I've been trying to help out a new Polo owner who seems to want to be prepared for when he needs to replace his brake pads - maybe a bit soon as the car is only 2 months old, but there you are, and I've discovered that at least the Polo is now being fitted with Mando front callipers, well at  least the lower powered versions that don't have a calliper carrier. previous to that these callipers were known as ATE, so it seems like TRW have pulled the plug on manufacturing that design and it went to ATE for a short time and now Mando  who, not surprisingly, are not based in Europe.

 

Sometimes maybe it is better not to know about these changes, though at least my wife's 110PS Polo has the bigger still ATE made callipers.

Mando are a huge corporation with other manufacturers taking actions against then on patent infringements. Including Bosch.

So just like VW to use who ever is cheaper be them German or South Korean.

Yes, I did spot that wee issue that they keep having with patent infringement allegations, not good!

 

Still, it does answer the question that "my brakes do not have FS111 moulded into the callipers" - when the front callipers are definitely not the ATE ones with the vertical anti rattle spring!  I'm glad that my wife's car missed that change in supplier in two counts, it was built before December 2015 and it has the bigger front brakes.

 

I just hope that this is not going to be a repeat of nasty issues for owners like when some of the COP coil manufacturers moved to Eastern Europe from Western Europe, what is next seeing as wipers are being made by Federal Mogul, no doubt in a slightly under developed area of the world - maybe it is best not to know?

 

Now if I'm bored and near my VW dealer I'll need to point to these callipers and ask if they know where they are made? (spread the love!)

Edited 21 November, 20178 yr by rum4mo