Price for a brake fluid change

teddys.nursery, Jul 7, 6:26pm
Roughly how much does a brake fluid change cost? My local dealer wants to charge me $120 which seems a bit excessive to me
snoopy221, Jul 7, 6:29pm
In todays world of ABS as well as master and wheel cylnders/calipers and time and the cost of fluid it ain;t too far off the ball park-and hey go price a lawyer with clean hands and see how much ya get for ya 120
franc123, Jul 7, 6:58pm
For what vehicle? About half that amount +gst should be enough to cover most cars.
stevo2, Jul 7, 7:00pm
Normally about $75 if done with a service
intrade, Jul 7, 8:17pm
i charge 150 unless i have done it before then it becomes a lot cheaper as its done during brake pads exchange. A normal car needs 1.5 liter to be flushed on all 4 corner . Special machines for brake fluid could do it cheaper . I use a vac botte and manually bleed the last bit after flushing.
intrade, Jul 7, 8:19pm
no offence but toyota dont flush brake fluid they tell people is not needed instead and probabyl charge 75$ for that.
sw20, Jul 7, 10:20pm
Can you do it yourself cheaper?
bryshaw, Jul 7, 10:29pm
If you don't change every 3 years or so the moisture in the fluid can affect your ABS components, then big $$$$.
hollandia, Jul 7, 11:45pm
How does the fluid absorb moisture from the atmosphere?
thejazzpianoma, Jul 7, 11:54pm
It's Hygroscopic
marte, Jul 8, 2:11am
Can't it be done via OBDII using the ABS pump?

Vacuum is the only way I would do it otherwise.
franc123, Jul 8, 2:49am
The fluid is formulated to do so over time, for obvious reasons moisture in the hydraulic system isn't desirable. It has a service life and is supposed to be exhanged every couple of years.
gazzat22, Jul 8, 2:53pm
What about Synthetic Brake Fluid. ?
intrade, Jul 8, 6:03pm
cant mix synthetic usually found in motorbike dot 5.
Dot 5,1 is backwards compatible with dot 4 but you wont like the price it be 300$ just for 1.5 liter fluid plus labour for DOT 5.1 or there abouts.
2sheddies, Jul 8, 6:12pm
Now come on franc, you know as well as anyone that the average Kiwi considers a wof check to be the extent of the full comprehensive service routine, with perhaps an oil change once every year or two at best if the hapless car is lucky. Brake fluid exchange? Pushing shit uphill. :-P
intrade, Jul 8, 6:20pm
16 i remember taking cars for a wof in switzerland was as scary as going to the dentist. 3 strikes and your out . you where supposed to bring a car in a wof-able state - brake fluid gets tested 1 strike clicking cv joint another . one light not working 3 test aborted . new fee new apointment.
they changed a few things since i left in 80s and 90s it was ultra tuff . here is a forum what some write of there experience.
friendly kiwi is about right.
even the tax demands are written like that .
https://www.englishforum.ch/transportation-driving/170-testing-car-mfk.html
intrade, Jul 8, 6:49pm
franc123, Jul 8, 7:41pm
You're right, it doesnt usually happen by the book, you do however get customers agreeing to do it if you recommend it as a tack on to its normal service if you care to explain why its good practice to do it. Although I could understand why many wouldn't if you were going to charge over a hundred dollars for it and say a litre and a half of fluid is needed,
bryshaw, Jul 8, 11:07pm
For an extra $60 at service time it is not worth doing it yourself.
intrade, Jul 9, 9:05am
The only difference is if you do the brakes your self Then the pads could just be fitted and nothing else if a brake fluid exchange was just done and is within its 2 years service live.
oldboyjohn, Jul 9, 9:14am
Had it done on a 2013 car from the US. Cost quite a bit more as they took the master cylinder off and cleaned that as well as the calipers. You get what you pay for, but hey, all they do is stop you in an emergency!
intrade, Jul 9, 9:38am
re 22 i was just gona write another comment as follows
If its to cheap then its probably not done right or not done at all.
There is a few more reasons but mostly thats the common ones to think about.
gazzat22, Jul 9, 10:02am
What if one buys an import Jap or Euro? Is the brake Fluid checked /changed as part of the compliance and should it be as part of the compliance?
oldboyjohn, Nov 30, 4:49pm
Any import I have bought, and cars from here, get a complete fluid change, including g/box & diff. Should it be part of compliance? Don't see how, a car doesn't have to have new fluids to comply, if you went down that road most cars would fail.