A 19-year-old college student who paid just $1,200 for a used Volkswagen was stunned when a mechanic quoted them three times that amount for repairs, including a whopping $1,360 to replace the rear brakes.
The student shared their frustration in a Reddit post, and they explained that they rely on their 2009 Volkswagen Jetta, which has 170,000 miles on it, to commute to community college every day.
After hearing a loud popping noise coming from the front of the vehicle, they took it to a mechanic only to receive an estimate totaling approximately $3,600.
"I really want to emphasize the price for replacing the sway bar links and brake pads and rotors because to me that seems absurd," the student wrote.
According to the post, the shop quoted $1,360 for rear brake pads and rotors, $659 to replace both front sway bar links, $847 for four tires and an alignment and another $202 for engine degreasing and dye.
Volkswagen
Those charges add up to $3,068, although the student said the full estimate was $3,600.
The mechanic reportedly told the student that the brakes were the most urgent repair because the pads were extremely thin. He also recommended replacing the tires before winter, particularly because the student lives in the Midwest.
While the student didn't dispute the need for repairs, they questioned why the brake job alone would cost more than they paid for the entire car.
"I've replaced brake pads and rotors before so I don't really understand how it can be that expensive," they explained.
When the student asked whether Volkswagen brakes were more difficult to replace than those on other vehicles, the mechanic reportedly said they were and implied they were doubtful the student could handle the job themselves.
However, the student wasn't buying it.
"After looking it up, it only sounds like I need one special tool to twist in the caliper piston," they wrote.
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The student said they were largely supporting themselves financially and needed an affordable, reliable car to get to school.
"Like I said, I'm a young student that is largely self supported so having reliable transportation that I can afford is essential," they wrote.
Reddit users weren't impressed with the estimate, and one commenter suggested the mechanic didn't even want the job.
"They gave you the 'go away' price," the user wrote in a comment that received more than 200 upvotes.
Another user encouraged the student to do the brake job themselves.
"It's not terribly difficult… Patience is always the key," the person wrote.
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