Front brake pads and discs need changing

[fchana786]

Hi folks,

Just got my car back from a service and I was told by the service rep my brake wear light was on. They did a health check and my pads are 90% worn and my discs need changing too. I have never seen the brake pad light flash ever in my car!

My car has done 18,000 miles, is it normal to have brake pads and discs changed at this sort of mileage?

Sorry forgot to mention it's the front brake pads and discs. I have been quoted £300 which apparently includes a £90 discount.

Please let me know your thoughts and if you reckon it's wise to get them changed even if the brake pad light has not flashed up yet?

 

[DSM10000]

Was this a main dealer and what sort of driving do you engage in? Lots of stop / start city driving or hard braking? Also, what car is it?

To have brakes 90% worn at 18,000 miles is somewhat unusual. I would be getting a second opinion if you do not feel confident in checking the condition of the brake discs and pads yourself.

 

[The Polisher]

I needed front discs and pad at 37,000, I thought that was a bit early then!

 

[artyman]

Mine are coming up for renewal, probably before my next service according to my tame mechanic, and I'm at 38,000. He said that the newer pads are a lot harder consequently the discs usually need replacing at the same time whereas back in the old days it was just pads.

 

[fchana786]

My journeys mainly are city driving and I never really do any harsh braking. My car is a c180 amg sport plus.

I just find it really wierd that the front pads are at 90% and the rears are only 20%?

Also yes it was a main dealer - inchcape Mercedes leicester

 

[kam05]

As mentioned, get a 2nd opinion. If the discs/pads need changing then get a non MB garage to do the work.

 

[DSM10000]

My journeys mainly are city driving and I never really do any harsh braking. My car is a c180 amg sport plus.

I just find it really wierd that the front pads are at 90% and the rears are only 20%?

Also yes it was a main dealer - inchcape Mercedes leicester

The front brakes do take a higher load and will, therefore ,wear out faster.

 

[geraldrobins]

If the front brakes take a higher load then isn't this why they are bigger. Last time I had pads and discs replaced it was the rears first and at 70,000.
90 - 20 % doesn't sound normal to me.

 

[DSM10000]

If the front brakes take a higher load then isn't this why they are bigger. Last time I had pads and discs replaced it was the rears first and at 70,000.
90 - 20 % doesn't sound normal to me.

Under braking there is a significant transfer of mass to the front, consequently the braking forces on the front brakes have to be considerably higher than the rear.

Front brake discs are generally larger in diameter and in thickness with larger brake pads, this gives a larger surface area and clamping force and also greater heat capacity but despite this it is almost always the front brake components that wear out first.

 

[fchana786]

Thanks for your replies guys! Just been to my local indie and I've been told the pads do need changing however the discs are fine.

Been quoted £130 for the front brake pads and labour so i have it booked in next week! Is there a code where mb club owners get discount from euro car parts?

 

[DSM10000]

Thanks for your replies guys! Just been to my local indie and I've been told the pads do need changing however the discs are fine.

Been quoted £130 for the front brake pads and labour so i have it booked in next week! Is there a code where mb club owners get discount from euro car parts?

Yes: MBCLUB25 or MBCLUB30 but ECP currently have a sale on so all discount codes are suspended.

Try your local MB dealer and ask for a discount of the parts prices, it often yields good results.

 

[renault12ts]

It is very common for your pads and discs to need renewal at such ow mileage...if you get your car serviced at a main dealership...you guys have lost your cynicism radars.

Almost certainly your discs will not need renewing...even at twice that mileage...and I'd also be surprised if your pads need changing too.

 

[Chrishazle]

Had my car serviced by MB main dealer 16 months ago (just before the 12 months tier 1 warranty ran out) and was told front discs and pads needed replacing. 16 months and probably 9k miles later, still no warning light on dash and brakes behaving perfectly.

 

[flowrider]

Kwik Fit did a "free" brake check for me a while ago after my rear brake wear indicator came on. They told me that the front discs were "wafer thin" and the pads 90% worn with less than 1000 miles left on them, over 5000 miles later my local MB dealer tell me the discs are fine and the pads are only 30% worn.

 

[tristand]

Had mine in for a service last October in Main Dealer A, got a call from them saying that my front pads and disc needed replacing, asked how much, they said €840 - £660. I said I thought a light indicator would inform me if the pads needed replacing and would prefer to wait till I got the indicator until replacing. Then they said, I was in danger of damaging my calipers! I then asked him to estimate on how many km he reckoned was left on the discs and he said around 5,000km.

This whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth.

7,000km later I drop my car in for a ATF change to Main Dealer B. Nice lady came out to me and informed me that the front disc were 80% gone, back 60% gone, nothing to worry about, but depending on how much millage I do, will need to consider changing them in the future.

Just goes to show, there can be differences between Main Dealers and their attitudes to customers.

