Hi everyone. Just recently had my 4th service done over the Christmas break, despite the car (06 vRS) having only done 27000 miles, and was informed my front pads were 40% worn while my discs were 80% worn. I always assumed the pads should wear at a faster rate than my discs, and didn't realise I might actually have to replace my discs before my pads are worn out. Could someone fill me in on what's going on? I used to commute with my wife during the week, so the car often sat idle until the weekend for about a year, but now she's off on maternity leave, I'm commuting with the car every day for about 20 miles. How exactly do the rotors wear, seeing as it can't be from overuse? How about under use? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

And am I likely to need new discs before I pass my next MOT later this year? Not sure what is acceptable, but 80% wear doesn't sound like an acceptable level to me, so I assume I should get them replaced soon?

OEM pads are hard wearing, that said my front discs are only 10% worn after 33500 miles. Onto second set of pads. Rears are shot and getting done at next service.

I seldom have to brake hard as creating space was part of the advanced drivers course I did eons ago.

Hi everyone. Just recently had my 4th service done over the Christmas break, despite the car (06 vRS) having only done 27000 miles, and was informed my front pads were 40% worn while my discs were 80% worn. I always assumed the pads should wear at a faster rate than my discs, and didn't realise I might actually have to replace my discs before my pads are worn out. Could someone fill me in on what's going on? I used to commute with my wife during the week, so the car often sat idle until the weekend for about a year, but now she's off on maternity leave, I'm commuting with the car every day for about 20 miles. How exactly do the rotors wear, seeing as it can't be from overuse? How about under use? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

And am I likely to need new discs before I pass my next MOT later this year? Not sure what is acceptable, but 80% wear doesn't sound like an acceptable level to me, so I assume I should get them replaced soon?

Pads 40% worn is about right. Discs 80% worn? I think the motor mechanic meant they are 20% worn and 80% from the original thickness. If you have a look at the discs 80% wear would be really obvious with deep ridges on the edge of the discs.

Pads 40% worn is about right. Discs 80% worn? I think the motor mechanic meant they are 20% worn and 80% from the original thickness. If you have a look at the discs 80% wear would be really obvious with deep ridges on the edge of the discs.

I did wonder if this was the case. That would suggest I have 40% LEFT on my pads and 80% LEFT on my discs, but the form they filled out seemed a little ambiguous. Perhaps I'll phone them up to confirm this. I hope you're right.

Fabia VRS front discs almost last forever, i've done track days etc on mine, and they're still ok, not sure on the total mileage as i had Octy 312s on for a year or two, but approx 60k wouldn't be far wrong

Are you sure he didn't mean 80% pad and 40% discs.

Seems a bit drastic wear levels those. I have a 5 year old VRS on 52K miles at present and granted the rear discs and pads are now dead, which id expect at this age as they are original, the front have had new pads only about 2 years ago and the discs are pretty much ok, altho il be replacing the lot when i do the brake change.

Having said that, on other forums, it has been noted that the fabia VRS do eat brakes but its hard to clarify that statement when it could be the individuals are hard on brakes in the first place.

Have rechecked the service results, and the numbers definitely referred to levels of wear and not what was remaining, so it's 80% wear on rear discs and 70% on fronts, with 40% wear on the pads. Unless the tech mistakenly filled out the wrong sections for discs and pads, it suggests my discs are near gone. I'll try to have a look myself when the weather clears up to see what I can see, as I still think this amount of wear on a less than 4 year old car with 27000 miles on the clock seems unlikely, and I'll definitely try to get a second opinion before having any replacement work done. And I wouldn't call myself a heavy-braker, so I doubt it's my driving style (just to set the record straight).

Edited 10 January, 201016 yr by SkoDave

Hi everyone. Just recently had my 4th service done over the Christmas break, despite the car (06 vRS) having only done 27000 miles, and was informed my front pads were 40% worn while my discs were 80% worn. I always assumed the pads should wear at a faster rate than my discs, and didn't realise I might actually have to replace my discs before my pads are worn out. Could someone fill me in on what's going on? I used to commute with my wife during the week, so the car often sat idle until the weekend for about a year, but now she's off on maternity leave, I'm commuting with the car every day for about 20 miles. How exactly do the rotors wear, seeing as it can't be from overuse? How about under use? Any info would be greatly appreciated.

And am I likely to need new discs before I pass my next MOT later this year? Not sure what is acceptable, but 80% wear doesn't sound like an acceptable level to me, so I assume I should get them replaced soon?

Hi Dave

seems there is some confusion, but the best way to be sure is measure the thickness of the disc's your self, on the inside if the disc it should give minim thickness's

but poss with rust etc, you might not be able to see it, but there is data sheets available, which will give the correct for your car, I have just checked the 2004 2.0lt

and its 22mm Front and 7 mm for the rear (don't take my figurers as gospel) but should give some idea.

The only other thing is if they are badly scored then thats a different matter !

Radiotwo

I got to 43k miles on mine with pads half worn, but a good few of my miles were motorway.

I'd expect to change discs at the point of changing the second or third set of pads. For me that's typically 80k, but i suppose if yours have got rusty they might go a bit quicker- I had to change discs on the Lupo at about 44k as they were pitted from under-use.

I keep looking at mine expecting to see they've gone, but no, after 121K still on the original front pads and discs.

Lots of motorway driving. Expect them to vanish now I'm pottering a lot more.

If its any help, the only reason i know my rear discs are past theyer best is they are quite scored and are quietly "grinding" on low speed, soft braking. this was a symptom a golf Mk4 I had back in 2003 had eaten its rear brakes, but that was a company car and was driven hard on a regular basis.

It does seem to me, the technician may have misread the info on the sheet and has given you the opposite readings to what your supposed have been told.