When to change brake discs / pads

[vik2001]

When should you be changing brake discs? Is it dependant on mileage?
My ed30 has done 32k mileage. The back brake pads need doing, but i was wondering about the discs also

Stealers want £139 to do the front and £139 to do rear brake pads

[camfollower]

Best way is take them out and check.
You will have a wear sensor on the nearside pad that should flag on the dash when its required, but this needs to be coded via VAS/VCDS, mine wasn't!
You can have a rough idea by checking through the spokes.
Get some better compound for the fronts.  Something like:

Mintex M144
Tarox Corsa
Pagid  Blues
Ferodo DS2500

All circa £100 for the fronts.

Or if your feeling spicy grab a NQS Big Brake Kit for circa £500

Re: Discs, the edges start getting quite lipped (noticeably if you run your finger over the outer edge)  Discs shouldn't really go on the rear in 32k, but like most things, it's how hard you drive it.  Are you mapped?

[vik2001]

Thanks for reply. Im not mapped running totally standard.
How much mileage do you get out of replacing with oem brake pads

[camfollower]

To be honest mate, I really think it depends on the type of driving, the driver etc.  e.g. a lot of motorway driving you aren't going to use the brakes as much.
I'm always changing mine.

[scottm72]

can usually tell just looking at them, just get familiar with what a set of new pads look like with regards to thickness in comparison to a used set, next time you get new pads ask for the old ones back and see the diff for future reference.
also run your finger over the disks from inside to out and see if you feel a lot of ridges, if so the same ridges will be mirrored onto your pads, a little is ok.
if you are not sure what thickness a new set of pads are just look at a new car at a dealership, any car and you will see the diff.
my wife drives her golf 200 miles a week with 50/50 roads and i usually have to do hers every 2-3 years, 1.6 golf though so gti will be harder.
never change the disks without changing the pads though as any pad scores / scratches etc will be transferred to the surface of your new disks
 

[vik2001]

Thats great advice mate.
How do you know if discs need changing. Do you feel them with your hand for cracks/ridges?

[Frodo-anni]

My Ed30 DSG, front disc & pads were changed at 49k, rears are still going strong, have another 4/5k left on them hopefully.

[scottm72]

Thats great advice mate.
How do you know if discs need changing. Do you feel them with your hand for cracks/ridges?

very rarely get cracks, ridges will come up over time also dont worry if there is rust on them first thing in the morning as this is normal and is only surface rust, after driving for half an hour it will disappear.
with regards to when the discs need changed its just when they get down to minimum depth, hard to tell sometimes, usual first sign is an advisory on your mot.

[paulw123]

How common are cracks in the disks?
i've noticed the ridges around ouside on other cars i've owned, but there are hairline cracks from the outside in on my MK5 disks.
Will these fail MOt?

[camfollower]

Doubt they will fail MOT, unless they are decent cracks... could it be a bit of pad shadow?

They aren't an expensive item really, perhaps £50 the pair?  If you have a 7mm allen and 21mm socket / spanner you can do them yourself

[scottm72]

thats one thing i never muck about with tbh - the brakes,
to important an area for me to make a mistake,
easy if you know how i guess but there are things like seized calipers / bleeding etc that i wouldnt touch
just me though 

[Frodo-anni]

Check out Seat Fixed price servicing, the prices are cheaper than VW for the same parts so just get a price match.   

[scottm72]

Check out Seat Fixed price servicing, the prices are cheaper than VW for the same parts so just get a price match.   

hah, good idea that, might work, as long as within mile radious