Your car has a number of “normal wear” items: things like tires and belts… components that are designed to wear out over time.
One of the more familiar normal-wear items is the brakes. They’re designed to wear out as they create friction to slow your car. So, eventually, your car’s brakes will wear out and you’ll need to have them replaced. It’s part of owning a car.
But a brake job on today’s cars can be an expensive proposition. So it just makes good sense to reduce the brake wear, so they don’t have to be replaced any more often than necessary.
There are five simple things you can do to help get more miles out of your brakes, and, generally speaking, they don’t require a lot of effort.
- Slow down — The faster you drive, the harder your brakes have to work to stop the car. So driving slower will not only save you gas; it’ll also help you get more miles out of your brakes.
- Anticipate your stops — Look ahead; not just at the car in front of you, but farther down the road. See that traffic light? If it’s red, let off the gas a little and let your car start to coast. Keeping your foot on the gas only means you’ll have to apply the brakes harder when you reach the light, creating more friction and wearing your brakes faster.
- Pump the brake pedal — As you’re slowing down or coming to a stop, don’t just hold the brakes on. Pump the pedal, completely releasing it and then reapplying it. That allows the brakes to cool a little. That short cooling sequence can add miles to your brakes.
- Use your right foot for the brake and the gas — The situation seems logical: You have two feet and two pedals. But if you drive two-footed, you’re probably going to rest your left foot on the brake pedal… not much, but it doesn’t take much. Resting your foot on the brake pedal, even a tiny bit, prevents the brake fluid from releasing all the way. That tiny connection will cause the brakes to drag, burning them out in no time.
- Buy better brakes — Most brakes are available in a wide variety of materials, from simple organic pads to high-end ceramic. And, generally speaking, the more durable the material, the more it costs. So ask your shop technician to use a better grade of brake material; it’ll pay for itself many times over in extra miles.
Follow these five simple steps, and you’ll get more miles out of your brakes, and save money over the long haul.
The customer service was concerned about the parking area for my vehicle for overnight early bird service.They called me to inform me they were gonna check back with me before any services on my vehicle were done with my approval which, made me comfortable to know they showed responsibility in their work.
Fast, friendly, reliable and fair. I ended up having to get my town & country transmission repaired/replaced & my spark plugs replaced right before Christmas this past year & they said they could do it the next day if I could leave it that day. Well I didn't have a ride home & my other car needed a jump start since we hadn't driven it much. The owner not only offered to drive me home, but also jump start my other car so I could of get my niece from school. If that's not service, I don't know what is. They also ened up doing my 2014 escape transmission the yr b4. They were recommended by a friend & I would recommend them as well.
I purchased a "newly" used vehicle and was concerned about transmission issues and they made sure I was taken care of. The staff was extremely friendly and polite, and not only did they provide me with all the necessary services I needed, they also educated me. I would highly recommend this location.
The service was great. Someone recommended them to me. They took care of the issue I was having with my vehicle with no issues. I’ll be going to them from here on out!
A very satisfied customer
Staff were all professional. Manager was a saint, gentleman, and scholar. Great company with excellent values. I would highly recommend them.
Kevin and his entire staff are the best. I had a brake caliper fail and they took care of very quickly and for a great price. Since then, I had new flare fenders with led lights installed on my Jeep Wrangler. Same great service and value.
I have been taking my vehicles to Cottman for the last year and I have never been disappointed. Kevin is the General Manager and I have known him personally for several years. This is an honest shop with quality work and great, trustworthy employees. Law Enforcement friendly, which is a major plus. It is hard to find a reliable place for vehicles now and days so skip the stress and take your vehicles here.
I love this place. came here a few years back, great work. just came in recently, wanted to wait a few days for the review.let me tell you Vicki was amazing and as helpful as can be and kevin did repair and excellent job on my transmission as well as work with me . had a world of trouble with my warranty place but they did their best to help with it all and my car is running excellent. will be back soon for oil change and any future repairs. thanks guys.
I love this place. came here a few years back, great work. just came in recently, wanted to wait a few days for the review.let me tell you Vicki was amazing and as helpful as can be and kevin did repair and excellent job on my transmission as well as work with me . had a world of trouble with my warranty place but they did their best to help with it all and my car is running excellent. will be back soon for oil change and any future repairs. thanks guys.
My experience at Cottman was awesome! The waiting lounge was very clean and looked great. The front desk staff was kind and personable. My wheels got aligned very quickly and they did a great job for an awesome price! The owner is extremely professional and quite handsome as well.
Best shop to have your vehicle repaired. Professional and timely. Owner gives fair prices and easy to work with. I would highly recommend to anyone.
The work was excellent and done in a timely manner. Found the best pri
ce for the work needed!!!
Great customer service!! The staff was very attentive. A issue arose while they were working on my vehicle, and the mechanics diagnosed it and where back on track in no time. What I liked the most was that they kept me in the loop while they tried to find a resolution.
Fast and efficient service.
