Hi all, my Octavia has been in for its service this morning and they are saying front discs and pads are 75% worn and saying replacement is required, quoted me a price just shy of £500, seems expensive to me! 
 

I can get them done by one of the mechanics where I work, but, ideally he’d want me to buy them, so what ones do I need and what brands are people buying and giving good reviews on?

 

It’s a 2019 TDI vRS 4x4 DSG Estate Octavia.

 

Suggestions etc appreciated, thanks 

 

I'd get another opinion if it was me.  75% worn to me means 25% left, and 25% doesn't sound like 'required' work.  Unless of course there's more to it and they're 75% worn but also completely knackered.

 

Brakes are important and need looking after properly, but this sounds like upselling to me - without further info to suggest otherwise.

 

Gaz 

Just now, Gaz said:

I'd get another opinion if it was me.  75% worn to me means 25% left, and 25% doesn't sound like 'required' work.  Unless of course there's more to it and they're 75% worn but also completely knackered.

 

Brakes are important and need looking after properly, but this sounds like upselling to me - without further info to suggest otherwise.

 

Gaz 

indeed, I agree, I’ll get another opinion but I was just curious as to what brand people were buying if I needed to buy them 

If they do actually need doing, the price they've quoted you isn't too far off. I've just had mine replaced, front discs and pads, with Brembo equivalents which are pretty decent. I didn't want to compromise on stopping.

The cost just to buy the parts was £105 per disc per wheel and £67 per pad per wheel, so £344 for parts only. Not sure what kind of labour they're charging you.

I think the fronts would be quicker than the rears as there is no need to mess about with the parking brake/VCDS settings.

8 minutes ago, Gammyleg said:

I think the fronts would be quicker than the rears as there is no need to mess about with the parking brake/VCDS settings.

Why are vcd's involved please. Do you have to code in new brake components?

6 minutes ago, ords said:

Why are vcd's involved please. Do you have to code in new brake components?

Most likely referring to winding back the electric parking brake.

14 minutes ago, varooom said:

Most likely referring to winding back the electric parking brake

Indeed yes. The rears are on my list of things to do before next MOT. Have read that the parking brake needs to be reset once done. 

Just a quick hijack of this thread, I'm in the same boat as you and I changed my front disc's and pads and now on the rears, just been and got a right handed wind back tool for the piston, is this correct or is it a left hand tool I need? The packet says compatible with Audi and VW but not Skoda?

 

Thanks in advance 

On 18/03/2023 at 14:30, Stonker said:

Just a quick hijack of this thread, I'm in the same boat as you and I changed my front disc's and pads and now on the rears, just been and got a right handed wind back tool for the piston, is this correct or is it a left hand tool I need? The packet says compatible with Audi and VW but not Skoda?

 

Thanks in advance 

 

I use the same rewind tool from years which originally was bought for Audi A3 8L('01), then used on Octavia Mk1, Audi A4 8E and two weeks ago used on my Octavia Mk3. Looks similar if not the same to this one https://www.screwfix.com/p/hilka-pro-craft-brake-caliper-rewind-tool/4119r . But honestly I don't remember where I bought it from.

I literally just did my brakes and not sure which one I used, kit had both and just used the one that worked, lol.

Not sure if I did the right thing but I just pushed the pistons back with the handle of my breaker bar. Seems to have worked OK.

13 minutes ago, Gammyleg said:

Not sure if I did the right thing but I just pushed the pistons back with the handle of my breaker bar. Seems to have worked OK.

Did you mean pushing it without turning it counterclockwise? This works for fronts, but rear ones need to be turned as well.

 

The tool I shared and I have is very popular. The end which pushes the piston is two-sided - with smaller pins gap and with wider. If it doesn’t fit the piston, you turn it the opposite side. That’s it.

Edited 10 April, 20233 yr by fr1nklyn

Unless the electric parking brake calipers are different? Reading above, looks like he has those.

 

I've never had dealings with them.

7 minutes ago, RoddersUK said:

Unless the electric parking brake calipers are different? Reading above, looks like he has those.

 

I've never had dealings with them.

No Mk3 Octavia has EPB.

3 hours ago, fr1nklyn said:

 

I use the same rewind tool from years which originally was bought for Audi A3 8L('01), then used on Octavia Mk1, Audi A4 8E and two weeks ago used on my Octavia Mk3. Looks similar if not the same to this one https://www.screwfix.com/p/hilka-pro-craft-brake-caliper-rewind-tool/4119r . But honestly I don't remember where I bought it from.

 

That's the one, it worked a treat, the pistons took a bit of getting going back but once they started they went in just fine.👍

My off side started ok, but the nearside took a spanner on the tool to get it going.

 

Wasn't too bad once started.

I have EPB on the rears and managed to push both sides back in, no turning.

Again, may not have followed procedure but seems not to have caused any damage. Both sides working well.

Don't risk not turning rear pistons while pushing.. If it's hard at the beginning, try the following:
1. Open the brake fluid reservoir

2. Connect a hose to the brake bleeder with the other end in a bottle with brake fluid - like on this image, I used mineral water bottle and drilled its cap

3. Now pushing back the piston should be easy

4. Keep an eye on the brake fluid reservoir while pushing back the piston because it may require topping up!

 

Sometimes only opening the brake fluid reservoir is enough. But in this case, you may need to remove some fluid from it while pushing the piston.

Wondering what the 'risk' is?

31 minutes ago, Gammyleg said:

Wondering what the 'risk' is?

 

I don't know exactly why, but if it requires rotation, there will most likely be a thread. If you force push it, you may damage that thread - that's my explanation. But I don't claim it's right

What @fr1nklyn said, if you have an EPB, the motor has to spin say a 40:1 ratio (sorry a guess, no actual idea) and if you try to reverse this process, it can strip the threads on the worm screw or something like that.

1 hour ago, varooom said:

What @fr1nklyn said, if you have an EPB

We seem to have gone off topic here as we're in the Octavia 3 forum (which doesn't have EPB) and Gammyleg has a Superb which does have EPB.

17 minutes ago, PetrolDave said:

We seem to have gone off topic here as we're in the Octavia 3 forum (which doesn't have EPB) and Gammyleg has a Superb which does have EPB.

I am sorry I answered a question, never again 😧