PSA: Heard a customer at the parts counter asking for 'the cheap one' for his brake lines

The guy was getting parts for his 2012 Silverado and specifically told the counter guy to give him the lowest grade steel line they had. The counter guy tried to warn him about corrosion, but the customer just waved him off. I've seen what happens when those budget lines fail after a couple of winters. It's not worth the fifty bucks you save. Has anyone else had to deal with a customer insisting on the wrong part for a critical system?

3 comments

3 Comments

nina_johnson861mo agoMost Upvoted

Wait, CHEAP brake lines on a truck that heavy? That's a hard NO. @ben206 is totally right about the short-term thinking, but this is next level. Brakes are the one thing you NEVER go budget on, period. I just picture that line blowing out when he's trying to stop with a load in the bed. The fifty bucks he saved won't cover his deductible, let alone the guilt if he hurts someone. Some people just can't be told.

simonl1118d ago

@nina_johnson86 you just made my stomach drop picturing that. A brake line blowing out with a full load in the bed? That's not a repair bill, that's a potential lawsuit or worse. I've seen people skimp on wiring and have a truck catch fire, but brakes are a whole different animal. You're dead on about the fifty bucks not covering the deductible either. Some lessons just have to be learned the hard way I guess.

ben2061mo ago

It's the same mindset as people buying the absolute cheapest tires... they're only thinking about the price tag right now. You see it with phone chargers that fry ports and bargain basement power tools that break on the second job. Saving a few bucks upfront just costs way more later, especially when safety is on the line. It's a frustrating kind of short-term thinking.