Somebody just posted this in another group I follow (not a car group, as it happens). --- I just discovered that VWs and Audi's of my car's vintage (1998) require both the control arm and the brake pads AND rotors to be replaced every 30,000 miles--apparently the rotors on VWs are set to wear out when the pads do, and, although the control arms have been redesigned in newer models, the new long-lasting arms don't fit the older cars. This means that, in addition to all the regular things that go wrong with cars, I have to plan on spending about $2300 every 30,000 miles on brakes and suspension. --- Can this possibly be right?!? Or, is she getting ripped off by the Service Department? She goes on to say --- This seems pretty obscene to me, so I'm going to be selling my car. Because I'm a car snob, the cars I'm looking at are 96/97 model year Saabs and Volvos (about equivalent in price to my low-mileage Passat). --- (***ding-ding-ding*** Why would a 'car snob' be driving a Passat???) If she 'just discovered' this, i.e., just reaching 30,000 now with a '98 model car, then 'low-mileage' is probably right. Still, it is shocking that 'routine' maintenance could include such an expensive procedure. (After all, 30,000 miles a _year_ is not _that_ unusual, especially for driving salesmen and the like.) I am happy to say that I have just reached 36,000 miles on my '95 850T, and, thank Volvo, the brakes are still A-1. cheers, Henry
I have 70K Kms on a 1999 Golf, and all it has had is one pad change at the 60K service. The rotors are fine, and its an automatic, which on VWs seems to make the brakes wear out a LOT faster... according to most people. Even so the VW's brakes don't last nearly as long as Volvo brakes.
The dealer may ask you to replace the whole car. Most of the time, you only need the rotor skimmed if it doesn't reach the minmum thickness. Skimming is very cheap (e.g. NZ$30 inc GST for a pair). Don't be fooled by the bloody dealer any more, they just want more from your wallet. Control arm usually lasts over 100k km if the car serviced regularly.
