Have skoda reduced the Front brake disc size on new VRS's?

[RSFIN]

Is it just front brakes or has rears / something else been changed as well?

[marcholloway]

Just front as far as I'm aware

[aldouk]

The rears are small enough.

[Nookiebear]

Just having a scan through my old brochures, and the catalogue that was current at the time of ordering my car in December 2013 (Edition: UK 10/13) states under 'Safety & Security' on the pricing page of the Octavia vRS '17" front disc brakes'... which is interesting as that's 432mm!?!

 

In the following issue brochure (Edition: UK 05/14) that was current at the time of my car's actual manufacture in early June 2014 (one of the first MY2015 cars) this ceased to appear.

 

Mine (being a MY2015 TDi) does of course have the lovely wheel filling 340mm discs (more so as at the time of ordering the Gemini 18" wheel was the only option... the 19" Xtreme not being available until some months later in the UK spec list).

 

Bit of useless information really as doesn't really make any difference to the situation to which this thread relates... but just thought I'd mention it!

 

Edit: And I can see both sides of the argument here... will the smaller brakes be adequate and the car still stop - yes... would it pi$$ me off if I'd been expecting the bigger brakes (so I could wave my willy at anyone with a smaller one) - quite probably yes!

Edited 23 April, 2016 by Nookiebear

[WI5847]

Might ask them to swap the entire car for a TSI just so I can have those bigger, better, more powerful brakes. ;-).

Had to go diesel in reality......as my username suggests, im military so plenty of long drives and a diesel works better for me.

Ex Mil here mate as my name suggest .. did the 7 click to heaven 12 months ago.. 

[AirborneVRS]

You've obviously seen the light mate. ;-).

What you up to now?

[marcholloway]

Anyone had any updates yet? Been told today by skodaUk that they cannot be retro fitted.

Apparent going to be standard across the board response.

[Peetu3]

Cannot be retrofitted? BS. If they have been std for years, there cannot be any reason why retrofit wouldn't be possible.
How about all other retrofit-parts, such as S3 short shift etc... Almost everything inside the same platform is retrofit-able
Another thing is, are they willing to do so, and if so, without any additional costs to customer.

Ordered my RS Tdi 03/2016, and my dealer has already been informed that when delivery date comes, first thing to check are the front brakes.

[SC03OTT]

I took it to mean won't be fitted, by Skoda FOC.

[silver1011]

Skoda won't be replacing front brakes on already-built cars for free.

 

The infamous small print in the brochure allows them to make as many changes as they want without recourse.

 

Better to have a good old moan to see if you can get a free service or something similar.

[Genoa1893]

Same issue happened to me when factory decided to change the 3-spoke steering wheel included in an option package to the ugly 4-spoke.

[Peetu3]

Yep, totally agree with you guys that this might be a little battle.

 

My argument is the contract made, here in Finland, which says that "2. product is to be delivered in condition based on ordering time's marketing material, unless stated otherwise".
At that point, the technical data in official Skoda website stated 340x30mm front brakes. Of which I naturally have a copy

[JPH0091]

Same issue happened to me when factory decided to change the 3-spoke steering wheel included in an option package to the ugly 4-spoke.

Same here

[AirborneVRS]

Indeed this may be a little battle.

I'm not sure what Trade Descriptions would say about this though. Surely the product should be presented in a fashion that it was described/offered.

Any change in specification after the agreement should surely be itentified and the customer contacted prior to manufacture not adjusted on the sly at the factory without communication.

Always worth asking though.

[GregStinson]

Here are my 16 plate TDI front discs...

Sent from my ONE A2003 using Tapatalk

[FlyingGecko]

Size of brakes isn't in the specification...

[WI5847]

Just had a message of Skoda UK they want my phone number so they can contact me directly.. ill up date you with the out come 

[WI5847]

You've obviously seen the light mate. ;-).

What you up to now?

That i have but the grass isnt that much greener lol driving HGV's now pal love it out on the road on my own ! 

[AirborneVRS]

Update. I have had anot her call from Skoda UK with regards to the change of brake size.

I have been informed that all TDI's as from 01 Jan 16 have been built with the 312mm brake pads and smaller calipers.

They are collating all other queries regarding this issue together to help resolve the issue.

I have advised them that my contract with Skoda, Skoda UK and the dealer was in place prior the above date (Sept/Nov 2015). At the tine of my agreement, the price and the specification was set and thus the final product should be what was agreed.

I have questioned braking distances, stopping ability, cost, visual differences, performance differences and offered to seek legal advice and used the phrase "trading standards".

I am also well versed in physics and engineering. F=MA. Heavier car going slightly slower (10mph or 1.1s difference) = lighter car going slightly faster. This results in an equal force when my car hits a wall/other vehicle/barrier etc so why should the TSI be the only on to have "big brakes"? Because the petrol is the "proper performance car", if this is the case, then I have been mis-sold my performance vRS TDI.

