BRAKE PAD WEAR

[zebedee]

Garages always seem to be talking about % wear these days, even when you can't see the pad properly so it has to be estimated. Surely at least if there is pad material there, then you will have a decent level of braking power available and the problems start when the pad runs out and you have pad backing metal on metal disc and lots of shrieking and not much stopping (although if fronts are worn and rears work and you are braking gently you will still stop.

Is this just a scam to make people scared when they hear 80% worn and assume some drop off in performance or am I missing something?

[HustleRussell]

So long as they don't point-blank lie about it, i.e. "20% remaining" when there is in fact much more, I have no problem with it. In my opinion, it is better to renew them before they get down to less than ~3mm because
-If they get down to the metal you'll have much less effective brakes
-If they get down to the metal you'll probably destroy the discs too
-Once the pads are low, they're more succeptible to cracking/disintegrating
-If the pads are very low, there is a real chance that the caliper pistons are being extended further than they ever have been before, which may exacerbate any slightly tired seals as a previously unworn and potentially corroded part of the piston is forced past them
-Letting any old numpty run out of brakes is a bad idea and if Ms. Smith runs out of pads 1,500 miles after an inspection/service, it'll look very bad on the garage.