My Day at Fast-Brakes = Rapi-Frenos / The Brake-O of Quito, Ecuador

by Admin: JourneymanJack- 01 JUL 2014 {HIRE ACT FATCA / FatCat Day}

 

 Time for my every 6 month safety & emissions inspection, only way for me to pass is to have one of the approved brake shops guarantee & vouch- all round, front pads, rear shoes, chg. Brake fluid, new calipers-$330. At Fast - Brakes — at Rapifrenos.

  Rapi-Frenos is the Brake-O of Quito, and use Ceramic pads & shoes, and they turned my drums & rotors, it is a 1.5 Ton Rated Truck,

   I would hate to think what a Ford F-450 complete brake job would go for back in GA, I'd imagine, w/ inflation accounted for triple this $329.20

   The main thing is when I go for my safety & emissions inspection this month, (every 6 months) they put me on the same dynamo as a 90ft bus / tractor trailers & tandem dump trucks and expect me to retard it w/ equal force.

   So naturally I get failed every time after camping out all night to be near the front of the line. (and get to do it all over again) I can get there at midnight - 01:00am and there are all ready 50 - 75 trucks waiting for the 7:30 - 8am open up time.

 

   There are only 2 Med & Big Truck check stations in Quito, Carapunga In the N. (nearest me) & Sangolqui in the S.

  ...The light duty mini vans & trucks like 4door's toyo hilux, mazda, d-max diesel, vw amarok, SUV's, cars & motorcycles are supposed to go only once a yr to the normal car check stations all around town 8 or 10 of them, unless they have some special licenses & permits.

  There are 10 of these Rapi-Frenos Shops around Quito, I met the owner of this particular shop in Calderon about 10 blocks from the Carapungo check station.

 

   If I come back in 10 days to 100km's (after the messy brake fluid bleeding job dries up) He promises a 90 day warranty and to pass the inspection,

 ..and to even go to bat for me at the check station. The check station wants the brakes adjusted down so tight, that the truck nearly stalls out & struggles to take off in first gear! (thats rediculous!!) Adding unnecessary wear & tear on the clutch & drive train. 

  The truck is near 3 yrs old this month, approaching 60,000 km's = 37,200 miles. Bought new from KIA Dealership at Sta. Lucia & 6 DIC. N. Quito, back in JUL 2011.

  I have a 5 yr or 100k km's warranty, as long as I do an every 5,000km service contract with them, so far so good.

  The oil changes & front end alignments run about $125.00 the alternating major services every 10k km's run from $250 to $500. on a graduating scale.

  I try not to use the truck for anything personal, much. I catch a cab, bus and ride a little 100cc Suzuki for close by runs as much as possible to keep the klics down so the warranty yrs will hopefully run out about the same time as klicks JUL 2016.

  I have all ways done my own brakes & routine maintenance up until I left GA. I have done more Comm truck air brake jobs than med & light duty hydraulic truck brakes.

  These guys took a ball peen hammer to my back drums trying to get them off until I come out of waiting room and told them there were 2 set screws that needed taking out first...?

 

  I could have went to a shade tree guy or done it myself for the $200. range, in both cases I would have been riding the scooter around hunting for parts, and would have taken a couple of days, and truck out of my possession & eyesight if I went w/ a shade tree shop..

  You really do not want to leave your vehicle in just any old shop overnight, you can wind up getting some parts changed out that you did not intend to.

  These folks did get me in and out in about 4 hrs. (which is lightening fast for EC!) I kept one eye on the USA / Belgium world cup game, and one eye on the brake experts:)

...and they were ready, this was my original shoes on back, and my 2nd set of pads in 60k km's could have made it through another 90 days or so before getting into the early warning tab.

 

  These ole Andes Mountains do a number on some brakes, in a hurry! I should be back in the ole swing of my own brake jobs and routine maintenance before my warranty runs out, and I reach some sort of understanding with the check station officials, poss-ee-blee??? http://www.rapi-frenos.com.ec/index.html