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Brake pad wear

BenPcaliman

BenPcaliman

Messages
113
Location
Godalming
Vehicle
T5 SE 180
Took my cali to lookers Guildfordyesterday for an inspection oil change and they told me the front and rearpads and front disk needed changing 1mm left on pads. Quoted me. £650

Just took the front drivers wheel off to have a look as we are off to Scotland in a few weeks and I was thinking about changing them myself and as you can see from the photo there is much more that 1mm.
What are they playing at?

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This is very interesting as they are my local dealers
- upselling?
 
Took my cali to lookers Guildfordyesterday for an inspection oil change and they told me the front and rearpads and front disk needed changing 1mm left on pads. Quoted me. £650

Just took the front drivers wheel off to have a look as we are off to Scotland in a few weeks and I was thinking about changing them myself and as you can see from the photo there is much more that 1mm.
What are they playing at?

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View attachment 44388
Are all 4 pads on that axle showing the same wear. It only needs 1 pad on the limit that means all 4 should be changed.
 
Good point by WG. Perhaps also depends on what their “advisory limit” is on when customers should be advised about potentially needing pads in near future, and they are being slightly creative in telling you that you are within 1mm of that notification level.
If you are down at 1mm I would have expected a brake pad wear warning light to come on, however in the past I had a VW Sharan that at some point had had the wires to all pad wear sensors cut, presumably so the garage could bill for new pads while in fact not replacing anything.
 
Yes fair point. Haven't time to take all 4 off right now but recon there should be easy more than a few thousand miles left in them anyway.
Still disappointed my local garage would have been totally honest with me but I feel lookers hide behind a facard. Front facing very professional but the back end is terrible.
Second visit and they have cocked up both times.
Will be giving vw lookers a miss next time and trying VAS Motion in Merrow next time.
 
The "official" limit is about 10 mm with plate. If you drive untill the pad has only 1 mm left, you'll be hearing a metal grinding noise long before you reach that 1mm because of the plate scraping the edge of the disk, that is as it seems about 2mm. Also if you keep on driving like that, eventually the pistons will be too far out, risking damage to your calipers.

First check the left front side (I assume this are front brakes?), and look how far the sign cable is from the disk. If the cable is already being halfway cut, it sure is time to change your pads.
 
Not specifically on Calis, but I'm always leery of workshops that tell me "you need new discs" and I'd want to know why, specifically, before I pony up for that.

If the discs are significantly scored, like the surface of a vinyl LP (due to pads being allowed to get too low) then you certainly do need new ones. Also, if the discs are evenly worn but have got below an OEM-defined min thickness.

But if it''s just light surface pitting, you won't need discs changed (and it won't be an MOT failure) whatever the dealer tries on.
 
The discs may wear out 3 mm of thickness. And that will be after 2x, and if you are lucky, 3x brake pad changes, but I doubt 3x due to the weight of the van.

I changed my rear brake pads and the disks looked already quite worn, but it had only worn 2mm, so I have 1 mm left to brake off.
 
The discs may wear out 3 mm of thickness. And that will be after 2x, and if you are lucky, 3x brake pad changes, but I doubt 3x due to the weight of the van.

I changed my rear brake pads and the disks looked already quite worn, but it had only worn 2mm, so I have 1 mm left to brake off.

The guy i bought off said they had been changed and at 60k id have expected them to be but cant find any documentation.
 
Not specifically on Calis, but I'm always leery of workshops that tell me "you need new discs" and I'd want to know why, specifically, before I pony up for that.

If the discs are significantly scored, like the surface of a vinyl LP (due to pads being allowed to get too low) then you certainly do need new ones. Also, if the discs are evenly worn but have got below an OEM-defined min thickness.

But if it''s just light surface pitting, you won't need discs changed (and it won't be an MOT failure) whatever the dealer tries on.
They are grooved like a record, the surface is bumpy and have been squeeking a little but annoyingly nothing was mentioned about them at the mot last month at the same lookers guildford.

in two minds to change them or attempt 2 weeks in scotland??
 
