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Old 15th January 2019, 17:11   #346
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Re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads?

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Originally Posted by sidpunjabi View Post
So, here's my question exactly. What's the difference in the Rs. 1,600 pad you fitted and the Rs. 6,500-7,500 pad offered by the dealer? Especially, since they're both made by Bosch and both meant for the same car?
The difference is in the friction material, made to order by Bosch for a car manufacturer. The exact differences are unknown to us customers as they would be confidential. But I expect there to be certain optimizations based on the manufacturer's requirements balancing brake effort, dust, fade resistance, life, noise, price among other factors.

Quote:
If they're of the same grade, then charging Rs. 6,500 - 7,500 for an otherwise Rs. 1,600 pad seems like a rip-off - even for the priciest ASS / dealer out there.
I'd be the first to tell ya that aftermarket brands would probably be better than OEM but that's not always the case. More often than not we customers have better choices in aftermarket products. OEM is risk free, guaranteed compatibility & quality.

Quote:
If the Rs. 6,500 and Rs. 1,600 pads are of a different grade - then what is the Rs. 1,600 pad missing that you would have probably found in the Rs. 6,500 grade pad?
TBH I don't know and don't care as long as the pads perform to my expectations. I expect lower life for these pads than OEM but given their modest price I am perfectly ok to replace them as and when required. These are consumable spares IMO.

Quote:
After reading this, I asked the local mechanic too. They do have the required brake grease. I think he realized my anxiety over the phone and told me that it's a pretty standard job so he's got all the stuff.
Most mix up caliper grease (rubber friendly) with high temp and metal-to-metal contact grease which is generally detrimental to rubber components.

For e.g. the Toyota ASC used 'high temp' grease this time to grease the caliper pins instead of the soap-based glycol grease recommended by Toyota worldwide. A report is due in the relevant long term ownership thread which I will update in the near future.

I went with it as a test of their new grease and will monitor the calipers. Should there be any unusual behavior like pins sticking (happens when the rubber washer/grommet on one of the pins swells up due to wrong grease, I'll dismantle the parts myself and do the needful.

Quote:
Curious about the carrier clips you mentioned though. Is the change warranted every time the pads are changed? Or is it something done only if the old clips are worn out completely?
A change is preferred but not compulsory

Quote:
I'm planning to get the rotors skimmed since the last few kms on the worn out pads left a few streaks on the otherwise new rotors. Will this require any modification to the brake bedding process that you mentioned?
Get the rotor thickness measured and skim them only if they meet min thickness specified for your car and rotor. Don't take risks.

For e.g. 2 of my car's rear rotors were scored so instead of skimming them I just replaced ALL 4 rotors with aftermarket parts and the whole setup is working wonderfully. In fact I just returned from a short outstation drive a short while back. The brakes are working very well indeed. The slightest pressure on the pedal slows the car. I am worried about getting rear-ended and brake well in time and gradually to give the driver behind me enough time to react. My only concern is brake fade. Some of my routine outstation drives go through some hilly areas where I need to reevaluate the fade performance. I don't compromise on the brakes. Hence if I find any obvious negatives I'll just replace these inexpensive Bosch pads with OEM or possibly even aftermarket ones like Brembo/Textar/Delphi.

But in a nutshell - so far so good and yes, these Bosch pads are good. But make sure you perform the bedding in. For e.g if OEM are 5 Star I'd rate these about 4.5 on braking performance. I've already listed the pros and cons in my earlier post.

Hope this helps.

Cheers!

Last edited by R2D2 : 15th January 2019 at 17:13.
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Old 16th January 2019, 13:07   #347
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Re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads?

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Originally Posted by supremeBaleno View Post
(I had wrongly assumed that the braking sound was due to worn out disc pads & asked them to buy - the actual problem was the rear drum brake lining).
What was done to fix the brake lining? I too here a few thuds (assuming it is from the front brake assembly) when braking hard. The front pads were changed only some 25K kms back. The car is baleno. Is the front and rear brake pads the same? I never replaced the rear one, the car is at 1.5L kms. Also I have a very weak hand brake, meaning I need to pull it up quite high to engage. Is that something to do with the brake pads?
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Old 18th January 2019, 12:30   #348
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Re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads?

@R2D2 : thank you for clearing that up.

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Originally Posted by R2D2 View Post
More often than not we customers have better choices in aftermarket products.
I personally agree here. I also believe the overall costing plays a major role for OEMs.

While the most popular sub-10 lakh car category could perform better with say brembo brakes or a bilstein suspension kit or borla exhaust pipes - the sheer increase in cost would inhibit manufacturers from incorporating them at the factory level.

Quote:
Originally Posted by R2D2 View Post
For e.g. the Toyota ASC used 'high temp' grease this time to grease the caliper pins instead of the soap-based glycol grease recommended by Toyota worldwide.
I can expect this from FNGs. Sad to hear the ASS do this, since they're known to only stock and use oils/lubes that are recommended by the company.

