Fabia VRS Brakes - Rubbish?

[mr. Hedgehog]

I took delivery of my VRS a couple of weeks ago, and immediately felt that the brakes were 'soft'. I queried this, and was told by the dealership to give the brakes time to bed in. I have now covered approx 2,000 miles and the brakes, IMO, are still stodgy and rubbish. I struggled to believe that all was as it is supposed to be with the car and thought i'd conduct a bit of a test... I drove my mates 100PD Fabia back to back with the VRS - we both agree that the 100PS stops sharper, by a small margin.

Coming from a 20vt leon, with very strong brakes with top notch pads and disks, i half wondered if i was expecting a bit much of the little green VRS calipers. This is what the dealership is implying anyhow. If this is the case, and I somehow doubt it is, i cannot help being disappointed by the braking performance of my new car. I was under the impression the brakes on the Fab VRS were the same as the ones on the Golf TDis? I've certainly seen no complaints on the forums about braking performance.

I've also posted this on Briskoda - but there doesn't seem to be much traffic there at the moment si i've come running back to what i know looking for answers!

Anyone got any comments on this or advice for me? Thanks.

 

[pbirkett]

They arent terribly good brakes I'm afraid, but they do need a while (as in thousands of miles) before they show their best. Eventually mine werent that bad, but it did take time.

However, they're never going to be as good as the ones on your Leon I'm afraid. The pistons are too small, and they fade too easily.

Someone posted a link on briskoda to make them better, basically it involved doing several emergency stops to heat the brakes and then when your stood still, push the pedal down as hard as possible for about a minute. Repeat several times, and it should get better.

However, the 312 mm upgrade is meant to make a significant difference, according to my friend who has done the upgrade a few months back.

 

[orangesprout]

They arent terribly good brakes I'm afraid, but they do need a while (as in thousands of miles) before they show their best. Eventually mine werent that bad, but it did take time.

However, they're never going to be as good as the ones on your Leon I'm afraid. The pistons are too small, and they fade too easily.

Someone posted a link on briskoda to make them better, basically it involved doing several emergency stops to heat the brakes and then when your stood still, push the pedal down as hard as possible for about a minute. Repeat several times, and it should get better.

However, the 312 mm upgrade is meant to make a significant difference, according to my friend who has done the upgrade a few months back.

i found my mk3 Tdi sport brakes better than the mk4 i have now even though smaller. I saved hassle of changing callipers etc by ungrading disks and pads
to EBC green stuff - very good now.

 

[warren_cox]

they are pretty poor and I don't believe they get better, you just end up getting used to them. The brakes on my Ibiza TDi FR were so bad that I cooked the front disks. I am someone who gets 20k out of a set of LCR front pads so not a heavy braker. Personally I think they are the worst bit on the car as they don't harness the power. With Revo it was even worse.

 

[WeeJase]

Someone posted a link on briskoda to make them better, basically it involved doing several emergency stops to heat the brakes and then when your stood still, push the pedal down as hard as possible for about a minute. Repeat several times, and it should get better

wouldn't this be just a really good way of causing the disc to warp?heat soaking the pads isn't a good idea imho
312mm upgrade for around 200 notes or less

 

[Ant FR]

I removed the Brembos off my FR yesterday, and put the standard ones back on, literally drove down the road came to a junction and nearly stoved it up the back of someone, it was only my quick reactions that enabled me to use the handbrakeand slow me downa bit more. proper shitty pants moment that was.

I will have my Brembos on as soon as possible once i get the new one

 

[the cat]

Aye

Are they not the same as the Ibiza FR TDI brakes? Drove my mates and thought they were very good indeed.

@pbirkett - you driving a 182 these days? The double of the clio in your picture had a bit frisk with me this morning up St James Boulevard. Surely it wasnt you again! (I was in black Leon FR TDI).

 

[S14A]

The Golf GT TDI PD 150 Breaks are not that great to be honest I have the Audi TT break conversion and THERE IS A HUGE IMPROVEMENT

 

[Ant FR]

although i would still recommend 4-pots as the difference between standard, 288's, 312 tts and a good set of 4-pots is like night and, a very worthwhile investment.

 

[Jon TDI]

I've upgraded to the 312mm discs & calipers. Bought them from golfturbo over on Briskoda.
They are FAR BETTER than the standard ones. More progressive feel than standard.
Direct swap on the vRS hubs.

 

[sssstew]

wouldn't this be just a really good way of causing the disc to warp?heat soaking the pads isn't a good idea imho
312mm upgrade for around 200 notes or less

yeah i was thinking that too?

 

[pbirkett]

@pbirkett - you driving a 182 these days? The double of the clio in your picture had a bit frisk with me this morning up St James Boulevard. Surely it wasnt you again! (I was in black Leon FR TDI).

That was you??? Yes it was me! Lovely car you've got btw Mine was filthy.

 

[Andy S]

Recon the brakes on my Sport 130tdi are sharp to touch, but then when you press harder just don't give the confidence they should. You could just drive with more of a gap to the car in front!

 

[mr. Hedgehog]

Its like braking with 4 fat lads in the car, there is no 'bite'. I took the car back to the stealers to have a check and they said that the brakes were 'perfect'; although they did mention that they looked like they had recently been heated up a lot - i pointed out that this was probably me trying to get the sodding car to stop from 80 on a duel carriageway. In conclusion - i think they are rubbish, or at least in comparison to the rest of the car.

After the remap and intake they will be the first thing to go. I hear Badger 5 do a good line in upgrades?

 

[mr. Hedgehog]

Recon the brakes on my Sport 130tdi are sharp to touch, but then when you press harder just don't give the confidence they should. You could just drive with more of a gap to the car in front!

Just had somone on briskoda say the same thing - hits the nail on the head - the brakes do not inspire confidence.

 

[mr. Hedgehog]

I removed the Brembos off my FR yesterday, and put the standard ones back on, literally drove down the road came to a junction and nearly stoved it up the back of someone, it was only my quick reactions that enabled me to use the handbrakeand slow me downa bit more. proper shitty pants moment that was.

I will have my Brembos on as soon as possible once i get the new one

Yeh - another familiar story, but in reverse. Drove the leon last night and at the first junction i nearly ended up eating the stearing wheel. you get used of brakes so quickly, and i've already started to get used to braking early in the VRS.