Aftermarket F/R rotors, pads, hardware, and sensors now!

[QPower1]

Originally Posted by alboogiee

Q - two questions since i know i am going to be odering in a few months...

1. Have the rear rotors arrived yet?

2. What is the differance between the AIMCO Super Premium vs. Wagner Thermo-Quiet pads, i know it's only $25, but noise/squeal is a big problem with the way my wife drives, so what are the benifits to each.

thanks,

Alex

Alex -

The rear rotors are due very soon, during August, and am awaiting word. The Italians won the World Cup over a month ago (?) and so the parts should be here.... soon... (OY!)

Frankly, the difference between the brake pads offered by these two manufacturers revolves around proprietary formulations and price points for their market strategies. The parts do not really cost that much to make, after all. AIMCO offers two gas slots in their pad and Wagner has only molded one. The AIMCO pad is in stock at the moment and the Wagner is not ... AIMCO has provided better packaging and better end finish to their product than Wagner. This is a lot about your feelings for the companies that you buy products from - AIMCO is another brand name for the parent company of Raybestos, for example.

I favor the AIMCO product presently, so have stocked this into the warehouse. Wagner is just a phone call away, however. Noise should not be an issue with either product. AIMCO and Wagner both contain all OE features including chamfered edges and constrained layer noise supressant shims. Today, noise is largely a function of the quality and thoroughness of the repair techs labors - if surfaces that mate are not properly cleaned resonance frequencies are more likely to be heard, etc.

Now, this brings up an opportunity to address a thread that is playing on that 'other' Touareg site. There has been some talk about ceramic pads and I want to dispel the notion that this is even desirable for the Touareg.

Frankly, ceramics are nice in the aftermarket for lighter vehicles (smallish Japanese cars) and folks that are inordinately concerned about wheel dust to the detriment of any other concern. But if the German manufacturers wanted to make ceramic formula brake pads for OE, they'd do so! Voila! You would have them on this vehicle if those engineers thought they would be the way to go.

But they don't feel that way, do they?

In fact, the Touareg has a high-performance Brembo brake system with 6 piston calipers that needs to rock crawl over 6000 pounds up and down grades, etc. with absolute precision and only the carbon-fiber-binder brake pads will give the vehicle the edge here. So that is the reason VW installs them. Visualize all the different terrains VW designed the Touareg to drive into and then you will see the need for the aggressive brake design. Stick with what is a proven winner unless you feel the need to experiment.

As for the wheel dust, wash as needed and wax the finish on the wheels to prevent the dust from damaging the finish. This is the VW recommendation. I have simply used my local brushless car wash faithfully since new, about every three weeks or so, and the finish is unsworled and the wheels are like new (no curb damages!) Of course, a book of five washes costs $65...

Someone has gone ahead and had their calipers custom powder coated and this has created a stir. Well, my vendor, Wagner, has a program to offer black, red, or yellow powder coated calipers. I will inquire for anyone that wants to have their calipers professionally done as to the costs - it would require the caliper to be rebuilt completely, as powder coating would be done only to a disassembled casting. It would certainly take three to four business days at the factory as well. Let me know!

BTW, Brembo has multiple color schemes to designate different grades of braking action or systems, so our Touaregs are meant to be dark gray or black in color, not yellow or red. Who am I to judge if you feel the need to dress up?

Finally, Centric brand is mentioned on that other site. Centric is a recent player to the automotive aftermarket and represents off shore manufacturing, ie, China, mostly. The details that are mentioned on their website for their rotors are exactly like the Italians except for the electrostatic hub coatings, which is really playing dress up. Mill balancing is featured on our parts and non-directional finishes and all other OEM details. Which is what you should expect from our parts... so Centric has nothing strategic to offer that provides technological innovation, which is what all this verbiage is meant to convey.

Frankly, these are just standard North American-European industry practices today, enumerated to make it all sound good.

Don't be fooled into thinking the Kool-Aid is really there to quench your thirst...remember, the little mouse "Savoir-Faire" is Everywhere!

Bon Mot!

Geoff

[goodkup]

I have Touareg V6 2005 with 18000 mile and i got the break pads warning for month ago i have some question and some help from you.

Q1 how much for the Pads,rotor and sensor ?

