Not Yeti related as I am waiting but in general how long should they last. When my 4 year company Octavia DSG went in for its MOT a couple of weeks ago I asked them to swap front and back wheels and check as the car had now covered 94000 miles and never had any pads back or front. They found all 4 are only half worn. Admittedly i have done a lot of motorway driving but also a fair bit of crosscountry and town and city.How long should they last?

That's a a bit of an open ended question that has far too many variables.

On my rally car I could get through a set in a season (about 1,000 miles!) but on my road cars they last me 'forever', to the point of if I but a car with pretty new pads then I can almost guarantee that I will not need to change them, despite doing around 20k a year.

My step daughter on the other hand has to replace them every 18 months at best.

If you read the road in front pretty well and drive accordingly then with a lot of motorway miles I see no reason why you can't get close to 100k out of a set.

...How long should they last?

Silly question really!

I've seen brake pads last as long as 150k miles and as short as 8k miles. The mileage and length of time they are on the car doesn't matter. Brakes only wear when you use them. The harder you use them, the shorter the life.

Silly question really!

I've seen brake pads last as long as 150k miles and as short as 8k miles. The mileage and length of time they are on the car doesn't matter. Brakes only wear when you use them. The harder you use them, the shorter the life.

Thanks for your rather insulting reply you are obviously a bit of a cocky so and so. I only asked a perfectly good question and it was certainly not silly just a genuine query.

Obviously I must be fairly light on the brake pedal and after over 1.25 million miles of motoring home and abroad I would regard myself as a fairly experienced driver .Having driven company cars for over 30 years the pads have just been changed as and when required and I have never really given it much thought until now.Thought I would ask the question as the car will probably now become mine until my Yeti arrives.Perhaps the quality of the pads vary??? Perhaps you are an expert on this too!!!!Are you a Halifax Baldwin ??? lots of them in the Copley area?

Edited 16 May, 201115 yr by Maffa

Sorry Maffa. I don't think rwbaldwin was being insulting. Your "question" did rather come across as a "boast" hidden by the question. That's what happens with the written word.

It wasnt an insulting reply, it was a factual one! I know two people who used to own the same vehicle (1.8 litre Focus Mk1) and the dad (a police driver) was having his cam belt changed at 85,000 miles and mentioned that the pads were still original! They looked like they had a good few miles left on them too! His son managed just 40,000 on the front set of pads but he is known for, should we say, his style of driving!!

Sorry Maffa, but how long is a piece of string?

Because I drive defensively I hardly touch the brakes, and on my last Freelander only replaced the front pads at 85k because they were starting to break up at the edges.

A lot depends on your style of driving, what the traffic is like, terrain, geography, etc.

Autos are worse that manuals because you don't have the engine braking capability.

It wasnt an insulting reply, it was a factual one! I know two people who used to own the same vehicle (1.8 litre Focus Mk1) and the dad (a police driver) was having his cam belt changed at 85,000 miles and mentioned that the pads were still original! They looked like they had a good few miles left on them too! His son managed just 40,000 on the front set of pads but he is known for, should we say, his style of driving!!

+1

It seemed a fairly innocuous question to me. Of course it varies depending on the driving style but it may be that the Yeti is particularly severe on brake pads, they may be the opposite. That was all the question was asking. Can't help myself yet as mine has not had its first service, nor have I had to have them changed.

It wasnt an insulting reply, it was a factual one! I know two people who used to own the same vehicle (1.8 litre Focus Mk1) and the dad (a police driver) was having his cam belt changed at 85,000 miles and mentioned that the pads were still original! They looked like they had a good few miles left on them too! His son managed just 40,000 on the front set of pads but he is known for, should we say, his style of driving!!

Factual yes, but it did begin with the line "Silly question really" which I think is what Maffa has taken exception to (probably rightly). Pretty much all questions seem silly to those who already know the answers and wonder "how can they not know that?" When you don't know, or are not sure, the questions seem perfectly reasonable. Surely one of the strengths of this forum is the way the 'know it alls' are able to help the 'know nothings' (and I count myself with the latter most of the time.) Please allow us our silly questions!

I always get more than 50k miles out of brake pads. Sometimes a lot more.

Ours has only done 2500 miles in 7.5 months.

So on this basis I'd guess they're going to last quite a while.

I wonder how many Yeti have actually needed them changing, baring in mind they've only been about for two years.

Think it also depends on the manufacture, never replaced pads or disc's on a VAG product but Vauhalls then yes. A previous Corsa 1.2 for example needed new pads and disc's at 20,000 and then again at 30,000. Not wear as such more general deterioration (I suspect poor quality materials used; genuine GM parts too ).

TP

Thanks one and all for your thoughts as we now have a balanced discussion.

I am totally none technical having driving company cars all these years and welcome the thoughts of those in the know. I just dont ask silly questions!!!! :rofl:Although as Bob said they can seem silly to those who do actually know (or think they know it all!)

The information available on here amazes me in particulat the Plumber

(do you work for a living or just spend your time looking at technical books and plans?)

Also I have now learned that perhaps I am a defensive driver (whatever that is) but I do not drive close to anyone and often use the DSG in manual for slowing down and going down hill.This may be something to do with being 5th out of 7 in a multi car pile up on the M62 in my new metallic brown (muscovado?)mark 4 company cortina in 1978!(written off)

Cheers

Peter.

