AP brakes I wish I hadn't bothered

[barking]

Thursday 15th February I posted in someone else’s thread about AP brake problems with
"I had my AP brakes fitted about 6 months ago went through full bedding in process and no problems, except once when first fitted brakes seem to have bound on overnight but released with no further problems until two months ago. Brakes randomly bound on overnight about three times so started to park with hand brake off and in gear something I’m used as I also have a Caterham. About this time noticed juddering under braking, worse under light and moderate braking this progressively deteriorated until it became virtually undrivable. Fortunately had used a well known and respected company to install and they replaced discs and pads, seems to have resolved the issue apart from the brakes have had one slight bind on".

Unfortunately within a fortnight of completing the bedding in process the steering started juddering again under braking tried to pretend it was not happening but it got worse. The car went in for investigation and they then booked it in for an afternoon in late March for the work to be done. Come the day I went prepared for the wait, the car was looked over and they said it needed new discs and pads and they would book it in and the work would be done under warranty. I was somewhat surprised as the car was booked in for the work to be done then but went away with a booking for Monday, 16th April. I phoned on Saturday, 14th April to confirm the parts where in and found out they where not, I’m not sure when they were planning on telling me maybe Monday morning after a drive over there. They said they would phone me when the parts where in, no phone call by the end of the month so I contacted them, the parts where in, so car booked in for 4th May. After dropping off the car I was informed by telephone that they were not prepared to do the work under warranty despite what the previous service manager had said a month earlier.
That service manager is no longer with the company, the group service manager who I had a lot of respect for is also not with the company.

Gripe over, a word of caution a companies previously exemplary performance may not be a guarantee of their current service and do not rely on a modifier to stand by their suppliers product.

Has anybody got any advice on how I should proceed?

Edited by barking on Wednesday 9th May 13:48

[BigNige]

Maybe talk directly with the dealer principal?

[Raggyman]

But to be fair, I wouldn't really see this as problem of the company who fitted them. a) cause they don't make the brakes, b) they probably did everything in their power to correct the problem. While yes, it isn't up to your expectations, I don't think you can entirely blame the person who fitted them.

On a side note, you may have a buckled hub to start off with, which has in turn caused the new disks to cause the problem you are experiencing. Putting all new disks on ain't going to fix the problem. So who's problem does that become now if that is the case? You could find that your hub became buckled when you had the original brakes on the car. The monaro here is treated, I think alot differently than back home. Everyone thinks that the Monaro is a "supercar" and should be driven as such. Back home, the monaro's are generally used for long runs, and less traffic, on a percentage basis than they are here.

Edited by Raggyman on Wednesday 9th May 14:23

[greens vauxhall]

AP wouldnt stump up for a second warranty claim for a second set of brakes on the same car. They would require the return of the system to investigate and make a decision on, but, that would require a new replacement set to be fitted and paid for by the customer pending the results of the investigation. The cost of removing and refitting is, had has been, borne by ourselves and isnt recoverable from AP (or the customer). AP state in their instructions that these are competition parts and do not carry a warranty. We have negotiated replacements in the past through our relationship with them, and in this instance tried our best to get a resolution. Unfortunately. it wasnt the solution hoped for.

[Husaberk]

I think the Sales of Good act contradicts what's just been said, after all the company that fitted the AP's has got barking's cash. They have a responsibility to supply, and fit correctly if that's the issue, goods fit for purpose and I'd suggest brakes that bind and warp so frequently are not fit for purpose. It's down to them to chase AP and get any warranty issues sorted, if their work has voided AP's warranty terms that should be their problem to resolve not barking's.

Surely any half compentent garage knows how to use a dial gauge to check for disk runout if a buckled hub is suspected? Should be one of the first things to check if new discs warp straight away.

[greens vauxhall]

The bells were replaced and hubs checked.

[barking]

greens vauxhall said:

AP state in their instructions that these are competition parts and do not carry a warranty.

When I decided to use the modifier I used, one of the deciding factors was their statement that their AP brakes were designed for the UK market and our road conditions, unlike their competitors which were sourced from a supply for the US market and that was why they were £500 cheaper.

