SF Bay Area Mechanics

[PaddyPrix]

Times like these makes me want to just do the work myself honestly, but I don't have a free weekend or area to do the work until the event.

I commute to San Jose once a week, and at the suggestion of a buddy, I am going to David's autoworks. His prices are much better than the Napa shops so I'll update once I get it done.

Honest, I'm a straight up idiot, and I change out my rotors, fluid, and pads. Get a $99 mechanic socket/wrench set from HD/HF/Lowes, can borrow a vacuum bleeder from an Autozone, and buy yourself a few bottles of Motul RBF 600 from Amazon. If you still don't feel comfy, you could search your local Craigslist or Facebook for a mobile mechanic, get some quotes, and hand them your parts. Anybody who has done it it before should generally do it in less than an hour, two at most, and when you figure $60-75/hr, you're no worse than $150.

The other reason for doing it yourself, is that you can then keep a set of track pads/rotors, and street pads/rotors. Track pads will work on the street, and they'll suck since there's no way you're braking hard enough or long enough for them to really work, and they'll chew your rotors. Street pads will work on the track... depending on where you go, could be as short as two laps.

Considering the NorCal tracks have walls pretty much everywhere unlike the Central and SoCal tracks, track pads/rotors may be a sound investment. This was from my first track day, and it did not take very long for something so heavy to generate enough heat to melt through the stock pads and boil the fluid.



Spoiler alert - I survived and drive it like 30 sec faster.

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[Rodpwnz]

@Rodpwnz maybe you caught him on an off day. Make it clear you’re prepping for an HPDE and you may get a different answer. They certainly work on street cars but they focus on performance-related work, not everyday maintenance.

Yesterday, I elaborated to AV8 in the same FB chat that I was prepping for an HPDE, had heat checking on rotors, wanted to change to SRF brake fluid and that I wanted to talk about possible transmission cooling solutions($$$).....aaaaand they left me on read. 0/10 rated experience with them for me thus far, sadly. Glad you guys are getting a response from them, let alone quality work. Maybe if I had a Shelby badge on my car their doors would swing open, but alas mine only has "5.0" and "GT" lmao.

That's my final attempt- I shouldn't have to chase them or explain why they should take my business.

Honest, I'm a straight up idiot, and I change out my rotors, fluid, and pads. Get a $99 mechanic socket/wrench set from HD/HF/Lowes, can borrow a vacuum bleeder from an Autozone, and buy yourself a few bottles of Motul RBF 600 from Amazon. If you still don't feel comfy, you could search your local Craigslist or Facebook for a mobile mechanic, get some quotes, and hand them your parts. Anybody who has done it it before should generally do it in less than an hour, two at most, and when you figure $60-75/hr, you're no worse than $150.

The other reason for doing it yourself, is that you can then keep a set of track pads/rotors, and street pads/rotors. Track pads will work on the street, and they'll suck since there's no way you're braking hard enough or long enough for them to really work, and they'll chew your rotors. Street pads will work on the track... depending on where you go, could be as short as two laps.

Considering the NorCal tracks have walls pretty much everywhere unlike the Central and SoCal tracks, track pads/rotors may be a sound investment. This was from my first track day, and it did not take very long for something so heavy to generate enough heat to melt through the stock pads and boil the fluid.



Spoiler alert - I survived and drive it like 30 sec faster.

That seemed pretty frightening mid turn! Hopefully undies were intact afterwards lol

I consider myself a cautious/casual HPDE driver and am slowly progressing in speed and skill. I have yet to boil fluid(I think) and am trying to purchase upgraded cooling brake vanes custom made by a member here. IIRC My PR at Thill 3 mile bypass was around 2:20 on a fresh set of MP4S . Thill also has a lot of open grass/dirt areas so safer than Laguna or sonoma IMO.

I also do have the tools, just am not legally allowed to wrench on my car at my apartment complex. I generally know how to change rotors, pads and fluid, but it would take me a day since I'm a beginner/anxious and would be referencing a youtube video or instructions 10x per step to make sure I don't miss something. Thanks for believing in me though

Maybe next time I do it myself, but David's Autoworks quoted me around $250 and I'm ok with paying that compared to the ludicrous $400+ Napa mechanics were quoting for labor. Now....to finalize which rotors and pads to get.

 

[NavsENG]

I'm in Napa/Sonoma area, and I have my next HPDE at T-hill later this month. I wanted to get work done before the event.

I messaged AV8 (Trent and Darrell) on FB for a quote on changing rotors, brake fluid and pads. They told me that they don't work on "street cars", and I guess that technically rules me out since I daily my car more often than I track it. I'm not going to push them to take my money, especially as the customer. The funny part is that earlier, a top rated Napa mechanic told me that he doesn't advise to use anything but OEM brake fluid, and when I asked him why, he said he doesn't work on "race cars" so he wouldn't know how a different fluid would work for me. After that statement, I decided to look for a more performance oriented shop and came across this thread and Trent/AV8...

So which one is it? Do I have a street car or a race car?(Mostly street car if you ask me) Either way I'm feeling like I'm getting screwed lol! Times like these makes me want to just do the work myself honestly, but I don't have a free weekend or area to do the work until the event.

I commute to San Jose once a week, and at the suggestion of a buddy, I am going to David's autoworks. His prices are much better than the Napa shops so I'll update once I get it done.

I don't believe he works for AV8. Hes got a shop independent of AV8 at sonoma. AV8 does full on race car stuff.

Where are you located?

 

[Rodpwnz]

I don't believe he works for AV8. Hes got a shop independent of AV8 at sonoma. AV8 does full on race car stuff.

Where are you located?

Thanks for the info - that would make more sense considering what others are reporting and what AV8 told me.

I'm in Napa area mostly- sometimes in San Jose. What's up?

 

[Mr. Maboomba]

I communicate with Trent through Instagram (@trent_musser) or email ([email protected]). I don’t know who AV8 is.

 

[Rodpwnz]

I communicate with Trent through Instagram (@trent_musser) or email ([email protected]). I don’t know who AV8 is.

I don’t know how I came about AV8 as being synonymous with Trent. That’s a goof on my end, I’ll send trent a direct message tomorrow. Thanks guys.

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