Brake Discs

[TonyEnglish]

Anybody know how long they should last? My car is being serviced and they have called to say the front discs are in a bad way and need replacing. However the car had all its pads replaced a couple of months ago and its back discs (I’d worn the back pads down too much) At the time they didn't mention a problem with the front discs so I'm suspicions as to how they could suddenly go from ok to poor in a couple of months - given that the car spends most of its time on the motorway and has only done 63k miles.

[Platypus]

I think discs are a standard way for a garage to charge you lots for stuff you don't need, and can't see to verify what they tell you.
Ask what happens if you leave them not-done ?

[expat]

Originally Posted by TonyEnglish

Anybody know how long they should last? My car is being serviced and they have called to say the front discs are in a bad way and need replacing. However the car had all its pads replaced a couple of months ago and its back discs (I’d worn the back pads down too much) At the time they didn't mention a problem with the front discs so I'm suspicions as to how they could suddenly go from ok to poor in a couple of months - given that the car spends most of its time on the motorway and has only done 63k miles.

ISTM these days the discs are made so thin that they need replacing every 2-3 times you replace the pads. OTOH there are less-than-honest garages...... I had one charge me for fitting 5 shock absorbers.

[Churchill]

Originally Posted by expat

ISTM these days the discs are made so thin that they need replacing every 2-3 times you replace the pads. OTOH there are less-than-honest garages...... I had one charge me for fitting 5 shock absorbers.

I replaced 6 on my old XJ6.

Tony, get yourself to "Brakes International" just off Drake street for a second oppinion!

[TykeMerc]

Brake disks aren't just big lumps of iron like they used to be, modern ones last a lot less time, but they perform a lot better too.

[Moscow Mule]

Ask them if the wear limit has been reached on either the disks or the pads.

If not, don't bother.

[Chugnut]

Originally Posted by expat

ISTM these days the discs are made so thin that they need replacing every 2-3 times you replace the pads. OTOH there are less-than-honest garages...... I had one charge me for fitting 5 shock absorbers.

Standard practice this, it's for your jaw when you get the bill.

[TonyEnglish]

Originally Posted by Churchill

I replaced 6 on my old XJ6.

Tony, get yourself to "Brakes International" just off Drake street for a second oppinion!

You can't beat a bit of local knowledge. Cheers - I'll take it round once I get it back. The place that did the back discs was one of those NAC Autocentres who I think are actually owned by Carcraft - so with them as a parent company I know they would have tried to sting me for the front discs at the time but they didn't even mention it. Now, a couple of months down the line they are 'poor'. It doesn't wash - I think they are simply to bump up the price as they wanted £160 for sorting them out.

[TonyEnglish]

Originally Posted by expat

ISTM these days the discs are made so thin that they need replacing every 2-3 times you replace the pads. OTOH there are less-than-honest garages...... I had one charge me for fitting 5 shock absorbers.

A friend of ours took her car to Kwik Fit for a new exhaust. When she returned she was told that they had taken the wheels off to inspect the brakes and it needed pads and discs all round. They quoted her the price - I can't remember how much it was but it was a lot. She said she'd speak to her husband. He went back there to ask them exactly what they had checked and more importantly, how they managed to get the wheels off without having the key for the locking wheel nuts.

[Bagpuss]

Brake pads and discs

Honda 26k + (not worn out yet)
Banger 15k so far on new front pads, rears circa 32k

How long they last depends really how much you are into to tailgaiting and slamming your brakes on. Garages do like to BS on them though as they are hard to check.