Got my major service today for 40,000 miles. Was told that the rear brakes are 80% worn and was quoted over £200 for replacing them. They mentioned that they cleared out the drum but that it looked like the rear brakes had been a bit sticky, causing increased wear. They also mentioned that one of the front discs is starting to show a lip on it.

 

I know that the friction material is a consumable and it's down to me to pay for replacement but if its being made worse by sticky rear drums then shouldn't that be a warranty issue? Same with the front - replacement pads doesn't faze me but should a set of discs that are less than 3 years old (it's 3 in January) really be developing a lip on them?

 

For both ends I've been quoted around £430 by the dealer. I know a good local garage that will probably cost less and whilst I'm fine paying for the replacement pads, should the discs/drums issues be done under warranty?

 

 

My fabia suffers from sticking rear drums, but it seems to be a common issue. 80% wear on the shoes is excessive in 40,000 miles. Wouldn't expect to replace the shoes until 70-80k.

As for the fronts, a lip on the discs isn't an issue. The discs will naturally wear and until the brake disc reaches its minimum thickness, they are fine! 'starting to show a lip' suggests that the discs are well within tolerances.

Out of interest who is Quoting you a Arnold Clark Skoda Dealership?

 

If the rear shoes need replaced get them done.

But you would want the Shoes that come off to check how worn the are. 80% is highly unlikely.

It is doubtful the Front Discs need replaced, but have the Independent Garage you know look at them.

No need to even remove the wheels to check the Discs and Pads,

 

?

Can i ask, how much were you charged for a Service at 40,000 miles, 

& have you had the Brake Fluid changed at this Service?

Or are they suggesting leaving it till the Next Service and after the car is over 3 years old?

Out of interest who is Quoting you a Arnold Clark Skoda Dealership?

 

 

You can't ask that question - they might send the boys round!

Edited 7 November, 201510 yr by rum4mo

Drum brakes on all the cars that use that platform are a bit of a pain in the neck, I seem to remember my daughter phoning me up for help (seized rear brake) when her Ibiza was just under one year old - I suggested that she called Seat as they would get the AA to her quicker than I could get to her. At its 5th annual service Seat reported "rear brake sticking - book it in to get looked at" - I had wire brushed etc both drums two years before that, but this year I gave them both a really really good wire brushing to remove the black rust. When you leave these cars with the handbrake on after a wet run, the shoes do seem to stick to the surface of the drums (and cause a build up of corrosion), just the way it is.

If 'they' send anyone round, it is usually 'Skoda Assist' to sort out what they did.

 

As it is, this Dealership Technician has had the Rear Wheels and Drums off, and cleaned out the Drums,

did a little TLC and some of the correct lubrication has been done!! and supposedly left Shoes on that are 80% worn.

More likely 20% worn, but when the Drums are off to check, then we will know.

 

So they are serviceable right now, good to go over this winter.

and maybe need replaced for the MOT in 2 months time.

But again that is unlikely.

 When you leave these cars with the handbrake on after a wet run, the shoes do seem to stick to the surface of the drums (and cause a build up of corrosion), just the way it is.

Remedy: don't leave the handbrake wet.

Before parking, apply the handbrake lightly and it will dry out - this might take a few hundred yards.

Out of interest who is Quoting you a Arnold Clark Skoda Dealership?

 

If the rear shoes need replaced get them done.

But you would want the Shoes that come off to check how worn the are. 80% is highly unlikely.

It is doubtful the Front Discs need replaced, but have the Independent Garage you know look at them.

No need to even remove the wheels to check the Discs and Pads,

 

?

Can i ask, how much were you charged for a Service at 40,000 miles, 

& have you had the Brake Fluid changed at this Service?

Or are they suggesting leaving it till the Next Service and after the car is over 3 years old?

 

It wasn't Arnold Shark. I wouldn't touch Arnold with a barge pole.

 

Was Henrys in Glasgow. Didn't buy the car from them (bought from Parks in Hamilton) but I used to work a couple of minutes from Henrys so I got my dealer services there. Was the standard £259 Skoda major service. I don't have the job sheet to hand or I'd tell you whether they replaced the brake fluids or just checked it. I think it was checked as part of the inspection and returned ok.

 

Always been happy with anything Henrys have done with the car. Just came as a bit of a shock that a car that's still a couple of months shy of 3 years old and at 40(ish)K would need rear brakes so quickly and would be developing a lip on the front disc. Out of warranty soon enough that I'll probably be going back to my local independent garage that serviced my previous cars (Jag x-type, Honda Jazz and Honda Civic).

 

All in with the major service, 2 new tyres and front and back brakes, I was looking at just shy of £900. Got the tyres done when they were servicing it with winter in mind (only about £10 a tyre more than Black Circles and saved the hassle of booking another job) but the brakes surprised me a little.

Brake parts are consumables like tyres.

You used to get about 2 or 3 sets of Brake Pad changes before needing to replace Discs,

some 20 year old cars might be on their original discs still and they go not need changing,

but that is not how VW Discs are now.

 

So feel if there is a Lip on the disc and if you think it is an issue, or have someone check them for you,

but as likely the Pads could do with a change.

 

?

Did Henrys actually change the tyres in house or just run the car to a Tyre Fitting Centre?

 

Best check if the Brake Fluid was changed, there would probably be a £45-£50 charge on the Invoice if it was.

The Service Schedule is at 3 Years then every 2 years.

 

They might have just checked the Brake Fluid level,they should, it is a Major Inspection Service they are taking £259 for after all,

but then they might have done a Moisture Content Check,

but then that should be noted just as 80% wear of the Rear Brake Shoes was.

