How Much Do Brake Pads and Brake Discs Cost?

Everyone knows that brake pads and brake discs are some of the most important parts of any car, but how many of us know how much they cost?

Find out how much brake pads and discs cost and what you can expect to pay for a replacement by reading this blog. 

 

 

Summary

A set of brake pads costs £45.79 on average, with a set of front brake pads costing £45.97 and a set of rear brake pads £45.61.

Including labour costs, a front brake pad replacement costs £121.80 and a rear £109.83.

A set of front brake discs costs £97.06 and a set of rear ones £87.84 on average.

The following averages are based on bookings made through BookMyGarage between 1st September 2020 and 1st April 2023. 

The average cost of a front brake pad and disc replacement is £274.21. 

The average cost of a rear brake pad and disc replacement is £252.67.

 

 

How Much Do Brake Pads Cost (UK)?

A set of two brake pads cost £45.79 on average.

However, front brake pads are more expensive than rear brake pads.

As they do the bulk of the braking, they are larger than rear pads.

This helps them cope with the weight transfer and braking forces.

There are also design differences, such as ventilation, which increase the cost.

This means that you will pay a different amount depending on which brake pads need replacing.

The cost of changing your brake pads can vary depending on:

• The make of car
• Its engine size
• If the brake discs are being replaced at the same time

 

Front Brake Pads

For all our brake pad average prices, we compared prices for 18 popular UK models on Eurocarparts.

As many models had more than one suitable option, we took every available part into account when calculating an average.

A set of front brake pads costs £45.97 on average.

 

 

Rear Brake Pads

A set of rear brake pads costs £45.61 on average.

 

 

*Prices unavailable for Citroen C1, Fiat 500, Nissan Micra, Renault Clio and Toyota Aygo.

 

 

Total Cost of Brake Pads

We compared brake pad replacements booked through BookMyGarage to calculate an average price for both front and rear brake pad replacements.

As of May 2023, it costs £128.19 to replace front brake pads and a rear brake pad replacement costs £117.25, on average.

 

How Much Do Brake Discs Cost (UK)?

For all our brake disc average prices, we compared prices for 19 popular UK models on Eurocarparts.

As many models had more than one suitable option, we again took every available part into account when calculating an average.

A set of front brake discs costs £80.83 on average and a set of rear brake discs costs £72.98 on average.

 

 

If you need a brake disc replacement, the mechanic will also replace your brake pads.

Generally, brake pads don't last as long, so they will advise replacing both for your safety.

 

How Much Do Brake Pads and Brake Discs Cost?

We compared brake pad and disc replacement costs from garages on BookMyGarage.

We found that the average cost for front pad and disc replacement is £274.15 and £272.02 for the rear, as of May 2023.

This includes the cost of labour.

Generally speaking, the larger the engine, the higher your brake pad and disc replacement cost will be. 

Likewise, the more premium the car brand, the higher the disc and pad replacement cost. 

In the UK, the average garage charges around £50 an hour.

If you've been quoted well over the average from another garage, why not compare garages near you through BookMyGarage instead?

We offer instant, transparent prices from thousands of UK garages.

You can save up to 70% on the cost of your brake pad and disc replacement when you choose one of the lower-cost options.

See how much you can save on your car maintenance by entering your reg and postcode into our online comparison site. 

 

 

When Do I Need to Change Brake Pads and Brake Discs?

Brake pads last between 25,000 and 60,000 miles.

You should change your brake pads roughly every 40,000 miles and your brake discs every 50,000 miles on average. 

Front brake pads experience a lot of wear and tear because they bear the brunt of the braking process.

A mechanic will inspect your brake pads during a car service, so you'll always get an update on their condition when you book one.

Brake discs generally last a little longer than brake pads, but we recommend changing them together even so as this can be more cost-efficient. 

If your brake pads are heavily worn, there's a good chance that your brake discs are reaching the end of their life as well.

You should change brake discs every 50,000 miles - even though they can last longer than this.

 

What Is the Brake Pad Warning Light?

In most modern cars, there is a brake pad warning light that alerts you when you need to replace your brake pads.

Generally, this warning light gives you around 1,000 miles of efficient braking to book a replacement.

You shouldn't ignore this warning light - or any other warning signs that your brakes need to be replaced.

Brand new brake pads have 8 to 12 mm of wear.

If you see the brake pad warning light, it means you have about 3mm wear left on your brake pads.

 

The brake pad warning light can appear as yellow or red.

Yellow means you can still drive, but you should get to a garage as soon as possible. 

Red means you should stop driving and get to a garage using your recovery provider.

You should book an appointment at a local garage as soon as you see this warning light.

 

 

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