On a side note, many people claim using silicone based grease as well on the pins. What are your thoughts on that?

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Originally Posted by R2D2 View Post
If OEM are 5 Star I'd rate these about 4.5 on braking performance.
Pretty good performance in my books then.
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Old 18th January 2019, 12:49   #349
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Re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads?

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Originally Posted by sidpunjabi View Post
I personally agree here. I also believe the overall costing plays a major role for OEMs. While the most popular sub-10 lakh car category could perform better with say brembo brakes or a bilstein suspension kit or borla exhaust pipes - the sheer increase in cost would inhibit manufacturers from incorporating them at the factory level.
Cost is all that matters to a manufacturer that builds tens or even hundred of thousands of vehicles a year. You won't believe the amount of penny-pinching that goes on in these companies. Every Rupee saved on manufacturing costs translates to substantial improvement to the bottom line over the year. As for Brembo and other parts - well, yes manufacturers do fit them on specific models targetted at enthusiasts. For regular commuter cars? Nopes. Commuter cars are built with the regular car buying person/family in mind and T-BHPians are not 'regular' by any means. We are enthusiasts and have to look to the aftermarket for performance parts.

Quote:
I can expect this from FNGs. Sad to hear the ASS do this, since they're known to only stock and use oils/lubes that are recommended by the company.
Something tells me it IS approved by the car manufacturer because I remember 2 dealers using the same blue/green grease. The only concern I have is whether that stuff is rubber friendly Otherwise me and others whose cars were treated to this gook are gonna wind up with caliper issues over the mid-term. Those EPDM/nitrile rubber parts swell up and cause pins to stick which means the pads never fully disengage from the rotor resulting in wear and in extreme cases even warping of rotor discs.

Quote:
On a side note, many people claim using silicone based grease as well on the pins. What are your thoughts on that?
Not all silicone grease can be used on calipers. It requires heat resistance, water resistance properties among others and has to be rubber friendly. So yes, it is a specialised product for e.g. 3M silicone paste There are others like Sil Glyde, Permatex silicone grease, CRC silaramic grease etc.

Quote:
Pretty good performance in my books then.
Yes it has exceeded my expectations if I consider the cost vs. performance. Also, keep in mind I fitted new rotor discs with the pads. So these parts have been bedded in together which is IMHO 1 main reason for the better than expected braking effect.
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Old 18th January 2019, 18:34   #350
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Re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads?

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Originally Posted by balenoed_
What was done to fix the brake lining? I too here a few thuds (assuming it is from the front brake assembly) when braking hard.
The rear brake shoes (lining) were damaged & was replaced. Since I made the mistake of "assuming" that the front disc-pads were damaged when it was actually the rear brake-shoes, I wouldn't want you to make my mistake. Just take it to your mechanic & have him check it out.

Quote:
Originally Posted by balenoed_
The front pads were changed only some 25K kms back. The car is baleno. Is the front and rear brake pads the same? I never replaced the rear one, the car is at 1.5L kms.
No, they aren't. Like most cars on the road, Baleno has disc brakes in front & drum brakes in the rear.

Quote:
Originally Posted by balenoed_
Also I have a very weak hand brake, meaning I need to pull it up quite high to engage. Is that something to do with the brake pads?
Since the rear brake is engaged when you pull the hand brake, this could be either due to worn off rear brake shoes or the handbrake might be needing adjustment. Again your mechanic should be able to set this right.

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Originally Posted by ph03n!x
Good to see that your ride matches your handle again, bro!

Last edited by supremeBaleno : 18th January 2019 at 18:36.
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Old 12th October 2019, 12:02   #351
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Re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads?

Hi All,

My Honda City iVtec has clocked 35k KMs and running on stock brake set up (pads, disc). On my last highway trip, observed little more than mild vibrations on steering wheel while braking from speeds of 80kmph and above. Showed to Honda ASS and they advised to get the brake pads replaced and disc skimming done. I inspected the disc and found circular marks making the surface slightly uneven. Brake pads are worn out understandably so due to my little aggressive driving style.

To be on safe side, confirmed ASS to do disc skimming as well along with brake pad change.

Haven’t read much on skimming part so thought to share here and also to seek feedback if its not just gimmick and useful to increase the life of disc.

PS: Estimate for replacing pads and disc skimming together by ASS is 7500 bucks.
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Old 12th October 2019, 16:00   #352
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Re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads?

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Originally Posted by yogesh.8984 View Post
Hi All,
Skimming is good to do when you get a new set of pads. It makes sure that both the rotor and pads are flat surfaces to ensure proper braking and even wear.

Ps 7500 seems quite steep for skimming + pads.