Isn't there a bung/grommet or two you can remove from the drum backing plates in order to eyeball the shoe thickness with no other dis-assembly? Just pop a rear wheel up onto a kerb, pull out the bungs on that side and look with a torch? Repeat on other side.

Drum brakes on all the cars that use that platform are a bit of a pain in the neck, I seem to remember my daughter phoning me up for help (seized rear brake) when her Ibiza was just under one year old - I suggested that she called Seat as they would get the AA to her quicker than I could get to her. At its 5th annual service Seat reported "rear brake sticking - book it in to get looked at" - I had wire brushed etc both drums two years before that, but this year I gave them both a really really good wire brushing to remove the black rust. When you leave these cars with the handbrake on after a wet run, the shoes do seem to stick to the surface of the drums (and cause a build up of corrosion), just the way it is.

Parking at a fairly flat terrain Ill never leave the car with the handbrake on but always 1st gear engaged instead. Frozen brakes has learned me that habit!

Also, salted winter-roads do eat brakes whether discs or drums.

 

 When you leave these cars with the handbrake on after a wet run, the shoes do seem to stick to the surface of the drums (and cause a build up of corrosion), just the way it is.

Remedy: don't leave the handbrake wet.

Before parking, apply the handbrake lightly and it will dry out - this might take a few hundred yards.

 

 

Or in my case, while "minding" daughter's Ibiza, form a "stop" ramp on the sloping driveway at the position the front wheels end up at, and never leave it on the driveway with the handbrake on!

Parking at a fairly flat terrain Ill never leave the car with the handbrake on but always 1st gear engaged instead. Frozen brakes has learned me that habit!

Also, salted winter-roads do eat brakes whether discs or drums.

 

Yes, salty water from winter roads does make a mess of brakes, I tend to clean the car brakes once a year, just after winter. Being in a car share with other workers living near me meant that my car could spend 3 weeks in the garage at a  time, this wrecked my (front) ATE Power Discs - which was a bit annoying. If I was very fussy, I might have washed the discs at the end of my week driving, then bought a "pet drier" to dry the discs - but life is too short and my water point in the garage tends to freeze up for long periods even although it is well insulated etc!  (I have been told that "pet driers" are a lot cheaper than "car driers" and made in the same factory in China!)

Edited 8 November, 201510 yr by rum4mo

Isn't there a bung/grommet or two you can remove from the drum backing plates in order to eyeball the shoe thickness with no other dis-assembly? Just pop a rear wheel up onto a kerb, pull out the bungs on that side and look with a torch? Repeat on other side.

 

There used to be a very discrete "rectangular"ish (long thin circle?) bung on each back plate for that purpose.

Just checked the job sheet from Satuday.

 

Front work required: "Discs Front Worn. slight lip worn into edges. advise recheck 5-6 months"

 

Rear work required: "s80% worn - Rear Shoes Req. (shoes at o/s 80% worn, lever seized, causing excess wear)"

 

Now I'm no mechanic but surely seized levers on the rear brakes that cause excess wear is an issue with the braking system and possibly a warranty job? If the rear brakes are causing excess wear then it's not normal brake wear. Same for the front. A lip worn into the edges in just under 3 years? Really?

 

And the thing that caused me to put the car into the dealer in the first place - poor mpg - still isnt particularly great. It's taking a hell of a long time to get above the mid 30s, even on decent quiet roads where I can sit at a steady 55/60 mph to try and get the fuel economy up. Thought that it was the service needing done that was causing the poor mpg (sparks and air filter) but whils the engine is running quieter following the service, the fuel economy hasn't really returned to decent numbers. Won't really get a chance for a proper longer run til this weekend though.

I'd expect to have a detectable lip on the edge of front discs within maybe half a year or 6000 miles. It does no harm whatsoever though; except to owners who don't know to ignore motor industry types who use it to try to scare you into spending unnecessarily.

Car went in to a local garage today to get the rear drum brakes replaced.

 

Imagine my surprise when the local garage mechanic told me that my rear brakes would likely be good for at least another year and that all that was needed was to strip them and re-assemble them to sort out one of the read drums that was seizing.

 

Skoda suggested that they were 80% worn, advised to replace them before my MOT in January and quoted me around £230 for the job. £52.50 in labour costs and they're good for another year with no worries about getting through the MOT.

 

Thats a hell of a difference. Not happy with the dealer who did the initial service and gave the dodgy advice. Not happy at all.

You really should contact the Dealer Principal at Henrys because if the Technician or Fitter never removed the rear drums and looked 

then that is very dangerous telling an owner they had, 

even if warning the Owner that the Brake Shoes needed replacing. 

If the Drums were off the car first time, the technician could have done the clean up and maintenance your Independent Mechanic just has.

You really should contact the Dealer Principal at Henrys because if the Technician or Fitter never removed the rear drums and looked 

then that is very dangerous telling an owner they had, 

even if warning the Owner that the Brake Shoes needed replacing. 

If the Drums were off the car first time, the technician could have done the clean up and maintenance your Independent Mechanic just has.

 

Apparently they had cleaned out the drums when they were doing the service.

 

Henrys just cracked their credit with me. Was thinking of going to them when I eventually change cars. Not now.

 

On another note, it shows how valuable it is to have a good local mechanic who can be trusted.

Edited 23 November, 201510 yr by ClanFanAl

Sorry, but there should have been nothing for your local mechanic to do if Henrys Technician had done the job with the Drum off.

5 minutes of his / her time for each side since the Drums were off. No more.

  And you were paying, and then Henrys Employees lied and tried to defraud, it is as simple as that really.