1
    0
    0
    Location:
    Walla Walla
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Model:
    II
    2006 Gen2 with 211k miles and original brakes. Almost all of the mileage is highway, I'm the almost original owner. Heard some noise when braking around town and took it in to a shop. The guy is quoting me replacement of everything: pads, calipers, & rotors. Front brakes $666. Back brakes (drum) $634.

    Two questions:
    1. Are rotors and calipers always changed out at this mileage? Didn't get a detailed breakdown on the rear brakes, but I assume he's including new drums.
    2. Are these good prices?
    Thanks!
     
  2. VelvetFoot

    VelvetFoot Member

    Joined:
    Sep 17, 2025
    192
    47
    0
    Location:
    New York State
    Vehicle:
    2026 Prius
    Model:
    LE
    211k on original pads? Amazing! The rear pads on my MINI gave out at 22k. Fronts a little better, oddly.
    I've replaced pads only on it, with no pulsating, etc. No way I was replacing rotors at such low mileage, although they usually want to do rotors.
    Rotor thickness was good (micrometer), but you can see wear on rotors that have a lot of usage. Maybe the pads were soft.
    I'm amazed at how much new brakes cost, even the parts.
    I wonder if your guy is using Toyota parts. You could price them out online.
    Generally, I've had better luck with OEM than aftermarket, even though more expensive.
    He's replacing the calipers? That seems extreme.
    Mine had a little sensor that made contact with the rotor when pad got thickness got low.
    I don't know if the tang on the pad that scrapes the rotor on mechanical warning setup does anything bad to the rotor.
    I wouldn't think the rotors would experience time related deterioration. Maybe the calipers do, and at 211k miles....
    I have no experience, or very little, with drum brakes.

    Hopefully someone who has more experience will comment too.
     
  3. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    12,723
    2,273
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    I use new rotors and drums at this kinda mileage . On my stuff . If customer opts to Mill or turn . That's on them
     
  4. ColoradoBoo

    ColoradoBoo Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2019
    1,205
    790
    4
    Location:
    Monument, Colorado USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Did he say why he wants to replace calipers? Unless there's a lot of rust or they are damaged, they don't need replacement.

    Yes to replacing both the rotors and brake pads but NO to those prices....should be around half of that! I'd find another mechanic and not a chain (like Firestone or Brake Plus, etc.)

    I've seen Toyota Dealerships having discounts on certain jobs like brakes and transmission....might be worth it to give them a look. (And the OEM Toyota rotors and brake pads are the best, I've used them all and Toyota just has the best, it's not even close to 2nd place.)
     
  5. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk MMX GEN III

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    59,656
    41,029
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    It could be you just need pads, or pads/shoes, or pads/shoes/rotors, or pads/shoes/rotors/drums, or pads/shoes/rotors/drums/calipers, or
    pads:shoes/rotors/drums/calipers/wheel cylinders.

    What’s the noise like, when do you hear it, can you tell if it’s front or rear?

    Walla Walla being well inland, lots of snow and road salt driving?

    The odds of needing everything seem “long”, and considering the price is not crazy, maybe your mechanic hasn’t spelled out what he is and isn’t doing?

    It seems a long shot that everything is kaput.
     
    #5 Mendel Leisk, Oct 8, 2025 at 9:36 AM
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2025 at 10:35 AM
  6. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    12,723
    2,273
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Kayla ope back door please need eggs
     
  7. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk MMX GEN III

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    59,656
    41,029
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    Tom, did you forget to turn off voice-dictation? :ROFLMAO:
     
  8. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    12,723
    2,273
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    I have no idea but I'll tell you what I don't know how people are getting the $640 for a brake job on the front of the back of any car in this day and age $28 rotors 40 pad sets and 40 minutes . Dang . Used to do 12 of those a day.
     
  9. saneesh8

    saneesh8 Member

    Joined:
    Jul 5, 2024
    169
    41
    0
    Location:
    Allen, TX
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    One
    As we know, on a hybrid car, the brakes lasts for ever. My 2009 with ~155k still have 1/2 life left on the front pads. It makes some kind of creaking noise randomly. Seems the caliper to shims movement or something like that. So don't want to replace it.Pads/shoes/rotors will wear out, but caliper, i guess you dont have to replace it unless the boot is torn and rusted inside or some cracks.

    Years back, i was in same situation. I didn't knew about working on cars. A chain store charged $800 for replacing caliper/rotors and pads on the 2002 VW Passat. It was making a faint sound. Guess what, the new caliper they put on ( i still think there was nothing wrong with old one), started leaking and car was in their shop for a week to get parts from their warehouse and for a washer, they waited extra few days and finally i bought it from local dealer.
     
  10. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2021
    3,189
    1,692
    0
    Location:
    SacTown, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    LE
    Like everything in life; it depends. If I was the shop owner and expected to warranty the work - that estimate wouldn't be out of line. The only really questionable items are the calibers and rear brake cylinders. I would have to inspect and measure the rotors & drums to make that call. Your not going to get OEM parts with that quoted price; but the part would be quality enough for the shop to stand behind the warranty they're giving you.
    If you flush-out and replace the brake system fluid every 3-5 year; there isn't a need to replace those calipers - unless they're leaking or something; again the reason for a physical inspection. Does that price include flushing out your braking system? That should be done if you don't service your brake fluid regularly.
    In my experience, you can usually get a second set of brake pads on the OEM rotors - before you need to replace them. If you try for a third set of pads, you'll likely get rotor warp and brake pulsation midway through that third set of pads. The rear drums would depend on how often you forget and drag the parking brakes and/or manually adjust them. One shoe usually wears faster than the other; dependent on parking brake drag or maladjustment - auto-adjusters getting jammed up.
    My best advice is to get a few more quotes around town and check online reviews of the shop that you think you going to send the work to....
    @Tombukt2 There's a thing called inflation, so unless you own the ground and shop your on and don't have to pay any staff - prices need to go up. The prices also are dependent on where you are too; big city = higher prices.

    Hope this helps

    PS: If you never changed the transmission fluid on that car, you should probably do so. It's probably black as tar by now. It's an E-CVT, so the old ATF myths don't apply to this transmission.
     
    #10 BiomedO1, Oct 8, 2025 at 12:18 PM
    Last edited: Oct 8, 2025 at 1:22 PM
  11. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 29, 2020
    12,723
    2,273
    0
    Location:
    Durham NC
    Vehicle:
    2009 Prius
    Model:
    Base
    Yes I own where I'm at and all the tools that are where I'm at and everything where I'm at is mine . No help to pay no signage etc . And well out of City limits and high rent districts. This was very on purpose also. I'm not interested in just working for anybody that pulls into the driveway not at all.
     
    BiomedO1 likes this.
  12. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2021
    3,189
    1,692
    0
    Location:
    SacTown, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    LE
    Yes; my dad was a mechanic and owned his own ground too. That really cuts down on cost and I was pretty much free labor over the summer breaks. As my dad and I has gotten older, I had to step in and manage the shop a few times when he had medical issues. We've never had more than one or two guys employed at anytime or guys starting out and we would do a revenue split.
    It's just a lot easier when your not beholden to landlords and/or banks, so you can give a customer a fair shake. There was always enough work and money to raise a middle income family; but there was a zero chance you would get rich doing that........