Brakes and suspension
Two systems, one page, because on a British road they wear together. Everything measurable gets measured in millimetres and written on the quote — “getting low” isn’t information you can make a decision with.
Brakes — what you’ll notice
- Squeal that stops when you press the pedal — the wear indicator working
- Grinding — metal on metal, and now you’re buying discs too
- Pedal or steering wheel pulses under braking
- Pedal soft, spongy, or slowly sinking at lights
- Car pulls to one side when braking
- Handbrake needs more clicks than it used to
Suspension — what you’ll notice
- Knock or clonk over speed bumps and potholes
- Car carries on bouncing after a bump
- Creak when turning into a parking space
- One tyre edge wearing faster than the rest
- Steering feels vague or wanders on the A65
- Nose dives heavily under braking
Stop driving and ring us if the pedal goes to the floor, there’s fluid at a wheel, or there’s a bad grinding noise and the car pulls hard when you brake. That’s a recovery job, not a booking for Thursday.
What it costs
| Job | Price inc. VAT |
|---|---|
| Brake inspection, measured and photographed | free |
| Front pads fitted | from £129 |
| Front pads and discs fitted | from £229 |
| Rear pads and discs fitted | from £215 |
| Caliper, per side | from £185 |
| Brake fluid change | £59 |
| Corroded brake pipe section | from £95 |
| Shock absorbers, pair | from £289 |
| Coil spring, per side | from £165 |
| Drop links, pair | from £109 |
| Front wishbone with bushes, per side | from £215 |
| Wheel bearing, per side | from £199 |
Suspension work usually needs the tracking checking afterwards. We don’t have an alignment rig, so we book it with a firm two minutes away and coordinate it into the same day — you don’t make two trips.
Ask any garage for these
Pad thickness, mm
New is 10–12 mm. Replace around 3 mm. Anything between is a plan, not an emergency.
Disc thickness vs minimum
The minimum is stamped on the disc. Above it and running true means you don’t need new discs, whatever the upsell says.
Fluid moisture, %
Above roughly 3% and the boiling point has dropped enough to matter. Tested, not guessed from the calendar.
Do discs always go with pads?
No. If the disc is above minimum thickness, true and unscored, pads alone are right. Some places replace both every time because it’s quicker to sell than to measure.
Why does the wheel shake when I brake?
Usually disc thickness variation, often from uneven pad deposits or a sticking caliper slider rather than a genuinely warped disc. We measure with a dial gauge because the fix is different for each.
How long do shocks last?
60,000–80,000 miles typically, less on rough roads. They go off gradually, which is why people are surprised how different the car feels afterwards.
Are cheap pads a false economy?
On a heavy car doing motorway miles, often yes — they fade and cover your wheels in dust. On a light city car they’re fine. We’ll quote two options and say which we’d fit ourselves.