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[Radar]

Wanted to share my experience of yesterday (apologies if this is common knowledge)

Apparently vauxhall offer 2 qualities of discs (one as part of the disc/pad set (non german) and discs only (german made).
 
As an experiment I called up Vauxhall for front discs only. They refused to offer saying that the only ones they do come as part of the set and were about £80 with TC. Handed phone to my mechanic (ex- Vauxhall) who was offered the german made discs for about £160!!

He advises he has had too many comebacks with sticking issues on the vauxhall disc/pad sets and instead recommends a german made brand (maybe Lucas? can't remember)

Just wanted to share this and wondered what discs others have found good? I understand most people will not pay for the german made discs but there is a principle involved. I wondered if others think it is not always best to fit genuine parts?

I have 77K on the clock so hopefully still lots of miles still left in the miggy!!

[tunnie]

fitted the disc set (£80) here to mine about 2 years ago, still going strong!

With pads, it puts the total cost to around £200 for the 'german' set?

Can't see them lasting twice as long as the £80 set.

[Radar]

fitted the disc set (£80) here to mine about 2 years ago, still going strong!

With pads, it puts the total cost to around £200 for the 'german' set?

Can't see them lasting twice as long as the £80 set.

Cheers for sharing your experience and happy to hear your set has given you no probs. This is all I want from my new set.

[tunnie]

fitted the disc set (£80) here to mine about 2 years ago, still going strong!

With pads, it puts the total cost to around £200 for the 'german' set?

Can't see them lasting twice as long as the £80 set.

Cheers for sharing your experience and happy to hear your set has given you no probs. This is all I want from my new set.

I have fitted the same set to my dads 2.2, again, no issues there.

Got a box in the boot of mine, yup you guessed it the set. Going on my mums 3.0 Elite Estate...

Must say never really heard of any problems with them, it tends to be when they are fitted wrong you get issues.

We have a guide here on how to do it  

[Big_Roger]

Hi All,
Just a bit peeved to find out from Radar,s thread about different versions of brake discs from different countries. Do they have different part numbers???

About 3 or 4 weeks ago I bought special clearance offer disc and pad set £50 from ebay, to keep for if / when I ever need them.
To check they were the bargain that they claimed them to be, I checked local Vx dealer, and like your friend, was quoted £155

Arrived OK and yes were genuine GM. surprised to find that Discs made in Czechoslovakia, and Pads in India. So what, global manufacturing.

I'm sure they will be OK if and when I do come to use them, but very dissappointed that my price comparison was not from a level playing field, and that no comment about cheaper or different versions of parts available.

Do I understand right that GM now have "genuine" and "more genuine" parts ??

Roger

[Radar]

Hi All,
Just a bit peeved to find out from Radar,s thread about different versions of brake discs from different countries. Do they have different part numbers???

About 3 or 4 weeks ago I bought special clearance offer disc and pad set £50 from ebay, to keep for if / when I ever need them.
To check they were the bargain that they claimed them to be, I checked local Vx dealer, and like your friend, was quoted £155

Arrived OK and yes were genuine GM. surprised to find that Discs made in Czechoslovakia, and Pads in India. So what, global manufacturing.

I'm sure they will be OK if and when I do come to use them, but very dissappointed that my price comparison was not from a level playing field, and that no comment about cheaper or different versions of parts available.

Do I understand right that GM now have "genuine" and "more genuine" parts ??

Roger

Apparently so for the discs, but they will never admit it to the likes of you and me. I suppose the decision you need to make is whether to go for genunie parts made in czech/india or for non gen. german made. Obviously Tunnie's experience shows there are no issues with the disc/pad set. It makes no sense for the stealer to promote the more expensive discs if their standard ones give them equal/more profit. Also as cars get older you are less likely to pay that top dollar price.
  

[davlad22]

Don't understand the "handed phone to my mechanic" bit!?! Probably in it for a bit of profit!  

[Marks DTM Calib]

Right, time to set things straight.

If you buy discs seperatly from the kits, they are same as those supplied with the kits. IF you buy original fit discs then they are more expensive but, made to the same specs and made in germany.

The reason being is that if you are running 200-300K cars off a production line, it makes sense to have local supply and not ship heavy items half way across the planet.

For the aftermarket, where the volumes will be lower and the vehicles are now spread across the globe, it makes sense to move the production to a lower cost site and take the hit on the transportation costs and hence why they are made outside of germany (which is a very expensive place to make anything!)

However, Gm still offer these Original fit parts at massive cost (because they are now small production runs in a high cost environment) yet, the quality is not better than the kits!

So, stick with the kits!

[Jimbob]

Right, time to set things straight.

If you buy discs seperatly from the kits, they are same as those supplied with the kits. IF you buy original fit discs then they are more expensive but, made to the same specs and made in germany.

The reason being is that if you are running 200-300K cars off a production line, it makes sense to have local supply and not ship heavy items half way across the planet.

For the aftermarket, where the volumes will be lower and the vehicles are now spread across the globe, it makes sense to move the production to a lower cost site and take the hit on the transportation costs and hence why they are made outside of germany (which is a very expensive place to make anything!)

However, Gm still offer these Original fit parts at massive cost (because they are now small production runs in a high cost environment) yet, the quality is not better than the kits!

So, stick with the kits!

Guessing that is the same when you commented on my new exhaust being a 'fully genuine one from Germany'

[Richard A]

Vauxhall introduced 'Trade Club' as to compete with independent motor factors, as stated the 'front dics and pad set' is a GM item but as Omega's are no longer in production they are replacement/spares only. If, for a laugh you take your car to a dealers for new 'discs and pads' they will fit the Trade Club set, no idea what they would charge for.
Fitted a'set' at 100,000 miles, 09/06, just fitted new pads at 145,000 miles (due to a fluid leak) pads only half worn.
regards
richard a  

[Radar]

Don't understand the "handed phone to my mechanic" bit!?! Probably in it for a bit of profit!  

Hi There,

I handed the phone to my mechanic as the stealer said they do not sell the discs just by themselves. It was only after my mechanic spoke with the stealer that he did offer the discs on their own (albeit at a much higher price) HTH

[tmx]

i got a set of MINTEX Extreme Discs & Pads for myn off a local top gear agent for £150 good price i thought!

fitted them as i had problems with my brakes and now my car stops properly!!!!

[Pitchfork]

I was thinking Mintex as well because they appear competitively priced on e-bay.
Is there any advantage in fitting vented discs regardless of the manufacturer, as these too seen heavily promoted on e-bay?
I've acheived 140K out of the originals so I don't exactly break hard (it is a Traktor after all!)

[psychnurse]

So.... how would you define the disks as needing replacing? Is it a visual thing or are there sympoms?

[Markie]

So.... how would you define the disks as needing replacing? Is it a visual thing or are there sympoms?

Deep scores, thinness of disc, judders and shudders under braking, thickness of pad themselves are all indicators of brake discs/ pads that have seen better days.

Kickback and heat may indicate sticky caliper / piston in the caliper...

Pulling to one side under braking may just may also indicate issues generally with brakes... As is the fact you may not stop...