Edited by barking on Wednesday 9th May 14:48

[classiccooper]

greens vauxhall said:

AP wouldnt stump up for a second warranty claim for a second set of brakes on the same car. They would require the return of the system to investigate and make a decision on, but, that would require a new replacement set to be fitted and paid for by the customer pending the results of the investigation. The cost of removing and refitting is, had has been, borne by ourselves and isnt recoverable from AP (or the customer). AP state in their instructions that these are competition parts and do not carry a warranty. We have negotiated replacements in the past through our relationship with them, and in this instance tried our best to get a resolution. Unfortunately. it wasnt the solution hoped for.

That's pretty shit really, no warranty on brand new parts, I'd be bloody livid.

Really makes me want a Vauxhall

[greens vauxhall]

They are not Vauxhall parts, and have already been replaced once.

[classiccooper]

Are they an option when new?

[greens vauxhall]

No.

[classiccooper]

Ah, that's a whole different story then.

[splatspeed]

but the vauxhall parts are fragile and have to be carfully looked after to last

[o.versteer]

greens vauxhall said:

AP wouldnt stump up for a second warranty claim for a second set of brakes on the same car.

greens vauxhall also said:

AP state in their instructions that these are competition parts and do not carry a warranty.

Am I not reading this correctly or do these statements contradict each other a fair bit? Quite apart from that, if the latter statement is true then that's not terribly impressive, as they are clearly not competition parts, but performance parts. Bit of a difference there I'd say.

[greens vauxhall]

I suppose AP would look at it as goodwill.

[mickya]

barking said:

Thursday 15th February I posted in someone else’s thread about AP brake problems with
"I had my AP brakes fitted about 6 months ago went through full bedding in process and no problems, except once when first fitted brakes seem to have bound on overnight but released with no further problems until two months ago. Brakes randomly bound on overnight about three times so started to park with hand brake off and in gear something I’m used as I also have a Caterham. About this time noticed juddering under braking, worse under light and moderate braking this progressively deteriorated until it became virtually undrivable. Fortunately had used a well known and respected company to install and they replaced discs and pads, seems to have resolved the issue apart from the brakes have had one slight bind on".

Unfortunately within a fortnight of completing the bedding in process the steering started juddering again under braking tried to pretend it was not happening but it got worse. The car went in for investigation and they then booked it in for an afternoon in late March for the work to be done. Come the day I went prepared for the wait, the car was looked over and they said it needed new discs and pads and they would book it in and the work would be done under warranty. I was somewhat surprised as the car was booked in for the work to be done then but went away with a booking for Monday, 16th April. I phoned on Saturday, 14th April to confirm the parts where in and found out they where not, I’m not sure when they were planning on telling me maybe Monday morning after a drive over there. They said they would phone me when the parts where in, no phone call by the end of the month so I contacted them, the parts where in, so car booked in for 4th May. After dropping off the car I was informed by telephone that they were not prepared to do the work under warranty despite what the previous service manager had said a month earlier.
That service manager is no longer with the company, the group service manager who I had a lot of respect for is also not with the company.

Gripe over, a word of caution a companies previously exemplary performance may not be a guarantee of their current service and do not rely on a modifier to stand by their suppliers product.

Has anybody got any advice on how I should proceed?

OUCH! intresting..

Edited by barking on Wednesday 9th May 13:48

[mackie1]

The Monaro package is not from the same range as their full competition spec brakes. Those look more like what you see on a BTCC car and don't have dust seals etc.

[Smiler.]

My Wilwood's don't have any warranty & state 'not for road use' (for this reason). It is a bummer though!

[crisisjez]

OOOkkkkaaaayyyy then, AP`s now off the list, the man`s spent his money in good faith and is relying on the experts to resolve the problem. Just like I would be.. I know Greens would do their best but the man `aint got no satisfaction`.
Watching.

[gareth h]

I'm also considering APs would be interested to know if this is an isolated case. Am I right in thinking that AP manufacture brakes for HSV, so in a way they are an oem product.