Should I replace the brake discs on my Volkswagen Tiguan?
My 2008 Volkswagen Tiguan with 39,500 on the clock had a service and MoT in July at the Volkswagen dealership from which it was bought. The report said that it needs four new brake discs at a cost of £500 because they are “worn, pitted or scored but not seriously weakened”. I questioned the need at this mileage as I don't remember having to replace discs at all on any other vehicle and was told this is perfectly normal. It had done 25,500 miles when I bought it three and a half years ago so I only average 4000 a year. Would you recommend replacing them before the next MoT in July 2014? Is this normal wear?
Yes, replace them. This is perfectly normal, and they will not function properly if they are pitted with rust. Premature rusting of brake discs came about from the removal of asbestos from brake pads. Since then, discs have been softer and more vulnerable to corrosion, and pads have been harder with metallic content. If a car is left outside and not used much, overnight surface corrosion will eat into the discs. The best way to maintain the condition if brake discs is to use the car every day and to brake hard a couple of times every morning (obviously having taken all necessary precautions). Readers report that fitting Rossini aftermarket brake discs from www.carparts-direct.co.uk has given a disc life of up to 150,000 miles.
Answered by Honest John on
