Read in another post that someone replaced rear discs and pads after 30k miles. I’m on similar mileage myself and 2k miles ago service report said only 20% worn. Is the other person massively hard on brakes or are Skoda wrong with my wear? What mileage have people done before replacing discs and pads.

Mike

I have a MKII with 38,000 and they are still ok, but I tend to be very light on brakes, keeping distance from the car in front and looking well ahead so i just need to take the foot of the throttle and don't need to brake that often.  I did 85K in a Seat Ibiza and there was still loads of life in the pads. 

It's all down to how you drive, theres a guy at work gets 15 out of his but he is constantly up the arse of the car in front, braking  then accelerating up to it again. 

Mine presumably. No mostly I am light on the brakes (for a 280 driver!). Front discs and pads fine, rear discs and pads knackered. Mostly due to corrosion and grooving of the rear discs. So if you discs still seem relatively smooth you won’t have a problem. Scottish roads with extra salt may be the differentiator. Some say that being too light on the brakes doesn’t clean them enough  (especially the rears) but not sure about that. 

Mine is a 2012 with 93k miles and still on original pads and discs, with loads of wear left. It is simply how you drive and type of journey. I let the engine gently do most of my braking. My commute is 25 miles each way. All but five miles is motorway the rest is around our village and nearest towns.

Just replaced front pads and discs ,car now done 56000 miles. 1.6tdi DSG

 

 

 

 

My rear pads and discs were replaced at around 70k due to corrosion - still on original front pads and discs at 93k.

Last service at 27k technician said my pads were 44% worn but discs had a lip (what a surprise). 

Mike66,

Skoda never looked at your brakes just a Technician or fitter and they have to mention some wear so 20% is better than those that say 80% worn.

Location location location on how disc corrode and brake pads get worn even if people do the same miles, type of driving and braking.

On my Mk3 late 2015 model, DSG, I changed the rear pads at 73K although still some wear in them.  Discs appeared fine.  The front pads have loads of meat on them.  As has been said, much depends on your style of driving.  I tend to anticipate what is happening hence not much brake wear.  I am of the opinion that it is how much braking you have to do that determines fuel consumption equally as much as harsh throttle use.  I get an average of 48 mpg even when I sit at 85 - 90 on the motorway.  Most of my driving is either motorway or fast dual carriageways. 

The best state to be in for good fuel consumption is with the car travelling in gear, with the throttle not being pressed.

You are using NO fuel at all as long as the revs are high enough.

This also increases the life of your brake parts.

 

In my car it is when it gets down to about 1400 RPM that it starts to inject fuel in to the engine.

If you set to MFD to display the instant MPG you will see this in action.

 

I was getting just above 60 MPG during the summer in my petrol Fabia III.

It has started to drop now it is getting colder.

 

Thanks AG Falco

In my experience, a lot of the time, premature wear or corrosion is caused by calipers and/or pads sticking.

 

For maximum life, brakes need cleaning regularly, say every two years. Ideally strip and rebuild, but at least a thorough brush down, check for and clean corrosion and solidified gunge around the caliper to pad backing plate sliding bits. Push back pads a bit to check pads or pistons not sticking or seizing and check caliper floats as it should. Toothbrush and light application of proper brake grease on appropriate areas of the caliper/pad backing plate sliding bits.

 

Maybe clean up disc surfaces with aluminium oxide grit paper if surface corrosion starting. Rust encrusted on disc edges can be cleaned up with some gentle tapping with a hammer.

 

Clean the hubs and insides of the alloys at the same time.

I have nearly 80k Kms on mine and recently in for a service.  Very little wear all round and I reckon I should get a lot more out of them.  I  do a lot of motorway driving though and I find the DSG box means I brake less too as the gearbox is slowing the car more - hopefully I’ll never have to worry about the clutches wearing down!  Type of driving has a huge impact.  Having said that,  I’d much prefer to be doing less miles/more city driving and paying for some brake pads a little more often compared to the depreciation I’m suffering with all those motorway miles.

Xman hits the nail on the head with reason behind most premature wear. VAG for some reason are a bit hit and miss in this department. 

A lot of dealers will tell you that your discs are worn when they’re not. Lips on discs occur as they’re used due to the pads not sweeping 100% of the braking surface. Most rust is just superficial and not structural and not caused due to harsh conditions they operate under. It all helps the dealer scare the customer into buying new discs and pads when they’re not needed. 

When the brakes pads and discs are prematurely worn it will be down to the poor maintenance of the caliper, especially on the rear, unless the car is being raced around everywhere. Unfortunately garages don’t fix the caliper by means of cleaning up and applying the right lubrications to prevent binding. Instead they just replace discs and pads at the customers expense as it’s quicker, more profitable and the customer can see a shiny new part fitted. Only when the customer goes back with another set of prematurely worn discs will they then change the caliper as it is again quicker and more profitable than servicing it. 

There are loads of threads on this forum all following the same scenario with unwitting owners paying for the garages laziness. 

14 hours ago, xman said:

In my experience, a lot of the time, premature wear or corrosion is caused by calipers and/or pads sticking.

 

I do my cars once a year in the autumn.

Did one yesterday afternoon with the swap over to the winter tyres.

That car had a set of front pads at 45 K and front disks and pads at 90 K, rear still OK.

 

 

2 hours ago, CWARD said:

VAG for some reason are a bit hit and miss in this department. 

With my Skoda there are no stainless steel sliders that the pads sit in.

I think this is the main problem with the pads sticking, especially the rears.

Hence this is why I clean them every year in the autumn.

 

Thanks Ag Falco

 

Mine were binding but it was the burrs, left behind on the pad that from when they were stamped out, that caused the issue as they were too tight. Removed the burrs, greased the edges and trouble free braking. 

Preventative Brake Servicing and maintenance is as well done twice a year.

Now when Winter Tyres goes on and when Winter prep is done is great, but then if the roads might be salted anytime between now and May there is little point leaving any sodium on the brakes when you change the wheels in the spring until this time next year.