[mike1986]

Just put my van in for a full service. It’s 2 years old and done 18k. The garage has said that it needs all new discs and pads which will cost £800. It’s a 1.5 ton payload which is pretty close to max with weight every day. Do you find that you need to replace the discs and pads more often due to the weight we carry?

[Pete Thompson]

Yes, definitely. Thankfully they’re not too expensive.

The clutch, however, also suffers greater wear. That was £515 a few months ago. 

[dd]

I have owned a citreon dispatch from new, 16 1/2 years old with 137k on clock. Only have a 500l tank but when full I am close to the 900kg payload.

Clutch did not need replacing until 113k

I can only ever recall having to replace discs once and do not go through brake pads very often either.

[zesty]

Defo, you’ll go through pads much quicker.

Window cleaning is hard on vans, no other trade has an almost continuously fully loaded van doing short trips everyday.

I drive carefully and change gear slowly to give the gear box and clutch an easier time. Defo not a good idea to hoon it through the lower gears as well. Tourque kills gearboxes and clutches, slow and steady wins the race for us guys

My transit custom is on 120.000 miles, still going strong, but I’ve had the DMF replaced and At least 3 sets of pads since I bought it second hand in 2016. Discs replaced once and they’re not too far off being replaced again.

I carry 750l so I’m loaded up big time.

[Smudger]

Pads reasonably often - discs not so much
Clutch is regular

Darran

[Stoots]

What are you driving that costs 800 quid for discs and pads ?

sounds extortionate to me

[EandM]

I haven't found this to be a problem at all.

I have two Ford Rangers, one of which I've driving for a decade now with 180,000 miles and I've only replaced the front pads once and it's still on its original discs.

The other Ranger's been used for two years and other than oil & fluid changes I haven't touched it.

Both carry around 700kg daily and spend considerable time off road and do the school run.

Back to the original post: £800 for new brakes! Gold plated?

[NWH]

Complete nonsense on that mileage I had the exact same thing when I popped into Kwik fit once for a couple of tyres,they told me I needed new discs and pads on the van it was gonna be 8-900 I took i to my regular garage and told them and they edged off a tiny amount of disc with the grinder and I went and done another 20,000 miles thanks.
Some people get frightened into parting with their money it’s always better to get an opinion off someone who you probably won’t use.

[Spruce]

Just put my van in for a full service. It’s 2 years old and done 18k. The garage has said that it needs all new discs and pads which will cost £800. It’s a 1.5 ton payload which is pretty close to max with weight every day. Do you find that you need to replace the discs and pads more often due to the weight we carry?

The problem with brakes is that the garage can refuse to let you take your car/van if they deem the vehicle to be dangerous. They tried that trick with us at MOT. Yes it passed the brake test at MOT but because the pads were less than 3mm they deemed the car a road liability.
The new pads were actually less than 3mm brand new. Our regular lad was off with COVID so had to take the car elsewhere.  Will never go back to that garage.

[NWH]

Yeah and that’s why you never want to let someone like  Kwik fit do you’re MOT,the manager I spoke to said they don’t do pads only.

[Spruce]

Yeah and that’s why you never want to let someone like  Kwik fit do you’re MOT,the manager I spoke to said they don’t do pads only.

The problem is that the discs that are being sold aren't as 'hard' as they once were. I replaced discs and pads on my wife's car last year. I did a quick visual inspection of them a week ago and I can't believe they have quite a lip on them. I've never seen that on her front brake discs in the 8 years she has had that car.
My son's car has rear discs. We also did those a year ago and they are also well worn.
Both sets were Mintex.

[Smudger]

Pads are harder now - no asbestos in them any more

[EandM]

Pads are harder now - no asbestos in them any more

For about the last 30 years.

Unless you run a Capri or similar.

[richard connett]

Both my caddy maxis have not needed discs  or pads for 6 years and counting . 500l tanks

[dazmond]

Just put my van in for a full service. It’s 2 years old and done 18k. The garage has said that it needs all new discs and pads which will cost £800. It’s a 1.5 ton payload which is pretty close to max with weight every day. Do you find that you need to replace the discs and pads more often due to the weight we carry?

My van is over 5 years old  with 18k on the clock and still on the original discs and pads....loads of life left in them yet.

[britishwill]

My vw transporter apparently needed pads and disks done after 18 thousand miles. £500 inc. I have just done 38 thousand miles.  After 18 it had started to make ‘that noise’. The genuinely believe they don’t last half as long as they use too. 
My old L200 did almost 170000 without any brakes changes believe it or not.   500 tank as well