anybody got a car mechanic sat within chatting distance?

[esgee]

who would give me reassurance please?

my car was making a whistling noise, which I was able to hone to the the front wheel. I took it to a person who was recommended. he took it for a short run to hear it as it didn't make this noise without it being driven.

When he came back he put some sort of gauge on the discs of the wheels. The back read 26 the front drivers side was 36 and the one making the noise was 136.

And then said it was the brake discs and a calliper needing replacing at a cost of £500, as it was overheating.

Can anybody please confirm that this is right. Oh, and it is too dangerous to drive
Thank you - woman on her own, knowing nothing but don't want to get ripped off!!

What car is it?

Its a Toyota Rav 4. 55 plate, and mileage is 126,000.

Thats expensive for a calliper. Can you call a mobile mechanic or independent garage

So a quick euros search a calliper for your car is around 95 to 120.
However to a mechanic that would be around half that.

Book time to fit that would be hardly any. Total inc labour should be around 200

Disks are also pennies to them.

A relative is a mechanic.
He got pads and disks all round for a 56 plate rav 4 for £100 for all Pagid ones.

Just had a calliper replaced on our car, total bill including labour, brake pads and calliper was £250.
Purely for interest DH phoned the Suzuki dealer to ask their price, and the calliper alone was £750.
So, don’t go main dealer, but to a small (trusted) independent.

DP (mechanic) says :"that's expensive, couple of hundred quid should do it"

The whistling noise might even just be the brake pad (could it be described as a squealing noise?) the pads have indicators which make a noise like that when they are running out.

Kiwi fit do free brake inspections if you want a second opinion.

Where are you based OP?

I have a highly trusted mechanic in North Surrey area

As previous poster says, it's likely the warning sound your pads are low. Kwick Fit and others offer free brake pad checks

it's definitely a whistle rather than a squeal, and he is a mobile mechanic, not a toyota dealer.

the car passed it's mot in July with no advisories, if there was something wrong with the brakes would it have not been picked up then, like if the discs were wornor wearing I have driven less than 500 miles since then.

He said the brakes were spongey?? and the car had a slight pull to one side.

I have not noticed any of these things and I am quite 'in tune' to my car, and all the noise it makes.

The orange management light came on and he said that was due the catalytic converter thingy and i should buy an OBD reader?? so he switched that light off.

The quote reads... brake overheating, suspect seized caliper.

Then I just happened to mention the whistle, and here we are with a potential death trap (do not drive this car he said) and a £500 quote

God, I'm ripe for this aren't I?

I may take this death trap to kwik fit, thank you for that Information.

I had similar whistling sound - turned out to be a stone stuck in the wheel! It slowly wore down and fell out. I would get second opinion if I were you.

The fact you have temp readings does suggest a seized caliper. The caliper, a pair of discs and a set of pads are around £170. Add £20 for sundries like brake fluid and probably 2-3hrs labour. Depends entirely on the labour rate but I’m guessing a mobile guy might be around £60/hr. That makes £370 at the max, but I’d expect it to be more like £300.