Over assisted / servoed / sensitive brakes

[nat225]

I drive the Mk6 GTI during daytime and drive 2010 Accord Euro at every other time.

GTI: bitey brake with short travel, and a lot higher o-bump-meter with little accelerator pedal travel. I like it

Honda: bitey brake but longer travel, lame o-bump-meter with medium accelerator pedal travel (unless I go >5500rms all the time..)

But i think i'm used to both so don't notice it much; and would certainly not call it design flaw on the Golf
If that is the case, the Peugeot also has design flaw on the brakes.

[kaanage]

None of the Peugeots that I've owned/driven have brakes anywhere near as savage as our MkVI.
Nor have the Fiats, Lancia, Alfas and other VWs that I've driven (well my old Fiat 124 CC was a bit touchy too but not as bad).

I'm glad that our MkVI is a DSG else double-declutching would be just about drive me nuts

[MkVIGTI]

I had a 90TSI as a courtesy car when I went in for a service and I thought it had pretty good brake feel. Comparing to my GTI which is quite bitey, the 90TSI was very progressive. Both cars' brakes are also better than my family's Toyota RAV4 which is both wooden and unresponsive.

[AusBob]

Good news and bad... there is a fix for the braking on the R and to some extent the GTI, however I don't think it can be sucessfully applied to a 118TSI... the trick is to drive really fast and NEED all the braking potential!!

[kaanage]

Braking REALLY late in any version will do that
Not that useful in shopping centers, though, unless your name is Jake or Elwood

[Ideo]

Same old story...

The brakes aren't over-assisted. You're just not used to having a car with brakes that actually work effectively.

Wrong. I'm coming from an S3 with a brake pad and rotor upgrade, via a 130i in the family which has good brakes.

They both have similar stopping distances to the Golf. But the Golf is very over assisted and touchy.

The R didn't seem as bad, but still very grabby, with little progression in the braking - more like an on/off switch than anything else.

I'm sure I'll get used to it, but to be blind to something which is pretty noticeable is pretty one sided.

[Cossor]

Good news and bad... there is a fix for the braking on the R and to some extent the GTI, however I don't think it can be sucessfully applied to a 118TSI... the trick is to drive really fast and NEED all the braking potential!!

Very very interesting. Was going to take it up with dealer re initial low response of brakes to medium pressure. But recently has become very smooth and responsive.

Distance travelled is approx 3000km, mostly highway driving, so perhaps now brakes "bedding in" EG, too gentle driving forms a 'glaze' on the disks/pads?

With Holden Commodore, on early service, was amazed to see grooves worn in discs.
Discs and pads replaced, problem did not recur.

During test drive before ordering 118TSI, tried Honda Civic. On approaching level crossing
had to really push hard on pedal to stop. (Thank heavens no train coming). Fail!!

[prise]

The brakes on my 118TSI have more power assistance than any other car I've owned. It was a factor for me getting the DSG because in conjunction with the different brake and accelerator pedal heights it made it extremely difficult to heel-toe smoothly on the manual.

The brakes have become more progressive as the rotors and pads bedded in, but it is still a non-linear brake response with what feels like lots of power assistance during light braking, but when braking heavily you come up against a 'stiffer' part of the pedal travel which feels more 'normal'.

On the other hand the Golfs pedal to throttle mapping is more linear than other cars I've owned. Too many other makes these days seem to be using a very aggressive mapping from pedal to throttle which gives most of the engine torque in the first 50% of the accelerator pedal travel - it makes the car feel more responsive during a quick test drive but can make it more of a pain to drive smoothly around town.

[Umai Naa!!]

Wrong. I'm coming from an S3 with a brake pad and rotor upgrade, via a 130i in the family which has good brakes.

They both have similar stopping distances to the Golf. But the Golf is very over assisted and touchy.

The R didn't seem as bad, but still very grabby, with little progression in the braking - more like an on/off switch than anything else.

I'm sure I'll get used to it, but to be blind to something which is pretty noticeable is pretty one sided.

Not really. I'm in and out of various VWs, among others all day.

I have enough faith in the product to know that the brakes will the instant I hit the pedal.

It's funny how one person (the OP), whom I gather, will probably never own a VW product after their colourful remarks, deems the brakes on ONE example not up to their apparent lofty standards, gives others the ammo to lay the boot in.

[hooba]

They're grabby, most VAG cars have a similar characteristic.

IMHO it is safe to say that for most people it is an initial problem that they learn to adjust to.

[Umai Naa!!]

I guess you can put this conundrum in the same basket as those who have driven manual cars for years, but can cannot operate an auto.

[oldngrey]

I am the original poster and want to point out that this isn't the first VW in my life. My daughter has the PoloGTI ( 2008 ) and my aunt has the new polo comfortline both on my recommendation and research. I've driven all manner of VWs over the years and only the delivery time stopped me buying a Jetta 147tsi or a golf mk5 gti for my daily drive a few years ago. All drove well and none had a brake pedal sensitivity that would bother me in the slightest.

I have no doubts that if the majority of people here say they adapt to the mk6 golf brakes quickly, then so would I. However, it's my wife who will drive it to work 6 days per week in traffic peak hour traffic.

So please don't imply or state that I do not like VW product. This is the first chance we've had to make a golf our family car and the fact that I posted here should tell you I want to love the car. That's why I had those 2 questions - I wanted to know if it was normal and fixable.

Thank you all for your replies. It's helped, it really has. I have no clue which way it will pan out.

[bwen]

I guess you can put this conundrum in the same basket as those who have driven manual cars for years, but can cannot operate an auto.

I think this sums up the thread the best, each car has their own different quirks and differences. I'm sure other cars have brakes that 'aren't touchy enough' or 'aircon cools too quickly/slowly!'

[markwid]

I have to agree that the Golf brakes are too grabby at the initial travel. You do get used to it but it is not ideal.

I prefer the brakes on our previous BMW 3-series as it has initial travel that does little but then firms up progressively thus making it easier to brake in a controlled fashion. This gives a smooth stopping from speed.

[Ideo]

Not really. I'm in and out of various VWs, among others all day.

I have enough faith in the product to know that the brakes will the instant I hit the pedal.

It's funny how one person (the OP), whom I gather, will probably never own a VW product after their colourful remarks, deems the brakes on ONE example not up to their apparent lofty standards, gives others the ammo to lay the boot in.

Wow. You really are a fanboy aren't you?

Most people have commented that the brakes are over-servoed. Not that the brakes don't work. There is a big difference. They are a on/off switch which, when you jump into it first time round is disconcerting. And, on a decent blast (driven a work mates 118tsi a fair bit) it is hard to brake smoothly when you are pushing on to get the car settled. BMWs, and Audi's for that matter, are not as over-servoed.

It's not a big drama, but it is something a number of people who have driven one have commented on. It's just a quirk. Not a big deal. Worth commenting on but not a deal breaker.

There is a difference between the two.