Q2 do you have the cross drill rotor in stock?

Q3 if I wont change my break with the dealer are they going to have any
problem to my warranty <my>

Q4 If its possible if I wont change my rotor?

thank you so much for your help

[QPower1]

Originally Posted by goodkup

I have Touareg V6 2005 with 18000 mile and i got the break pads warning for month ago i have some question and some help from you.

Q1 how much for the Pads,rotor and sensor ?

Q2 do you have the cross drill rotor in stock?

Q3 if I wont change my break with the dealer are they going to have any
problem to my warranty <my>

Q4 If its possible if I wont change my rotor?

thank you so much for your help

Goodkup -

You are certainly ahead of the use curve here. 18K is as low as anyone else I have spoken to or read about. Ouch!

If you live in SF proper and especially drive those hilly streets exclusively, then I suppose it's possible to be at the front of the class.

I currently have in stock both the pads from AIMCO and Wagner, so I can offer the $260 or $285 packages for you delivered freight inclusive. That is for the front brakes. I also have a rear brake option for another $50 for the pads alone. I do not offer the sensors but any dealer has them for $16-17 each.

Rear rotors are still awaiting. Checked on this this week - can't wait to receive them! No further date detail other than in transit from the factory...

Your warranty coverage is not at issue whatsoever. That is guaranteed under the federal Moss-Magnuson act, enacted over thirty years ago by the US Congress. The use of replacement parts can not void a manufacturer's warranty unless the manufacturer supplies the parts free of charge when needed. Anyone heard of VW stepping up to do that?

There are no drilled and slotted rotors for the VW thru me. I had one client who did have me ship parts to a cryogenics firm that would also gas slot the face for him. This seems unnecessary - are you planning to race your vehicle?

Finally, it does not seem possible that your rotor will not require changing if your pads are also worn down thru normal brake activities. Sorry...

Call me for any details.

Yours,

Geoff

[SoCal T-REG]

I bought a set for the front from Geoff a few months ago. I have over 4K on them and all i have to say is that i am completely saticfied with my decision. These are just as good as stock. I did notice a lot less brake dust with the wagner pads. Geoff obviously knows alot and was happy to answer any of my question.

[QPower1]

Thank goodness that the Italians are over their World Cup fever!

The rear rotors are here at last - and all the details are at the top of the page in the initial post, which has been updated.

Please see above!

Thank you for your continued support - I appreciate each and every one of the clients I have been able to serve and all their patience with my pedantic ways - service takes its time!

Regards,

Geoff

[Isgro]

Hi Geoff,

I am not in need of your products yet but I did have a quick question for you. I'm actually very close to where you are located (I work at the Staples Corporate office in Framingham). My question to you is, when the time comes when I do need to replace my brakes can I come to your facility to purchase the parts? Will the price be cheaper if I were to come directly to you instead of having them shipped? Let me know.

Thanks,
Matt

[QPower1]

Originally Posted by Isgro

Hi Geoff,

I am not in need of your products yet but I did have a quick question for you. I'm actually very close to where you are located (I work at the Staples Corporate office in Framingham). My question to you is, when the time comes when I do need to replace my brakes can I come to your facility to purchase the parts? Will the price be cheaper if I were to come directly to you instead of having them shipped? Let me know.

Thanks,
Matt

Matt -

Absolutely, I can save you freight on these parts, but Governor Romney (or Gov. Patrick) will expect to get his cut, so these two factors will somewhat cancel each other out...but shipping will still incur tax in Mass. so a pickup is your best option, I am less than 5 miles from you!

I will look forward to your next brake job, then!



Geoff

[Isgro]

Haha, we do live in good ol' Taxachusetts. Thanks for the info. I'll be in touch once my brakes wear out on me.

[efu]

How much would it cost for me to get a pair of front and rear rotors with out the brake pads?
Thanks

[QPower1]

Originally Posted by efu

How much would it cost for me to get a pair of front and rear rotors with out the brake pads?
Thanks

Dear efu,

Please give me a phone call at the warehouse at your convenience and I would be happy to quote price and delivery to your location. This is the best way for me to handle this, as I do not know where you are located.

Call me at the number below, even Saturday would be ok during the day.

Regards,

Geoff