Edited 16 May, 201115 yr by Maffa

Sorry Maffa, but how long is a piece of string?

Because I drive defensively I hardly touch the brakes, and on my last Freelander only replaced the front pads at 85k because they were starting to break up at the edges.

A lot depends on your style of driving, what the traffic is like, terrain, geography, etc.

Autos are worse that manuals because you don't have the engine braking capability.

I have to watch out for being rear ended as the DSG auto in Elsie the Helipad has such good engine braking.....

I lift my foot off the throttle and the car slows down and changes down through the gears by it's self, and has much better engine breaking effect than any manual I have ever driven. I have to touch the brakes to let the person behind me know I am slowing down, otherwise I don't bother with the brakes.

Mike

I have to watch out for being rear ended as the DSG auto in Elsie the Helipad has such good engine braking.....

I lift my foot off the throttle and the car slows down and changes down through the gears by it's self, and has much better engine breaking effect than any manual I have ever driven. I have to touch the brakes to let the person behind me know I am slowing down, otherwise I don't bother with the brakes.

Mike

That explains your fuel economy then.

I have to watch out for being rear ended as the DSG auto in Elsie the Helipad has such good engine braking.....

I lift my foot off the throttle and the car slows down and changes down through the gears by it's self, and has much better engine breaking effect than any manual I have ever driven. I have to touch the brakes to let the person behind me know I am slowing down, otherwise I don't bother with the brakes.

Mike

Yours must be quite different from my Octavia 1.8TSI DSG that I had until quite recently (traded in for Yeti). I found the engine braking when lifting of throttle to be quite modest - enough to make you realise you were not free wheeling and very similar to a manual box. But when wanting to slow down without using brakes - say coming up to lower speed limit I often resorted to extensive use of the paddles (with which I am very aware you are familiar) to enhance the deceleration (when I was in the mood to play with these toys and avoid the brakes) There was certainly no noticeable sudden decelleration which came anywhere close to causing a potential rear end shunt. It went down through it's 7 gears quite slowly - only engaging lower gears when going quite slowly. Obviously quite different from yours. Just realised - yours is diesel - my Octavia was petrol - could make a significant difference

(do you work for a living or just spend your time looking at technical books and plans?)

Hi Maffa,

if the question is directed at myself then yes & yes ; I currently teach in a college and prior to that I repaired fighter jets and Spitfires (aircraft not car)

Regards,

TP

That explains your fuel economy then.

Yes it is better than the other diesel DSG's......despite being almost exclusively being driven around South London

Maffa,

Defensive driving is being aware of the road and all that it contains. So when you know/see that there is a bend in front your ease off the accelerator early instead of braking, you do the same at junctions and lights, you make sure that you are in the right gear so that you can accelrate away easily but not harshly, and generally drive so that you can still maintain adequate speed through places without causing delay or obstruction. It is why I can get over 50mpg on my journey to work, but still do the 48 miles in 60 minutes.

Rockhopper/Mike,

tut tut, you didn't read that did you? I didn't say SEMI autos like the DSG!! I said AUTOS!!

Rockhopper/Mike,

tut tut, you didn't read that did you? I didn't say SEMI autos like the DSG!! I said AUTOS!!

I chose to ignore it and put it in for those other folk.....

Obviously quite different from yours. Just realised - yours is diesel - my Octavia was petrol - could make a significant difference

Thats right. My previous diesel DSG Octavia of 2006 vintage was nowhere near as good at engine braking either. different software I think as I doubt the gearbox has changed that much.

I suspect yours was also the 7speed dry clutch DSG as well, though that I would not expect would make much difference, but I stand to be corrected.

Spitfires (aircraft not car)

Regards,

TP

By gum at your age I bet you struggle to see the small detail!

Keep it up TP you are a fount of knowledge!!!

Cheers

Peter

Maffa,

Defensive driving is being aware of the road and all that it contains. So when you know/see that there is a bend in front your ease off the accelerator early instead of braking, you do the same at junctions and lights, you make sure that you are in the right gear so that you can accelrate away easily but not harshly, and generally drive so that you can still maintain adequate speed through places without causing delay or obstruction. It is why I can get over 50mpg on my journey to work, but still do the 48 miles in 60 minutes.

Thanks Llanigraham thats the way I drive (self taught over many miles)and must admit as a tight Yorkshireman even when using company fuel I have in recent years driven as you say defensively. In my youth I was a bit of an attacking lunatic.

Be interesting to see the difference in gearbox this time next year when my SM arrives!

Cheers

Peter

Edited 17 May, 201115 yr by Maffa

Thanks Llanigraham thats the way I drive (self taught over many miles)and must admit as a tight Yorkshireman even when using company fuel I have in recent years driven as you say defensively. In my youth I was a bit of an attacking lunatic.

Be interesting to see the difference in gearbox this time next year when my SM arrives!

Cheers

Peter

No problem!

I presume you suffer from that terrible Yorkshire disease, that also affects those from Cardiganshire and (allegedly) those north of Hadrian's Wall, of short arms and long pockets?

(I'll get my coat!!)

No problem!

I presume you suffer from that terrible Yorkshire disease, that also affects those from Cardiganshire and (allegedly) those north of Hadrian's Wall, of short arms and long pockets?

(I'll get my coat!!)

Can you get long pockets in a cardigan??