E36 316i rear drum brakes questions

[Atominist]

Hi, my car failed an NCT on rear brakes on one side, it wasn't holding or something, it's a '98 E36 316i coupe.

So I took it to a garage my wife recommended, expecting the guy to just adjust the brakes and maybe change the shoes. He said he needed to take the brakes apart and investigaste, so I leave the car with him.

I get a phone call a few hours later and he basically said the brakes fell apart as he removed them. He said the drums had become "oval", the shoes were worn, and the cylinders were shot.

He said it needed new drums both sides at €35 each, new cylinders both sides at €20 each, and new shoes both sides at €35 each.

Now my car is stuck at the garage, and looking at a €200 bill for the brakes alone.

My questions are:

1. Should I believe him, does it sound right to you?

2. Are the prices for the parts fair?

3. I would have liked to have upgraded to disc brakes but had little time to research it, is easy enough, cheap enough, worth it?

Thanks

[BluhBluh]

Converting the rears to disc brakes is easy enough. I done the same on my e36 316i. I just bought second hand trailing arms with hubs, discs and calipers and handbrake cables from a e36 318is and they bolt straight into it. Depends how tight your trailing arm bolts are cause i broke a socket and an extension trying to get them off from my one

[Venom]

Seen the parts that came off? Pics? As Andres said easy enough but check that you can move the trailing arm bolts first.

[Atominist]

Not to worry, I needed the car back on the road ASAP.

It would have been nice to get the disc brakes and probably cheaper but the garage didn't want to do it and they had me over a barrel.

I'm just happy the car is back on the road now and going for the retest on Monday.

Thanks though guys.