They are grooved like a record, the surface is bumpy and have been squeeking a little but annoyingly nothing was mentioned about them at the mot last month at the same lookers guildford.

in two minds to change them or attempt 2 weeks in scotland??

The MOT should have noted them as an advisory but not failed them unless they were seriously weakened.
 
Thanks for all your replies I will be checking each wheel to see for myself. But my guess is it was up selling by lookers.
Will probably change them after our next trip.
 
I would have guessed those at being about 80% worn, new pads are 17.5mm thick including the backing plate. They probably are not far out with a further 1mm of wear being enough to bring on the pad wear warning light.

The disks look ok but will need doing with the next set of pads.

If it was my van I would be getting pads from Eurocar parts for about £70 total for both sets & It should only take an hour to do each end of the van & most of that time is jacking it up & taking the wheels off.

If you can't do it yourself Its the sort of stuff where a small local garage can be a far cheaper option with no warranty implications.
 
Firstly if you choose main dealer servicing it comes with main dealer costs. Your vehicle will have been inspected from the underside by a technician with an inspection light giving a much different view than say looking through a wheel. The technician has little to gain by telling you that you need discs and pads if you don't . Secondly he has to ascertain the life exspectancy till the next service. We all know costly items make us scream aloud. In the end you make your own choices but a California gives great pleasure but at cost . Incidentally when I needed rear discs and pads I priced up original and Brembo parts and the difference was minimal when I could get someone to fit them as opposed to DIY.
 
I would have guessed those at being about 80% worn, new pads are 17.5mm thick including the backing plate. They probably are not far out with a further 1mm of wear being enough to bring on the pad wear warning light.

The disks look ok but will need doing with the next set of pads.

If it was my van I would be getting pads from Eurocar parts for about £70 total for both sets & It should only take an hour to do each end of the van & most of that time is jacking it up & taking the wheels off.

If you can't do it yourself Its the sort of stuff where a small local garage can be a far cheaper option with no warranty implications.
Thanks already priced it up just need to. confirm disk size and will order this weekend with their apparent 50% off sale :cool:. Quite happy to get involved enjoy getting to know the van
 
Looks like it wants pads when you get back. Discs look fine to me but hard to judge from a photo. Discs and pads is the universal up selling alongside tyres Im afraid.
 
Wear indicator is on the disk so it's time to change them. Front disks/pads rear pads.

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You were going to be changing them soon enough so doing it before your trip will let you relax...
 
Easy job if you got the tools. You may also need a new brake wear sensor cable.
 
£650 sounds a hell of a lot to me. I changed our rear pads recently and genuine VW ones cost £60 retail so I guess fronts are roughly the same. Discs for sons golf were about £50 and it takes about an hour each (front and rear) to change disks and pads so their labour rates must be extorniate.
 
£650 sounds a hell of a lot to me. I changed our rear pads recently and genuine VW ones cost £60 retail so I guess fronts are roughly the same. Discs for sons golf were about £50 and it takes about an hour each (front and rear) to change disks and pads so their labour rates must be extorniate.
Just bought Brembo 340mm front disks, pagio front and rear pads with sensors for £175. Euro car parts :pinkbanana
 
£650 sounds a hell of a lot to me. I changed our rear pads recently and genuine VW ones cost £60 retail so I guess fronts are roughly the same. Discs for sons golf were about £50 and it takes about an hour each (front and rear) to change disks and pads so their labour rates must be extorniate.
Nice. Here in Belgium the "ECO" rear brake pads cost € 90. Normal, not eco rear brake pads cost about € 157.
Bought some at Auto5 for € 40.
Front will be a lot more because they are about double the size.
 
I wouldn't be using a franchised VW dealer for any of that sort of thing. They all charge like raging bulls. I use a VW specialist independent.
 
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