New Discs required

[buymeabar]

So PH, had the dirty estate car serviced today as it needed brakes bleeding before the misses takes it off touring up the coast next week. It's just clicked over 50k. Dealer pointed out discs on the front (and about £350 quid for it!). Needless to say I declined his kind offer. What does the PH massive think? Yes I can feel a lip, but I've seen much worse - I wonder if I can get another 10k out of them???

http://flic.kr/s/aHsjvMf66H

[maniac0796]

They've worn pretty nicely. You'll get till the end of the life of the pads out of them I'd say, although the picture doesn't really show how much of a lip they really have.

[essayer]

What car? 50k seems low to me but it depends on the driving.

Get a micrometer, and find out the manufacturer's recommended minimums, and see how far worn you are.

[MG CHRIS]

Dont look to bad certainly get another set of pads use out of them.

[Ozzie Osmond]

buymeabar said:

it needed brakes bleeding

Oh yes, how did you work that out then?

[buymeabar]

Blimey you're all fast!

Sadly it's an Avensis 2.2 diesel. Heavy beast. Sounds like I need to get some tools to measure. I'm just about working myself up to replacing the pads myself (these have 60% left) but I should know how to do this myself, especially in the current financial climate.

Last time I replaced pads was on a vauxhall chevette under careful supervision of my old man, almost 20 years ago. Not done it on a modern car. Yes I'm aware I need to man the f up!!

Thanks for the speedy advice all, much appreciated.

[buymeabar]

Ozzie Osmond said:

Oh yes, how did you work that out then?

Car would stop ok, but you could sit with your foot applying pressure to the pedal at the lights and the pedal would slowly descend towards the floor.

[SD1992]

They look fine to me...?

[skinley]

buymeabar said:

Car would stop ok, but you could sit with your foot applying pressure to the pedal at the lights and the pedal would slowly descend towards the floor.

That does not mean the brakes need bleeding. If the pedal descends to the floor there is a far more serious problem.

But why would you sit at the lights applying pressure to the brakes? What's wrong with the handbrake?

[Ozzie Osmond]

buymeabar said:

Ozzie Osmond said:

Oh yes, how did you work that out then?

Car would stop ok, but you could sit with your foot applying pressure to the pedal at the lights and the pedal would slowly descend towards the floor.

So how on earth did you let the car that bad? This is PH not "couldn't give a toss about my car" forum. I've got 50p says you've got a servo problem....

[buymeabar]

skinley said:

That does not mean the brakes need bleeding. If the pedal descends to the floor there is a far more serious problem.

But why would you sit at the lights applying pressure to the brakes? What's wrong with the handbrake?

I was testing as i noticed the brakes felt spongy. I normally use the handbrake if I'm stopped for more than a second.

[bigdods]

IME of my VW golf a lip isnt a problem. Last time I had the rears changed it was more like a cliff !. 60% pads left ? so they dont need changing then.

If you are in any doubt get them changed as brakes are clearly very important but they dont look that bad - caveat its had to tell how big the lip is in that pic.

£350 ? mother of god, I assume thats for all 4 discs and pads then. Just as a comparison my Vauxhall Omega has some pretty hefty front disks , a full set of disks and pads all round from the vauxhall dealer set me back about £150 IIRC , I paid a local garage £100 to fit them.

You can get decent pattern parts for similar or less money(I used Pagid on the Golf as VW parts are silly money at the dealers).

[buymeabar]

Ozzie Osmond said:

So how on earth did you let the car that bad? This is PH not "couldn't give a toss about my car" forum. I've got 50p says you've got a servo problem....

Car hasn't been driven for nearly a fortnight. I was fine last time we drove it and horrible spongy brakes when I drove it the first time on Saturday.

The pedal won't actually get to the floor, that was a slight exaggeration, but it just wasn't right and definitely sunk down with continued pressure.

[buymeabar]

350 for one set of discs and pads I kid you not. Oh, they also reported on the wiper blades smearing the windscreen - recommended replacing at 20 quid. Any normal person would clean them!!!

Needles to say I paid for an oil change and the brakes bleeding and left.

[thinfourth2]

spongey brakes and the foot pedal sinking to the floor slowly are not the same

Spongey brakes feel like there is a well sponge under the pedal.

A slowly sinking pedal points to brake fluid passing a seal somewhere either at a caliper or master cylinder.

If you aren't loosing brake fluid i would bet master cylinder seals.

Oh and most cars that go near a main dealer need new discs even if they are changing a bulb it needs new discs.

[pinchmeimdreamin]

buymeabar said:

skinley said:

But why would you sit at the lights applying pressure to the brakes? What's wrong with the handbrake?

I was testing as i noticed the brakes felt spongy. I normally use the handbrake if I'm stopped for more than a second.

Or it could have been that the lights had been on red for a while so no point handbraking, selecting neutral etc.

Or its an auto so why bother.


Or he prefers holding on the brakes.

(personally I would get the servo tested too unless someone has done some work on the brakes recently)

[skinley]

thinfourth2 said:

spongey brakes and the foot pedal sinking to the floor slowly are not the same

Spongey brakes feel like there is a well sponge under the pedal.

A slowly sinking pedal points to brake fluid passing a seal somewhere either at a caliper or master cylinder.

If you aren't loosing brake fluid i would bet master cylinder seals.

Oh and most cars that go near a main dealer need new discs even if they are changing a bulb it needs new discs.

Well said.

[skinley]

pinchmeimdreamin said:

Or it could have been that the lights had been on red for a while so no point handbraking, selecting neutral etc.

Or its an auto so why bother.


Or he prefers holding on the brakes.

Or he's an inconsiderate who doesn't give a fk about blinding the person behind/doesn't know how to correctly operate a motor vehicle?

[edit] this comment is aimed at 'pinchme' more than the OP.

Edited by skinley on Tuesday 23 August 21:22

[poing]

They look fine to me, it's the brake pedal sinking that would worry me more but wait and see how the work so far goes.

As far as prices a quick check of EBC for a random diesel Avensis shows about £88 for the discs. An hours labour at a local independent and you should be done for less than £200 including pads.

http://www.ebcbrakeshop.co.uk/

[The Moose]

skinley said:

Or he's an inconsiderate who doesn't give a fk about blinding the person behind?

I've never ever been 'blinded' by someones brake lights at a junction ever!



Are you serious?

I've sat behind people doing this in extremely low cars, high cars, normal cars, motorbike and motorbike in the wet with water on my visor. All of the above during the day and night.

Not once has it ever been remotely near a problem.

The ONLY time anything like that has happened is with a chap with his rear fog light on...and even then, it's hardly blinding!



fks sake