Over assisted / servoed / sensitive brakes

**Umai Naa!!** · 09-02-2011, 01:09 PM

You guys make it sound like the car is deffective, when it clearly isn't.

There's no routine disc change, although it is recommended when the pads are replaced, as they're meant to wear in unison.

**kaanage** · 09-02-2011, 01:16 PM

It's not defective but it is a MAJOR weakness as the OP stated, IF you often switch between different cars.
If you pretty much exclusively drive a MkVI Golf, then you do adapt quickly enough

Change rotors and pads at the same time?? That's a very soft disc. Maybe harder aftermarket discs would be the solution for those of us who find the brakes overservoed.

**Umai Naa!!** · 09-02-2011, 02:36 PM

I don't understand how having perfectly functioning brakes is considered a weakness. Having a dull pedal, with no feedback, and long travel would be an issue.

The discs are soft, because they're designed to wear, to maximise the effectiveness of the braking system.

Maybe one people will stop using non-European cars as a yardstick for everything else.

**ozgti** · 09-02-2011, 02:48 PM

It is because of the brake assist. I drove my MK2 with 280mm brakes and standard Master Cylinder and yes, the brakes are very touchy when you swap between cars.

**brad** · 09-02-2011, 03:18 PM

The brakes are sensitive but I've never had an issue getting used to them. I don't think they are as grabby as an XA Falcon was or a drum brake Holden with VH44 booster. I regulary jump out of my car & into a Calais or a Corolla & don't have an issue. In the past I'd regularly drive up to 20 different cars a day so maybe I adapt well.

What I have found is that as time goes on, the brakes lose their bite. This "bite" returns after the brakes are bled or have all the dust blasted out of them with a pressure washer.

I'd much rather the VW brakes that stop than the brakes in our Calais - many a time I have been very concerned about the Calais' ability to perform a simple stop from 60kmh. The foot is buried in the firewall & there doesn't appear to be any retardation happening.

**nat225** · 09-02-2011, 03:37 PM

I drive the Mk6 GTI during daytime and drive 2010 Accord Euro at every other time.

GTI: bitey brake with short travel, and a lot higher o-bump-meter with little accelerator pedal travel. I like it

Honda: bitey brake but longer travel, lame o-bump-meter with medium accelerator pedal travel (unless I go >5500rms all the time..)

But i think i'm used to both so don't notice it much; and would certainly not call it design flaw on the Golf

If that is the case, the Peugeot also has design flaw on the brakes.

**kaanage** · 09-02-2011, 03:46 PM

None of the Peugeots that I've owned/driven have brakes anywhere near as savage as our MkVI.
Nor have the Fiats, Lancia, Alfas and other VWs that I've driven (well my old Fiat 124 CC was a bit touchy too but not as bad).

I'm glad that our MkVI is a DSG else double-declutching would be just about drive me nuts

**MkVIGTI** · 09-02-2011, 05:30 PM

I had a 90TSI as a courtesy car when I went in for a service and I thought it had pretty good brake feel. Comparing to my GTI which is quite bitey, the 90TSI was very progressive. Both cars' brakes are also better than my family's Toyota RAV4 which is both wooden and unresponsive.

**AusBob** · 09-02-2011, 05:51 PM

Good news and bad... there is a fix for the braking on the R and to some extent the GTI, however I don't think it can be sucessfully applied to a 118TSI... the trick is to drive really fast and NEED all the braking potential!!