So I needed to get an alignment done, and I needed to get my Hawk HPS pads installed in preparation for Buttonwillow. I really wanted to do the install myself, but I just don't have time this week to do it myself, which would have undoubtedly taken much longer than it took to get a tech to install them.

So the guy is going around, installing pads... he put grease on the shims and all that. I'm thinking, good, ok, fine, whatever.

Next thing I know he is spraying the **** out of the calipers and I asked him if that was some more anti-squeal grease, WD-40, or what.

Then when I walked over there, HE HAD PAINTED THE CALIPERS BLACK.

My first reaction was OMGWTF, how in the hell did he decide to make this decision ALL BY HIMSELF? That cannot be standard practice. He said plainly, "since you have nice black wheels, I thought this would look better, cover up the rust stains..." etc.

Admittedly, they don't look that bad. But seriously, if I *hadn't* liked them, I would've had his ***.

That was by far the most surprising thing I ever could've imagined a tech doing by himself.

 

When I had my new rims put on my daily driver they ASKED me if i wanted them painted black at no charge, of course i went ahead and did it because it looks much better. But I dont think they should automatically assume its ok, What if you do like the "rusty" looking calipers?

 

yea... thats pretty insane

 

Yeah that's not cool. All he had to do was ask or just make a suggestion. BTW, where did you get it done and for how much? I want to get Hawks put on just on the front. The brake dust is KILLING me!

 

Globe Tire and Motorsport, La Cienega and Venice Blvd. Labor was $60 (I did not get the rotors turned because I only have 4k miles), not too bad I guess. I'm sure I could've done it myself, but not in 35-45 minutes like these guys.

They are very reliable and trustworthy (every time I'm there, there are LOTS of high end cars. Most of this is repeat business. I always see Bentleys, there was a CLS 500 there, a SL 600, etc etc etc. but I guess they need specific instructions like "Don't paint random shyte"

I bought the Hawk HPS pads online though. They don't stock them.

The funny thing is, not 5 minutes after the guy painted the calipers, one of the customers asked me, "did you paint the calipers yourself? I really like how that looks!"

I told him what had just happened and he agreed, it was pretty ****ed up, but I still just shrugged it off. After all, it's not like they put a big fat sticker on the car or something that noticeable.