DieselMann99
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2013
- Location
- Westchester County NY
- TDI
- 2013 Jetta TDI w/ Premium, DSG (Buyback Nov 2018); 2013 Jetta TDI (bought Dec 2018); also, bought a CPO 2017 Passat TSI (Nov 2018)
I have close to 80k miles on my Jetta and at a recent inspection, I'm told that the OEM brake linings are less than 50% worn. My driving is about 50/50 highway and local.
Now I know that the Jetta is a fairly light car, which tends to be easy on brake linings, but I happen to believe that the main reason for the extraordinary life of the brake linings is driving style. I use my brakes FAR less than 98% of other drivers on the road. I anticipate what's coming up ahead, take my foot off the gas pedal early, and do numerous other things to avoid having to step on the brake. And it's not a chore, it comes natural, I think of it as good driving technique. Just as an example, when I drive to the next town, it's about a 5 mile drive on a windy, curvy, slightly hilly road. I drive there and never step on the brake once. Most drivers I'm behind will step on their brake 25 - 50 times on this 5 mile trip, every time there's a curve, every time there's a downhill, every time there's a bump in the road, etc. I see drivers all the time step on their brake for no perceivable, comprehensible, rational reason whatsoever.
So my question is, what kind of life do you get out of your brake linings in your Jetta TDI, and what kind of driving do you do? Is my experience somewhat typical or unusual?
Now I know that the Jetta is a fairly light car, which tends to be easy on brake linings, but I happen to believe that the main reason for the extraordinary life of the brake linings is driving style. I use my brakes FAR less than 98% of other drivers on the road. I anticipate what's coming up ahead, take my foot off the gas pedal early, and do numerous other things to avoid having to step on the brake. And it's not a chore, it comes natural, I think of it as good driving technique. Just as an example, when I drive to the next town, it's about a 5 mile drive on a windy, curvy, slightly hilly road. I drive there and never step on the brake once. Most drivers I'm behind will step on their brake 25 - 50 times on this 5 mile trip, every time there's a curve, every time there's a downhill, every time there's a bump in the road, etc. I see drivers all the time step on their brake for no perceivable, comprehensible, rational reason whatsoever.
So my question is, what kind of life do you get out of your brake linings in your Jetta TDI, and what kind of driving do you do? Is my experience somewhat typical or unusual?
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