Brake disk life on 1999 Golf 1.6??

I just had my wife's T reg 1999 VW Golf 1.6 serviced at Western VW in Edinburgh (a main dealer). She told them the was squeaking coming from the wheels, both under braking and also driving along. They serviced the car then told her it needed new disks on the front and new pads all round. It has only done 48,000 miles! Apparently the disks are "badly corroded and grooved". I rang them to ask why disks should have worn out after just 4 years and the chap said that the disks have an expected life of between 1 and 3 years depending on how the car is driven and where you live. He said he had come across a case of disks worn out after a year because the driver lived near the sea and the salt corroded them. Also apparently they make the pads harder (to make them last longer) which makes the disks last not so long ... it all sounded like a right load of BS.

I told them not to do the job and I will be getting them checked by Kwik Fit. In the meantime I rang Sloans (another VW main dealer) and the service dept. corroborated the story from Western. Apparently "disks are not as well made as they used to be, the material is not as hard and they are not made to such high quality to make the cars cheaper". And I thought VWs were supposed to be bullet-proof.

Anyway I had a peer through the wheels at the disks and pads using a torch and they don't look too bad to me. I guess this could be the garage just trying it on with a lady driver (there were a string of other faults that brought the total bill to over 700 quid!) but I was just going to see if anyone had any comments on how long disks are supposed to last on cars these days.

Cheers, Ian

Reply to
Ian
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It's true. Pads are now more abrasive since the banning of asbestos and discs don't last as long. BMW with their free 3 yr servicing include one set of discs, They corrode if not used and wear if used. I would say 4 yrs is good going.

Reply to
Tim S Kemp

It is largely true, I'm afraid. Just be aware that there are co's who can supply you with good-quality discs and pads at a lot less than the dealer. Find a good VW independent 'shop.

Reply to
Microstar

!!!

Mike

Reply to
Mike P

Are you joking? If I hammered my car I could get through a set in 3000 miles (I do mean hammered though, lots of left foot braking, flat out lane driving), and it's not fast. I'd be surprised if I got a set of pads to last much more than 10k.

Reply to
Doki

30-50k miles would be avaerage brake disk life nowadays. Pads are that much more abrasive since the ban of asbestos, and disks have to be softer to cope.

Tim..

Reply to
Tim..
48k isnt bad for a set of discs, golf is a heavy car to stop.

a quick squint through the wheels is very different from inspecting the brakes on a ramp, probably with the wheels off, you need to look all round the disc on both faces.

Brake pads are made harder nowadays as they are not allowed to use asbestos in the friction material.

Reply to
Mark Craft

then told her it needed new disks on the front and new pads all round. It

Motorway miles- you might get more than 100,000 miles out of discs. Stop/start urban driving, particularly with a heavy foot,-maybe 20,000 miles. DaveK.

Reply to
DaveK

FRom one set of incompetents to another. How do you become a brake specialist at Thick Gits? Put your name on the top of the test paper.

Reply to
Conor

At Eurocarparts there's little difference in price between OEM and pattern, so I've stuck with the OEM. But I'd certainly use any well known brand anyway.

Reply to
Dave Plowman

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