Till I find a good independent, Main Dealer B is my choice.

 

[paulshep69]

Had mine in for a service last October in Main Dealer A, got a call from them saying that my front pads and disc needed replacing, asked how much, they said €840 - £660. I said I thought a light indicator would inform me if the pads needed replacing and would prefer to wait till I got the indicator until replacing. Then they said, I was in danger of damaging my calipers! I then asked him to estimate on how many km he reckoned was left on the discs and he said around 5,000km.

This whole thing left a bad taste in my mouth.

7,000km later I drop my car in for a ATF change to Main Dealer B. Nice lady came out to me and informed me that the front disc were 80% gone, back 60% gone, nothing to worry about, but depending on how much millage I do, will need to consider changing them in the future.

Just goes to show, there can be differences between Main Dealers and their attitudes to customers.

Till I find a good independent, Main Dealer B is my choice.

I had a similar experience with my nearest main dealer, I took my car in for a B service, the service was carried out by what could only be described as a trained chimp.

He said that my front discs were "heavily corroded", I explained that I had been away offshore for a fortnight and that the car had been parked in Aberdeen during that time, which was why there was some corrosion on the discs, and to sort them out they probably just needed a couple of heavy applications of the brakes.

He was having none of it and they wanted £650 to replace them - I declined.

About 2 1/2 weeks later I went back in to have the tracking checked/adjusted, this time it was the chief mechanic that worked on my car. I asked him about the discs, he showed that there was a small lip on the disc and a small amount of corrosion on the inner face, he said it was a C63 problem with the inner pad sticking slightly in it's carrier, but suggested that my brakes would be fine until at least the next service, and they have been for 6 months now.

You really have to be streetwise to anything dealers tell you, and maybe have a second opinion from an indie too.

 

[markjay]

Just to say... when checking pads during service, the garage should inform you if they think the pads may need replacing before the next service is due, rather than assume that you will bring the car in when you see the red warning light.

The same goes for 'additional items', I.e. you are not expected to drive the car to the garage at exactly 37,500m to have the ATF changed etc, these will be done during the nearest service.

Of course some garages abuse this, as pointed out in previous posts, but the mere fact that you were advised to replace the pads before the warning light came-up is not necessarily an indication of any wrongdoing.

 

[219]

Hi folks,

Just got my car back from a service and I was told by the service rep my brake wear light was on. They did a health check and my pads are 90% worn and my discs need changing too. I have never seen the brake pad light flash ever in my car!

My car has done 18,000 miles, is it normal to have brake pads and discs changed at this sort of mileage?

Sorry forgot to mention it's the front brake pads and discs. I have been quoted £300 which apparently includes a £90 discount.

Please let me know your thoughts and if you reckon it's wise to get them changed even if the brake pad light has not flashed up yet?

That price is eye watering !

I routinely do brakes on all my cars - in recent years have renewed discs , pads and handbrake shoes on W126 , W124 , W201 and S203 and have never paid more than £200 ( often substantially less ) for the four discs , 2 sets of pads and handbrake shoes with spring kit - I normally buy ATE components from ECP and do the job myself , figuring on half an hour of my time per wheel , perhaps slightly longer for the back ones with handbrake shoes being done as well .

Just the other week I did the brakes on her ladyship's Golf , four Bosch discs ( couldn't get ATE and two sets of ATE pads came to around £140 after discounts . Unfortunately , one of the rear callipers was seized solid and cost me another £55 ( exchange unit ) so I ended up doing a fluid change as well .

I know garages exist to make profit , and earn a living for those working there , but people must have money to burn to pay some of the prices being quoted .

 

[Paddcomp]

I've always found a large difference in opinion between MB Dealers and Indies on brake life.
My C Class went to the dealer at 17k and was told the pads and disks were 60% worn and would I like them changed? 2 years later and my Indy changed the pads only, after 6 years and 42k the discs were still within limits.
CLS had a B service by the same Indy, brakes were fine. A few weeks later and less than 500 miles it was in the MB Dealer for warranty work and a free safety check identified the front brakes were 80% worn and needed discs and pads.
I'm sure there are lots of reasons other than profiteering why MB Dealers recommend changing brake consumables early. Some years ago my uncle had a Porsche, the dealer changed the front brakes at great cost to ensure that he wouldn't have to visit the dealer again between services.
Or maybe they are just bandits!

 

[nb_racing]

A main dealer should give you a disc thickness. The genuine discs have a minimum thicknes stamped on them so it's clear cut how worn they are.

In addtion, I once saw an A class auto, only about 7000 miles, in for first service. Front brakes RUINED. Like, RUINED. Owner had been riding the brake pedal for 7000 miles. Pad material crumbled away to dust.
So with all due respect to OP, yes, it is possible you need brakes at 17,000 miles.