"I did a price test for brake pad replacement as a part of my regular car maintenance. Unlike most price tests, I only went to one location. The intent was to see whether the price of the job would change depending on what I said to the service representative. For the first visit, I told the attendant that my brakes were squeaking and asked for a price quote to replacing them. He told me it would be $350.00 to replace my set. No further explanation about this was offered. On the second visit, I told the same attendant about the squeak, but then added that if my brake pads did need replacing, I would like them to try to machine my rotors instead of installing new ones. His response was much more elaborate and the price quote came down to $130-$300 depending on the results of a brake inspection. I was shocked at how much the representative’s attitude changed towards me when I added 5 new terms to my question. It was like going to another country and attempting to speak the language. I think he appreciated the effort, or at least took me a little more seriously. I do not have an extensive knowledge of brake functions, but with a little research I saved a lot of money and hassle on my car maintenance." - Erin W.

CAR MAINTENANCE & REPAIR FOR WOMEN

Pedals and Pumps provides direct, honest information about car maintenance and repair for women. We provide money and time saving tips for readers who want to maximize their dollar and simplify their auto owning experience.