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[terry paget]

I have changed the brake pads on my Astra, beause the rears in particular were worn out. I bought ABTEXPLUS front and rear pads on e-bay. I appreciate that new pads take a while to bed in, in a 10 mile bedding in run this morning I soon found that the brakes worked all right, seemed slower to work than before. I have found this before with different brand Omega pads; I usually use trade club pads. Has anyone any experience with ABTEXPLUS pads?

[dave the builder]

I've never heard of or used ABTEX PLUS
brake pad brands are like tyres, some grip very well but wear quick ,
some last longer at the expense of less grip
 (due to the friction material compound)
I fit EBC to Mrs Builder's car ,expensive and don't last long but she does drive beyond the capability of cheap brakes and tyres 

[Doctor Gollum]

VX disc/pad kits are competitively priced... 

[terry paget]

VX disc/pad kits are competitively priced... 

Quite so. I forgot how variable in cold grip brake pads could be. In my rallying days fade was the problem, now my concern is cold grab. Trade club pads are excellent value on Omegas, but I have to go to Bristol to get them.

[andyc]

I've never heard of them either and i've been in the parts trade for thirty year

Andy

[Webby the Bear]

They’ll take a little while to bed in mate. But after that if they’re still shit it’s probably cos they are cheap shit. Swap them out for better quality.

I’ve currently got Girling pads on the front and they’re lovely and quiet and stopping power seems decent. But that’s on the omega. Thing is pads are dirt cheap I wouldn’t mess around personally. IMHO 👍👍👍

[TheBoy]

After 5 miles, the bite should definitely start to come in, and after 10 miles should bite nicely (although give it another 10miles before braking hard on them).

If the bite is still poor, bin the pads, and get new ones.

A couple of years ago, I put some Pagid (a once half decent brand) on the Battlebus (essentially and Astra-G), and couldn't get them to bite well, or even slow down quickly. So after about 5 weeks I binned them, and went back to TC pads.

[terry paget]

I put back the original front pads, immediate improvement, improving by the mile. That has taught me a lesson, if in doubt buy trade club, not cheap rubbish.
The Astra handbrake is good, working somehow on the rear disc, better than the Omega handbrake. I imagine this results in the more complicated rear pads piston retraction arrangement. The front pad changing is simpler, though I don't like the retaining spring clip, fiddly to refit.

[Doctor Gollum]

Word of advice,

If you park the car after a drive long enough to get some heat into the rear discs, pull the handbrake up an extra click or two and leave it in gear.

The reason being that a gently applied handbrake releases its grip as the discs cool and contract.

Had my first Vectra estate roll away a couple of times due to this. Handbrake binding also very quickly kills the rear wheel bearings... Later cars, say '56 on should be better in this regard as both issues were highlighted quite quickly on the early facelift cars.

Suspect the Astra uses the same calipers

[terry paget]

Word of advice,

If you park the car after a drive long enough to get some heat into the rear discs, pull the handbrake up an extra click or two and leave it in gear.

The reason being that a gently applied handbrake releases its grip as the discs cool and contract.

Had my first Vectra estate roll away a couple of times due to this. Handbrake binding also very quickly kills the rear wheel bearings... Later cars, say '56 on should be better in this regard as both issues were highlighted quite quickly on the early facelift cars.

Suspect the Astra uses the same calipers

Thanks for the advice.
This morning the oil can warning came on. Drove home, checked the dip stick, oil still half way up the stick. This car is neurotic.

[henryd]

Word of advice,

If you park the car after a drive long enough to get some heat into the rear discs, pull the handbrake up an extra click or two and leave it in gear.

The reason being that a gently applied handbrake releases its grip as the discs cool and contract.

Had my first Vectra estate roll away a couple of times due to this. Handbrake binding also very quickly kills the rear wheel bearings... Later cars, say '56 on should be better in this regard as both issues were highlighted quite quickly on the early facelift cars.

Suspect the Astra uses the same calipers

Citroen used to have a real  problem with this,to the point where a recall was issued whereby the first three or four clicks of the handbrake ratchet were removed so it had to be pulled on harder,thiscwas back in Bx and xantia days where park brake was on front wheels

[Doctor Gollum]

I recall the Xantia issue as they were well known for rolling away on a whim

My first Vectra C was a '55 facelift estate and it suffered from every single recall item that it was known for... Fortunately I bought it as a Network Q ex demonstrator, so whilst some things took a couple of visits to rectify, repair costs were limited to basic service items

[BazaJT]

On some cars the oil can picture lights up when a service is coming due,starts out being amber and if left eventually goes to red.Don't know if this applies to your car though.

[terry paget]

On some cars the oil can picture lights up when a service is coming due,starts out being amber and if left eventually goes to red.Don't know if this applies to your car though.

Thanks for the tip. I don't think it applies to my car. Haynes Astra 2009-2013 mentions sevice interval indicator reset, but my car is a 2008 LIFE bottom of the range model, without computer displays of average speed, etc., so has no driver information centre as far as I can see. Adding a little oil has extinguished the light. I had an Omega that similarly put on its oil light with the dip stick well covered.