I have also informed them of the price difference between the two brake sets. Along with how it would affect resale should I sell/swap the vehicle if on a PCP contract.

Myself and my wife are the owners of two new Skoda's. We have a 62 plate Octavia Estate from new and now my vRS from new. We have given Skoda over £50k and been loyal customers. We are very happy with our cars and think they and SUK have been very good about this matter.

They wanted to know if I would be happy with the difference between brake sets - I told them that was nice but unless they will buy the current set off me so I can purchase the original set then I just like the 340mm brakes fitted instead. In return I think Skoda should honour the original contract (Nov 2015) as a gesture of goodwill.

Please contact them using any of this information and kick up a fuss. Hopefully we can get what we ordered but only if people log a complaint/issue.

Cheers guys.

P.s. It may seem trivial to some but I believe in values and standards. I'd like to think I have earned my car and in the specification I ordered. It's the principle behind it.

Edited 28 April, 2016 by AirborneVRS

[Moley RUFC]

I disagree Airbourne. The mk2 vRS petrol's ran 312mm discs and given then had 200bhp and weighed more than the new generation I don't think the discs require being any bigger on the new diesel version.

Regards the diesel being a proper performance model again I disagree. Luke warm maybe but the figures hardly add up to tarmac melting performance.

Skoda will say they are fit for purpose and that can't be argued with imho.

Edited 28 April, 2016 by Moley RUFC

[FlyingGecko]

I'll say it again - size of brakes isn't in the specification.

 

 

 

 

So it won't be part of any contract.

[aldouk]

@AirborneVRS

I don't think trading standards can do anything unless in the contractural print. They get out of this with spec subject to change.

I also don't think it'll make any difference to resale value, unless one of us was buying a second hand MK3.

However fair play for persistence and it sounds like Skoda UK/Dealer will look after you for being loyal customers. [emoji106]

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[AirborneVRS]

I agree with all points above. I have agreed with SUK that the 312mm brakes are more than adequate.

My point regarding power and weight - is to reflect it against its petrol brother. Why one not the other? If neither require it them reduce both.

Regarding performance - it is not about actual performance, more the impression that skoda have given regarding the vRS as the "performance" model in either engine. Again this leads me to asking why both require this product as neither are McLaren F1 or Bugatti Veyron quick. I'm sure the 312mm brakes would be more than suitable for the petrol as well then?

The spec may not refect the actual 340mm figure but then neither does it state actual down force requirements of the car/down force produced by the spoiler yet both have one. If my diesel is a "luke warm" performance car then maybe I shouldn't have the spoiler? Maybe this should only be for 230 vRS? But then again, this is what the car had at the time of my agreement and maybe in 2017 the diesel will lose the spoiler without anyone noticing. If that's the case, I am sure someone else will kick up a fuss regarding that, should the petrol continue to have one.

Ultimately, they have told me that diesel vRS from 01/01/16 were built with 312mm front brakes. I am perfectly happy with their ability to stop the car. My query with them is that I agreed a contract in 2015 which should be honoured. Especially when I have agreed and paid for a set specification and then not received it. Like anyone, if I've paid nearly £28k for my second brand new car then I would like the specification to be honoured. Especially when I have purchased a vehicle with the "performance brakes" (as the dealer told me, along with performance seats, suspension, steering wheel etc) which cost approximately £300 more than what I have actually got.

I don't mean to start an argument here. I purchased the diesel as I am in the military, I don't use it huge amount but usually when I do, it is to travel long distances. So the economy was good (being in mind my other Octavia Estate SE-L is a deisel and returns around 60mpg on long journeys), the reduced tax bracket. I could have chosen the petrol but opted for the less powerful but more efficient diesel (us military folk are not paid millionaires wages as some may think).

It may seem trivial but if you don't ask, you don't get and I don't really have money to just purchase extra parts should it not be as specified.

If SUK will be willing to swap them, great. If not, return the extra I paid as this will go towards something else. As I have said, the brakes are perfectly fine but not as agreed in my final meeting with the dealer.

[k3vkr]

Well Said Airborne..

 

Look like all the dealers are being fed the same line now...

 

Regarding the front brake, I spoke to Skoda Retailer support and they told me that the break set up has changed for Diesel models since week 1. I asked if there was a reason for this and basically was told it’s a factory decision that makes no difference in the breaks regarding efficiency or performance.

 

That's in reply from my email to Henrys Skoda in Glasgow about the issue

[Ootohere]

The 2.0 TDI 184ps is not a performance model though, just a 2.0 TDI 184ps.

The engine comes in other Volkswagen Group vehicles that are not performance models either.

A vRS badge does not make it sporting just gives it Sporty Looks.

Good torque and equally good engine braking.

Brakes up to the job of driving on the public road even public roads with higher speed limits than the UK.

 

If tracking one you know what maybe needs doing, better brakes, better brake fluid and lighten it.