brake jobs
ok guys… i know i’m going to get a lot of hell for this but… i am (was) a warranty administrator with vw for 5 years. i was trained by my shop foreman who has been with vw for 25 years and is still currently employed in a vw dealership. so i think i’m a little qualified to answer some questions… ok first things first.. brake jobs- front or rear- no are not covered by the manufacturer after 12k miles (refer to your owners manual). if front or rear brakes are worn, 20k-30k is about when they should be replaced. this is totally normal. and yes they are considered a maintenance item so BE PREPARED TO PAY FOR THEM!!! i’m not a vw rep nor am i making excuses for them but take it from someone who has been on the inside, brakes do wear out, and yes they are the owners’ responsibility. sorry for the bad news guys! take it from a frustrated warranty administrator – i’ve seen many a p/o’d customer some with good reason, most not. now i’m not a technician but i’d be glad to take a stab at any questions that you guys might have!
Subscribe by RSS
rick Said,
April 20, 2004 @ 12:00 pm
brake jobs – Nobody’s going to give you hell for this. It’s a forum, not a hate site.
Welcome aboard.
vwitamarie Said,
April 20, 2004 @ 12:00 pm
brake jobs – thanks rick. but i can tell by the tone of some of the comments that most of the people who post here are truly pissed off… just trying to cover my ass!
rick Said,
April 20, 2004 @ 12:00 pm
brake jobs – True, a lot of us here ARE pissed, and with good reason most of the time. This has become a nice venting point for many of us and some may not like reading “”the other side”" of the debate.
That said, I also hope that there is a sincere dialogue where all views can be shared (except some of the nasty ones like the ones I’ve had to delete).
I have to add, back to the topic, that I don’t think it’s normal for a car to need brakes and rotors at 27,000 miles, like I did. It may be normal for VW but that’s kinda our point!
http://www.faqfarm.com/Car/Repair/6691
How often should brakes be changed?
This Car Repair question was last updated on January 01, 2004, at 02:18 am. Popularity in Car Repair FAQ: 15.
Question by Eusebio Garcia asked on December 30, 2003, at 11:29 am.
How often should brakes be changed?
I had my brakes replaced at 88,000 and I’m now at 100,000 on a 1998 Nissan Altima. What is the average mileage at which one needs to replaces their brakes?
Answer by Paul @BA (Pukenstein@ThisisToPreventSpam-PKS-RemoveThis.aol.com) contributed on January 01, 2004, at 02:18am. Last updated on January 01, 2004, at 9:26pm.
If your talking front ones, and they were installed properly and the system doesn’t develop other problems to cause premature wear, and also depending if your talking city or highway driving, not to mention what quality of parts were installed, I would expect about 35,000.
If you have rear drum brakes and you keep them adjusted every 12,000 miles your fronts may last longer.
If we are talking rear shoes I would expect 75,000 miles, rear disc brakes about 50,000 miles
ilovemyjetta Said,
April 28, 2004 @ 12:00 pm
brake jobs – If you want a car that only needs brakes every 85K miles then by a Nissan. Its worth it to me to replace brakes every 25K to have the sheer joy drive my VW around the city shifting between 2nd, 3rd, and 4th.
297 Said,
May 3, 2004 @ 12:00 pm
brake jobs – Get better brake pads.
Do some research, pick up a pair of pads compatible with your car and with your driving style, give it to the dealer on your next service and tell them to install that.
And contrary to what you may expect, such brake pads are comparable, if not cheaper, in price to VW brake pads.
For instance, rear brake pads are known to wear out prematurely (again, it also depends on your style of .. braking). VW charges about $50 for a set. Mintex pads, which are the OE brand for Mercedes-Benz, are $35, last longer, and brake more effectively.
Just like you should bring your own oil to the dealership (after all, you want to take care of it), bring your own pads.