[subforx]

And here I have never changed brake fluid in any of my cars- Never had a problem, I still have a 2008 Subaru Legacy that has the original fluid - no problems, yes it only has 45,000 miles on it but its old.

 

[Wiscoutback87]

It’s a reasonable price but it’s something I would trust any shop to do so just go the cheaper route for this. There’s nothing special about subarus braking system

 

[real_deal]

And here I have never changed brake fluid in any of my cars- Never had a problem, I still have a 2008 Subaru Legacy that has the original fluid - no problems, yes it only has 45,000 miles on it but its old.

Same. Never in any of my cars going back 24 years.

 

[YeuEmMaiMai]

Bottle of brake fluid - large $10 or less for DOT4

wife: free

total time using jack and jack stands 1 hour or less.

i bleed my fluid out completely when I do my brakes starting at the right front and going all the way around the car. when I am done fluid is clear

 

[provels]

Good leg work out too.

Either that, or watch another episode of Law & Order.

 

[stevenva]

It depends on the fluid. We only use dot 4 mixed with orphans tears. That jacks the price up.

 

[N4HHE]

And here I have never changed brake fluid in any of my cars- Never had a problem, I still have a 2008 Subaru Legacy that has the original fluid - no problems, yes it only has 45,000 miles on it but its old.

A lot of people never flush the brake fluid until they replace calipers and/or brake lines. Or total the car when they hit something.

You should try it sometime and feel what you are missing.

 

[N4HHE]

i bleed my fluid out completely when I do my brakes starting at the right front and going all the way around the car. when I am done fluid is clear

If you are saying you drain the system then refill, that is a terrible idea. The path from master cylinder to brake caliper is hilly, ups and downs. Air bubbles like to collect at high points and are very hard to push down and out. The only dependable way to get them out is to use a power flush system such as the Motive Products. Pushes fluid in and down from the top continuously without stopping as happens when one pumps the brake. A vacuum is formed when the brake pedal lifts. The air bubble pushed down rushes right back to where it was. It never comes out pumping.

The safe and sure way is to flush the system. Use new brake fluid to push the old out. Sure, there is some waste but the unused portion of the quart/liter bottle is waste unless you do another car in the next few days.

 

[N4HHE]

It depends on the fluid. We only use dot 4 mixed with orphans tears. That jacks the price up.

I prefer unicorn tears.

 

[subforx]

A lot of people never flush the brake fluid until they replace calipers and/or brake lines. Or total the car when they hit something.

You should try it sometime and feel what you are missing.

In all those years I never had a caliper or brake line problem or hit anything ( and I am talking 30+ years)
Maybe since I trade in the car before they hit 80,000 miles so I might be missing these failures perhaps ?

 

[stevenva]

Brake fluid is hydroscopic. It absorbs moisture. It must be periodically changed.

 

[subforx]

Brake fluid is hydroscopic. It absorbs moisture. It must be periodically changed.

I totally agree its a good idea to do this, I just never have- I should add this to the list !

 

[YeuEmMaiMai]

If you are saying you drain the system then refill, that is a terrible idea. The path from master cylinder to brake caliper is hilly, ups and downs. Air bubbles like to collect at high points and are very hard to push down and out. The only dependable way to get them out is to use a power flush system such as the Motive Products. Pushes fluid in and down from the top continuously without stopping as happens when one pumps the brake. A vacuum is formed when the brake pedal lifts. The air bubble pushed down rushes right back to where it was. It never comes out pumping.

The safe and sure way is to flush the system. Use new brake fluid to push the old out. Sure, there is some waste but the unused portion of the quart/liter bottle is waste unless you do another car in the next few days.

not drain in the conventional sense, i replace all old fluid with new by bleeding each corner

 

[2012 2.5premium cvt]

Where I live shop time is $150/hr, with book rate used to calculate the number of hours for a job.
Jobs like brake fluid flush may be done "at a loss," but IME those shops are hoping to find more work to do that will increase the bill. Same idea with the $29 home HVAC tuneup, they are only there to sell you more work.
I'd happily pay the $150 for brake fluid flush in my area, if the shop is competent and honest.

 

[Fognet]

So I'm around my 30k mile mark on my car. I can do the air filter, cabin filter, etc., but I made an appointment for the dealership to just do a brake fluid flush and fluid replacement, and they are quoting me $140??? Is this normal? Seems very high to me. A local shop here can do it for $90, but not sure if I should stick to Subaru since they'd probably use the proper Subaru fluid for our cars.

Any thoughts on this?

I have been driving for 70 years and have never flushed break fluid. Never heard of a break system failing for that reason. Only time I have ever removed fluid is during a break job and that never results in a complete flush.

 

[beefheart]

The dealer “brake fluid change” is typically a drain and refill of the brake fluid reservoir ONLY (not a replacement of brake fluid and full bleed to remove all the old brake fluid).

An independent workshop will do the job properly even if it is the same cost.

By the way the current hourly labour rate at Subaru dealers in Australia is $176 per hour.
Seagrass

Sorry wrong, at a legitimate shop , independent or dealership, that is not how a proper brake fluid flush is done

 

[Saddlebum042]

So I'm around my 30k mile mark on my car. I can do the air filter, cabin filter, etc., but I made an appointment for the dealership to just do a brake fluid flush and fluid replacement, and they are quoting me $140??? Is this normal? Seems very high to me. A local shop here can do it for $90, but not sure if I should stick to Subaru since they'd probably use the proper Subaru fluid for our cars.

Any thoughts on this?

That’s fair. It’s about a one hour job so a “shop rate” of $90/hr plus materials is fair.

 

[abbarach]

And here I have never changed brake fluid in any of my cars- Never had a problem, I still have a 2008 Subaru Legacy that has the original fluid - no problems, yes it only has 45,000 miles on it but its old.

I had a Mazdaspeed 3 with a hydraulic clutch. After about 8 years I started noticing that the clutch pedal return was getting sluggish when it was very cold out (at/below 5F). When it got a couple warm days I flushed the clutch line and cylinders, and the problem went away.

The fluid does degrade over time, both by absorbing moisture and by heat breakdown. The fluid specs do have a large margin for safety for "normal" use. But it is a good idea to replace it from time to time.

 

[Wangle]

I asked my Dad for help changing Brake fluid on my 1993 Loyale at 36k miles. He pooh poohed the idea. “Never done it, never had a problem”. Soon after, he lost a caliper. Then a master cylinder on another vehicle. Then “spongy pedal”. I now help him change his brake fluid every three years. 🤗

 

[John_K]

Recently paid just under $100 CDN at a local firestone shop on my daughter's civic, and that was a flush, not just a drain and fill. A 3rd year apprentice can do it, so it does not have to be shop rate.

The apprentice does it and the shop charges full rate. That's how the shop makes their margin.