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Average brake disc life??

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 11:36 am
by djt
My pads have only 10% remaining and as a result have scored my front discs. No warning light or indicator has come on to tell me they need changing.

Anyway, I have read many comments on here about the discs being scored and IMO it is a design flaw. I am not prepared to pay over £1k (Audi Preston quote) for a dodgy product.

Can anyone recommend an alternative to the OEM discs and pads? I don't mind spending more if they are worth it.

BTW my car has done little over 18.5k miles, the discs / pads are the originals.

RE: Average brake disc life??

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 11:56 am
by lengster1
Your correct in thinking its a design/manufacturing fault,the system itself ruins the discs way before any warning lights come on,the pads were modified and i believe changed part number but audi will have accept it as a fault,this was excactly what happened to mine,i kept the discs and pads and was going to take it further as clearly the grooves in the discs came from the wear indicator pins within the pads.Not alot of choice on replacements to be honest,discs are made of chocolate which for the money isnt good.

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 12:08 pm
by neckarsulm
I think of brakes life like tyres, softer they are, better they work but sooner they wear out. The amount of brake dust my original pads give off is quite surprising.

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 12:41 pm
by drcarrera
Someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think the pad design has now been changed to remove this issue, so any new ones fitted will be OK. I'd still press Audi for getting new disks FOC as a good will gesture. Mine lasted 40K of normal wear before being replaced, so you could argue yours should have had 20K more life in them without the scoring.

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 1:34 pm
by Dom81
Yes - the newer ones have modified sensors (and an updated part number, but I don't have it to hand)

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 2:34 pm
by Revolution
We should have ebc yellow stuff pads available from stock and Tarox are working on a fully floating replacement disc set up.

Still waiting for a release date but I believe they are under test on a car in Italy at the moment.

Glenn

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 2:35 pm
by djt
If that is the case, I don't mind replacing with Audi but I will try and get the discs FOC.

Lengster 1 - Did you get your discs replaced FOC after kicking up a fuss? If so were you under warranty as I am not.

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 2:51 pm
by Revolution
You may as well give it a try as you've got nothing to lose.

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 7:11 pm
by bye bye
Hi, you have 2 choices:

Call Audi and moan - My disks warped after 13K miles and they paid 50% towards disks and pads (£600).

Pay for decent disks and pads.

Have a moan.....

Mark

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 7:12 pm
by lengster1
No i didnt get even a contribution,i purchased new ones myself but sourced outside of audi,wasnt paying the extra goodwill factor if it isnt there!!

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 7:24 pm
by ArthurPE
I just mic'ed my fronts at 33 mm (new 34, replace 32) so 50% worn at 37k miles...

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 7:31 pm
by gottanS
If you really think this is a design flaw then sue Audi UK in the small claims court for the cost of replacing the discs.

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 7:36 pm
by lengster1
Audi uk in a small claims court? I dont rate anyones chances but......I wasnt bothered enough to go further than what i did but its certainly stayed in mind with servicing and parts purchasing.

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 7:50 pm
by ArthurPE
lengster1 wrote:Audi uk in a small claims court? I dont rate anyones chances but......I wasnt bothered enough to go further than what i did but its certainly stayed in mind with servicing and parts purchasing.
I sued BMW and won

but it may not need to go that far
have a lawyer send them a letter with pics
and a detailed description of the problem, namely:
the pad material retaining pins extend beyond the wear sensors...it's BS

Posted: Thu Oct 21, 2010 8:44 pm
by S4INT
I have ceramic brakes and had the same issue. Although my pads had 4mm or more of pad left, the brass pins holding the pad material to the backing were showing through and had just started to mark the discs. Low pad warning sensors were nowhere near being triggered!