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[Alex W]

This isn't an Omega question but rather one of general principle.

My Daughter has an 06 Reg Fiat Grande Punto and she just took it in for her "Free" service at the main dealer. They told her that her front pads AND Disks were "80%" worn and charged her £300 to fix them. This only a couple of weeks after it passed its MOT (at a different garage). In all they claim the car needs £900+ of work doing to it.

Does anyone know what the tolerances of brake wear are to pass an MOT. Has anyone ever heard of a brake DISK being 80% worn, especially after only 38000 miles?

[Andy B]

This isn't an Omega question but rather one of general principle.

My Daughter has an 06 Reg Fiat Grande Punto and she just took it in for her "Free" service at the main dealer. They told her that her front pads AND Disks were "80%" worn and charged her £300 to fix them. This only a couple of weeks after it passed its MOT (at a different garage). In all they claim the car needs £900+ of work doing to it.

Does anyone know what the tolerances of brake wear are to pass an MOT. Has anyone ever heard of a brake DISK being 80% worn, especially after only 38000 miles?

MOT testers do have a low limit for pads (I've questioned it in the past) I don't know the actual size  :-/ One year SWMBO's car was picked up on MOT for 'discs worn to min' .... quite how he measured that with his MKI eyeball, I'm not sure.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I'd have got the garage to show me with a 'verynear' or micrometer how they determined the discs were 80% worn 

[PhilRich]

This isn't an Omega question but rather one of general principle.

My Daughter has an 06 Reg Fiat Grande Punto and she just took it in for her "Free" service at the main dealer. They told her that her front pads AND Disks were "80%" worn and charged her £300 to fix them. This only a couple of weeks after it passed its MOT (at a different garage). In all they claim the car needs £900+ of work doing to it.

Does anyone know what the tolerances of brake wear are to pass an MOT. Has anyone ever heard of a brake DISK being 80% worn, especially after only 38000 miles?

I would ask to see the removed parts, but they will probably tell you they've been binned. Any decent garage should tell you what they think is required before they renew parts, and show you the worn items so you can give the go ahead for the work to be done.  

[alank46]

Hi
The MOT test is mainly a test of how well the brakes work at the time of test, not how long they will continue to work after the test.  Thickness of pads/ discs shouldn't come into it, so yes a car can legitimately pass the MOT and 100 miles later require new pads/discs. 
If the discs were 80% worn at 38,000 miles they still had another 7,500 miles to go before being worn out, it was your daughters call whether to change them now or wait the extra distance.  Personally I'd have waited, but then I only do about 4,000 per annum per car, ie they'd last me another 2 years.
Alan

This isn't an Omega question but rather one of general principle.

My Daughter has an 06 Reg Fiat Grande Punto and she just took it in for her "Free" service at the main dealer. They told her that her front pads AND Disks were "80%" worn and charged her £300 to fix them. This only a couple of weeks after it passed its MOT (at a different garage). In all they claim the car needs £900+ of work doing to it.

Does anyone know what the tolerances of brake wear are to pass an MOT. Has anyone ever heard of a brake DISK being 80% worn, especially after only 38000 miles?

[Andy B]

... Thickness of pads/ discs shouldn't come into it, ......

You're quite right, but unfortunately  ...... it does.  My bike was knocked last MOT for not enough lining left on the front pads. He was correct, I couldn't argue with what he pointed out, but I do think it's wrong.

[Kevin Wood]

... Thickness of pads/ discs shouldn't come into it, ......

You're quite right, but unfortunately  ...... it does.  My bike was knocked last MOT for not enough lining left on the front pads. He was correct, I couldn't argue with what he pointed out, but I do think it's wrong.

MOT manual reasons for failure 3.5 f. states: a brake lining or pad insecure or less than 1.5mm thick at any point.

Kevin

[TheBoy]

... Thickness of pads/ discs shouldn't come into it, ......

You're quite right, but unfortunately  ...... it does.  My bike was knocked last MOT for not enough lining left on the front pads. He was correct, I couldn't argue with what he pointed out, but I do think it's wrong.

MOT manual reasons for failure 3.5 f. states: a brake lining or pad insecure or less than 1.5mm thick at any point.

Kevin

Rears on MV6 passed .  Probably due to a lack of airfresheners.

[Del Boy]

Why do you think they call them free services, because they'll definately get there money out of you one way or another. Someone I picked up had a Peugeot, free MOT it went in for they charged him £700 for new headlights and a couple of other bits 

[I_want_an_Omega]

SHMBO's Focus is still on original discs/pads @ 54k

My old Mondeo (2.2 Tdci) went back after 2 years on its original discs/pads @ 70k

HTH

[TheBoy]

Hmmmm, my discs struggle with 40k on most cars I've had

[tunnie]

Hmmmm, my discs struggle with 40k on most cars I've had

Same here, pads lasted around 35k but discs buggered now, really should replace.

But blimey, £300 for a set of discs for a Punto 

[andyiow]

Reminds me of a story I heard from someone who went to ATS for a new tyre. Got it done and then told that the car needed new discs and pads on the fronts (was a front tyre that needed replacing) due to excesive wear on them.

He answer was 'I do not think so'
Reply 'Yes they are near the minimum'
'Can not be as they were replaced at the dealers 1 month ago and its only done 200miles since then'
He only paid for a tyre.

A tip I use when getting a car serviced is to mark the parts to be changed with an ultraviolet pen in a hidden type place. Then when rung to say its ready to collect go to the reception, sit and read the reciept with all the work carried out and then ask to see the car before paying.

Then, in full view of the reception, look at all the parts changed with the relevant torch. If the maqrks are gone then you know they have done the job, if they are still there then you know somethings screwy. I always say that I want to see all the replaced parts before paying the bill. Means I can check to see if the mark is on them as well.

Have got a free service this way as I made a complaint as they had not replaced 3 of the parts on a service but asked me to pay for it. Having the office full of potental new buyers/service customers worked very well.

[tunnie]

exactly reason i do most service parts myself!

[hoofing it]

Hmmmm, my discs struggle with 40k on most cars I've had

Same here, pads lasted around 35k but discs buggered now, really should replace.

But blimey, £300 for a set of discs for a Punto

Thats some profit for discs and pads at trade price what about £30 or less.
My local garage puts the parts replaced in your boot to prove whats been done and it saves him paying for disposal

[Gaffers]

exactly reason i do most service parts myself!

ditto