FAO a Car Mechanic/Expert re Wear on Brake Pads / Discs

arcon5

Sounds like the mechanic was playing salesman.

goonarmy

If the brakes are making noise then something is amiss. That could be a stone stuck in there with no effect or worse case and everything inbetween. Id get em sorted if i were you. If you dont wanna pay the 300notes then try alternitive places. Indies will be cheaper. And yep the check could have seen it or they could have degraded in 4.5k miles depends on driving style.

motorguy

LoidPhil wrote: »

Not having thought about it during the phone call, but something that has since sprung to mind, is that if a fault with the callipers has caused the rear brakes to wear more rapidly than would be normally expected, then does my warrantly not actually cover this? Callipers are on the component list specified in my warranty booklet as being covered against mechanical breakdown, and so surely if they have sufferred a fault that has contributed towards the rapidity of the wear on my brakes then I can legitimately expect both the fault itself (the MD didn't say whether the calliper issue has resolved itself - is that possible?) and the knock-on effects caused by it to be resolved by the warranty.

I've checked the T&Cs of my warranty and, of course, they are open to interpretation depending on which side of the fence you sit. Under the "exclusions" listings it states that it will not cover claims caused by, or arising from or in connection with....4. Any damage to or by excluded Component(s). It doesn't state, however, whether that clause applies if the problem with the excluded components (i.e. my pads/discs)have been caused as a result of a failure to or with an included component. I've emailed the MD to ask that he give this matter due consideration.

Look, at the time your brakes were fine for MOT, almost 11 months later, after the ravages of a winter and the heat of a summer and all the salt, water, grit, dust and usage that that has brought, its now time to replace them.

Its nobodys fault. There is noone to blame. Its wear and tear. It happens to all cars.

What you are dwelling on here is semantics. From a garages perspective, chances are they wont see your car again for another year. Would it therefore be remiss of them to clean your brakes up and send you on your way only for the brakes to finally give up in 4,000 miles? Yes. Are they trying to get a bit of business by using terminology designed to get you to spend your hard earned with them there and then rather than take the car back and poll round the local garages for a cheaper quote? Yes.

With regards to the rear calipers sticking - this can happen due to 'under braking', ie, technically not using your brakes with enough force to allow them to continue to work effectively to the point that they partially seize up. I would so far as to say that discs on the rear of most cars is not the best solution because of this. Generally speaking a caliper can be 'freed up' and cleaned, meaning you dont need new rear calipers. Is this a maintenance job? Yes. Should it be covered under warranty? No.