New discs and pads @ 44k normal??

[MelbMan]

Hi guys my wifes 2004 Mk 5 1.6l is in for service today and she get's a call from the VW service dept... you need new front and rear pads and discs all round. $635 for the front, $540 for the rear including labour.

I simply hate suprises like this. They say the brakes have about 3000km left in them. I know Golf brakes react when you hit the pedal but obviously there is a price to pay.

Has anyone else replaced Series 5 brakes like this and at what km? If the standard discs are so soft are there so other alternatives like DBA to look at and will these last longer and be any cheaper to buy?

VW Front discs are $269, pads $176, Rear discs $238.64, rear pads $102.

I've obviously been spoilt with Jap cars whose brakes appear much longer lasting. Apart from this issue the Golf has been great. Once a year servicing might be another cause of suprises like this. They mentioned at the 3 year mark that it's a good idea to de-carbonize the engine. Something about the exhaust manifold and a cost of $155. Plus a rotate of the tyres. The original Michelin Energy tyres still have plenty of meat at 44k>

Thanks
John

[gtimk5]

Welcome Melbman, its good to have you here.
I service many Mk4s and 5s here and some of the Mk5s are approaching 50,000 kms with little wear on the pads and discs. I have a Mk5 tdi with around 95,000 kms and its brakes are about 60% worn.
Seems odd at 44,000kms mate? I wonder if you should get an independent VW workshop to check them.
Cheers and welcome again, Andrew

[Splashalot]

Premature rotor/pad wear seems the norm on european cars. Our Alfa 147 was due for both at 40,000kms. OEM Alfa parts were ~$1,400 from memory

I understand aftermarket pads/rotors cure the premature wear issue. Ferodo DS2000 or 2500 pads are very well regarded. Not too sure about rotors, though.

Hope this helps.

SS

[anarchycamp]

I had mine changed at 60k on my GTI...

and it didnt cost as much as the ones on your 1.6

ill dig out the tax invoice with how much i paid.

Id take somewhere independent...sounds dodgy..as usual.

[VW Convert]

Hi Melbman,

Welcome to the forum.

Sounds fishy to me...............I could go as far as to say I smell a rat. Unless of course your wife is a closet racer!

Cheers

George

[MelbMan]

Thanks guys... appreciate your replies. I have just spoken with a local independent Audi/VW specialist in Greensborugh who uses OEM parts (same as VW use) at a saving of about $350 on the VW dealer price. He's only just down the road from us so the plan is to go down there and see what's cooking.

Golf brakes have got great bite when you hit the pedal. But if Anarchycamp is getting 60k out of a GTI which I presume would be driven a lot harder than a suburban runabout it does seem strange. (unless Anarchy lives in the country where you don't use the brakes so much)

Will keep you posted. Good to be in amongst a group with great taste in cars.
My brother has just bought a GT.

Thanks
John

[Tim]

a GTI uses a different brake setup. a 1.6L would have the most basic brake setup of all golfs ud think. maybe thinner discs wear sooner?

But yeah. see what the independants say. Discs have a wear tollerance. they start off at a certain thickness and need to be replaced when they get to the wear limit. usually within a few mm of wear. id ask the questions. what is the stock thickness of a 1.6L disc and what is the minimum thickness? annnnd what is the current thickness off the discs on the car?

if u know the details then u can even check it yourself with a vernier caliper

[VW Convert]

a GTI uses a different brake setup. a 1.6L would have the most basic brake setup of all golfs ud think. maybe thinner discs wear sooner?

Hi Tim,

That may be true but 44,000 KM for a set of pads AND discs? If mine need replacement at 44,000 the VW dealer will want to be ducking for cover!

My last four cars (all Falcons and not driven to church on Sundays by a little old lady) had front pad replacement at 75,000 KM. Having said that there were a few disc replacements under warranty due to warping!

Cheers

George

[The_Hawk]

The sister in laws Pergeot used to need new brake pads at every service (or so the dealer was telling her) and of course the price was high. One of the reasons she got rid of it.

Also one of the key reasons she didn't end up buying a new Golf to replace it. she was scared the euro car thing would cost her with a VW too. (sadly she bought a Honda)

All else aside, a second opinion is free, although I would be quick in casethe 3,000km thing is on the level. Don't want to not have brakes now do we?

[Tim]

Hi Tim,

That may be true but 44,000 KM for a set of pads AND discs? If mine need replacement at 44,000 the VW dealer will want to be ducking for cover!

My last four cars (all Falcons and not driven to church on Sundays by a little old lady) had front pad replacement at 75,000 KM. Having said that there were a few disc replacements under warranty due to warping!

Cheers

George

im not saying it doesnt sound premature. im just saying if youre going to make comparisons you need to compare with a similar car and that if you dont trust the dealer then it really isnt that hard to check.

[VW Convert]

im not saying it doesnt sound premature. im just saying if youre going to make comparisons you need to compare with a similar car and that if you dont trust the dealer then it really isnt that hard to check.

Agreed...always compare apples with apples!

Cheers

George

[trippyfoo]

Apples ain't apples ..and oils ain't oils..
Regardless, if it's been a normally driven car - 44k sounds way way too early...
yer, I'd be spitting chips if at 44k service i got presented with such a replacement cost estimate.

Yes yes. . as has been mentioned previously - do keep us updated and particularly if you head down the independent specialist route - Greensborough isn't too far from me as well..

Obviously if anarchycamp or anyone else that has replaced their brakes. . .looking fwd to see if there's any consistency here.

[acdcfan]

MelbMan
Measure your discs and if they thinner than 20mm front and back replace them.
If not just brake pads and nothing else.

[acdcfan]

The sister in laws Pergeot used to need new brake pads at every service (or so the dealer was telling her) and of course the price was high. One of the reasons she got rid of it.

Also one of the key reasons she didn't end up buying a new Golf to replace it. she was scared the euro car thing would cost her with a VW too. (sadly she bought a Honda)

All else aside, a second opinion is free, although I would be quick in casethe 3,000km thing is on the level. Don't want to not have brakes now do we?

She must be heavy footed when braking or one of those people ( if and when driving automatic) keep left foot on the brake and right on accelerator, but not realising that, to a degree brakes are engaged, and keep on driving...
I have seen so many cars with tail lights on at 100km , on and off, on and off..... and no congestion in traffic

[DionM]

Some Euro cars do eat pads and rotors.

My old Land Rover Freelander needed new ones at 20,000kms and at 40,000kms. I skipped the 40k ones as I traded it shortly after ...