Skimming should be 800-1500 for the front pair. Pads I don't know cost for the city but should be well under 2k for the set and maybe 1000 odd bucks for labour. So I guess 4.5k + tax is the upper limit
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Old 12th October 2019, 18:08   #353
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Re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads?

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Originally Posted by Mortis View Post
Skimming is good to do...
Thank you for your quick reply. Got both disc skimming and brake pad replacement done. Costed ~ 6000 bucks. Here is the bill attached. Doing it at ASS is always bit expensive than doing it outside.

What was the average life of your car's brake pads?-3480e888835e4163b68ab46a7f9f1241.jpeg

Will check the braking and steering wheel vibration tomorrow to see if the problem is fixed. Should be good now.

Last edited by yogesh.8984 : 12th October 2019 at 18:10.
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Old 17th November 2019, 11:55   #354
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Re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads?

I am being asked by the SA at MASS for a brake pad replacement for my 2 year old Baleno Delta which has clocked close to 10350 kms. The car is mostly driven in hilly areas but i do not think they would wear out so quickly. I do not have nay problems with the brakes either. I simply asked him to check the hand brake.Reading the posts in this thread, I think the SA is trying to pull a fast one on me. I'd appreciate your thoughts on how to proceed
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Old 17th November 2019, 12:02   #355
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Re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads?

My SA at MASS is asking me to replace my front brake pads as he says that it's totally worn out and the car won't run for more than 100 kms. It's a 2 year old Baleno with 10350 kms on the odometer. Although the car is mostly driven in the hilly region of Darjeeling, I think the SA is trying to pull a quick one on me. I'd appreciate your suggestions.
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Old 17th November 2019, 12:29   #356
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Re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads?

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Originally Posted by nisfish View Post
My SA at MASS is asking me to replace my front brake pads as he says that it's totally worn out and the car won't run for more than 100 kms. It's a 2 year old Baleno with 10350 kms on the odometer. Although the car is mostly driven in the hilly region of Darjeeling, I think the SA is trying to pull a quick one on me. I'd appreciate your suggestions.
Ask him to measure the thickness of the pads and click pictures and send them to you. Anything below the 4mm mark needs changing. Else, there is no need to touch the pads.

If you don't trust MASS, take it to an FNG and get it checked. That would be your best bet. It's not rocket science and a 15-20 min job at most. Driving in the hills can wear the pads out faster though it's always better to physically check their condition when changing. Unless symptoms like increased pedal travel, excessive brake fade and drop in brake fluid levels is observed, pads should be in good health.
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Old 30th November 2019, 09:24   #357
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Re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads?

The brakes on my 2014 swift which has only done about 20k KMS seem to feel soft and mushy of late and the braking effect is seen only after some travel of the pedal. Wonder what the issue could be? I would be surprised if my pads/shoes have already been worn out as I am an avid engine braker and never stress the brakes. So, I'm thinking if there could be a leak in the fluid ducts.
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Old 30th November 2019, 11:29   #358
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Re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads?

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Originally Posted by nisfish View Post
I am being asked by the SA at MASS for a brake pad replacement for my 2 year old Baleno Delta which has clocked close to 10350 kms. The car is mostly driven in hilly areas but i do not think they would wear out so quickly. I do not have nay problems with the brakes either. I simply asked him to check the hand brake.Reading the posts in this thread, I think the SA is trying to pull a fast one on me. I'd appreciate your thoughts on how to proceed
In all probability, the MASS is trying to con you, as you mentioned. For my Baleno1.6, MASS said the brake pads need to be changed at 30K service as they have worn out. While infact they were good and were replaced only 70000kms later when the odo hit 1lakh kms.

Instead of replacing the brake pads, what I did was to replace the MASS & find my own trusty FNG.

If your car is outside the warranty period, I would suggest you to stay away from MASS and find a good Friendly Neighborhood Garage.
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Old 13th January 2020, 15:56   #359
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Re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads?

This is the status of my brake pads after 40000km in my MS Brezza. It seems a little bit of life is left in it. However, I got it replaced.

What was the average life of your car's brake pads?-img20200109wa0012.jpg

Comparison with new pads.
What was the average life of your car's brake pads?-img20200109wa0014.jpg
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Old 28th January 2020, 11:34   #360
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Re: What was the average life of your car's brake pads?

I just happened to see this thread. I have a piece of news that is almost unbelievable. I had a Fiat Palio MJD SDX, 2008 model that I sold off last year. It had clocked 254,000 km. I did not change the rear brake pads even once! Front brake pads were changed twice. In fact, when I changed the front brake pads sometime in 2012, I assumed the read pads too would be needing change and bought a set of TVS Girling brake pads. Every time I went to do service, done very diligently, I carried the brake pads. However, the mechanic used to say there's still enough thickness to warrant a change. In fact, a couple of months before I sold the car while changing oil, I asked him to check the pads. He said it would easily run another 5000km!
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