vag specialist

Why Your VAG Vehicle Deserves Top-Quality Brake Pads and Discs

Let’s talk about something we all rely on but rarely think about until it’s too late: your brakes. Yes, those unsung heroes that save your bacon every time a squirrel darts across the road, or when Karen in her SUV decides to brake-check you for no apparent reason. If you’re driving a high-powered vehicle, investing in top-notch brake pads and discs isn’t just a good idea—it’s essential.

Why You Can’t Cheap Out on Brakes

Here’s the deal: your car isn’t just any car. It’s not a budget hatchback struggling to hit 60 mph. It’s a machine that can go from zero to “I’m gonna lose my license” in seconds. With great speed comes great responsibility—and that responsibility falls squarely on your brakes. Cheap brake pads might save you a few bucks now, but when they’re screeching like a banshee and struggling to stop your beast of a car, you’ll wish you’d splurged for quality.

The Science of Stopping

Think of your brake pads and discs as the dynamic duo of stopping power. Brake pads create friction against the discs, which converts your car’s kinetic energy into heat and brings you to a halt. Now, if you’ve got cheap, low-quality pads, they’ll wear down faster than your patience in Christmas traffic. Worse, they might overheat, leading to brake fade. Trust us, brake fade is as terrifying as it sounds. Imagine pressing the brake pedal and feeling… nothing. Yeah, let’s avoid that.

Quality Matters

When it comes to brake pads and discs, you get what you pay for. High-quality brakes are designed to withstand the intense heat and stress that comes with high-speed driving and sudden stops. They’re made of better materials, last longer, and most importantly, they work when you need them most. Plus, they’ll keep that annoying brake squeal at bay, so you won’t sound like a poorly maintained bus.

Why It’s a No-Brainer for VAG Owners

If you own a VW Golf R, Audi S4, or any other high-powered VAG model, you already know you’re driving something special. Your car’s performance is a finely-tuned symphony of power, precision, and engineering brilliance. Don’t let subpar brakes ruin the harmony. Investing in premium brake pads and discs ensures your car stops as impressively as it accelerates. And let’s be honest, you’re not just buying brakes—you’re buying peace of mind.

How to Choose the Right Brakes

1. Go for Reputable Brands: Look for names you trust, not brands that sound like a knockoff video game console.
2. Check Compatibility: Make sure the pads and discs are designed for your specific VAG model. Trust us, not all brakes are created equal.
3. Consider Your Driving Style: Love the occasional track day? You’ll need performance-oriented brakes. More of a daily driver? Opt for durability and quiet operation.

Don’t Just Take Our Word for It

We’ve seen it all—from warped discs to pads worn down to the metal. The common denominator? Trying to save a few pounds on brakes. Your VAG vehicle deserves better, and frankly, so do you.

The Bottom Line

Good brakes aren’t just about safety (although that’s a biggie). They’re about enjoying your car to the fullest, knowing it’ll stop when you need it to. So go ahead, invest in those top-quality brake pads and discs. Your future self—and your car—will thank you.

Why Your VAG Vehicle Deserves Top-Quality Brake Pads and Discs

A question as a driver you may ask yourself, winter tyres: Are they worth it? Changing from summer to winter tyres if you live in various European countries is completely normal. In many countries a requirement! So why in the UK do we not deem it necessary? The majority opinion seems to be ‘well why do we need too, we don’t get bad weather often enough’. However, statistics have shown using winter tyres in conditions less than 7 degrees and in icy conditions can be up to 30% more effective and safer on our roads!

The majority of European countries state the use of winter tyres or all-season tyres from 1 November to the 31^st of March. Certain countries do allow summer tyres as long as they have a minimum tread depth of 4mm all around. Its confusing as each European country has a slightly different take on the law. Latvia for instance requires all 4 tyres to be identical! UK motorists are sceptical as to whether it is worth having a winter/summer set of tyres. However if budget allows it shouldn’t it be obvious if it keeps the occupants in our vehicles and others safer?!

According to leading tyre maker Continental: A car fitted with winter tyres braking on snow can come to a stop from 31mph in 35 metres. This is eight metres, or about two car lengths shorter than if it was fitted with summer tyres.

So what are the differences in summer and winter tyres?

Besides the obvious differences is the material in which are made with. Both tyres have a different rubber compound enabling them to react differently in the opposing weather conditions. They also have different tread patterns. Summer tyres have a tread pattern that doesn’t need to cope with snow and icy conditions. Winter tyres have a more compact pattern designed to grip onto the snow and ice without letting it sit in the tread.

It is worth noting winter tyres are not advised to be used all year round. Statistics show they have a slower braking distance throughout the summer months. As a country the UK currently advises winter tyres when the weather drops below 7 degrees consistently. However, there are no conrtrolled rules in place. We would advise All season tyres throughout the year if you are unable to swap to winter tyres over the colder months. We would also advise making sure there is a minimum of 3mm tread depth around the tyre. If you are unsure how to check the depth of your tyres you can find more information on a previous blog here:

OEM parts vs Aftermarket, which do you opt for on your vehicle?

There is a difference between cheap aftermarket parts and Uprated aftermarket parts. Aftermarket parts are made to perform the same function as OEM but they are produced by a third party. OEM parts are as the acronym suggests, original equipment manufacturer. These parts are tested by the auto maker that installed them on your vehicle when it was new. Aka a tier 1 supplier such as Sachs, Mahle and ZF.

Uprated Aftermarket parts are reverse engineered to find the strengths and weaknesses of OEM. The performance specialists can then create parts which perform in some cases better than the original part. This can be done by slightly altering the design or the materials of the product.

Cheap aftermarket parts are created usually using less quality materials and tend to fail much quicker than OEM parts. Yes they are cheaper to purchase initially however if they fail quicker its more economical to fit the correct parts for the job from the start! This is why as a business we only replace faulty parts on a vehicle with OEM parts or if requested Uprated aftermarket parts such as Revo, Racingline and Superpro.

OEM and genuine…

There is a difference and that is that genuine parts are made by the manufacturer and branded and priced as such. OEM parts are as explained above however branded by a third party and priced much cheaper. OEM suppliers are companys such as Lemforder, TRW and Textar. They are usually made in the same factory and go through the same testing as the genuine parts therefore are essentially the same.

What about my warranty?

Always refer to the manufacturers guidelines when looking to use aftermarket parts and consider whether you vehicle is still under warranty. If its still under warranty fitting aftermarket parts may invalidate it if anything were to go wrong.

Obviously we also have to square up our priorities with our budget, vehicle maintenance can be expensive. However this is why we recommend using OEM parts. We carry out extensive vehicle checks before just stating ABC and parts need replacing.

If your looking at upgrading parts to uprated contact us here: We can give you advice for what you are aiming for and send you an estimate!

OEM parts vs Aftermarket

Common Golf R/Audi S3 issues… what to look for?

We often get asked questions about specific vehicles, their common issues and problems to look out for. Customers get a new vehicle and the first thing they want to do is know exactly what potential issues they could face, and rightly so! If you know what to look out for you can spot problems before they properly develop and potentially cause other issues in the vehicle!

We thought it would be a good idea to blog each month a case study of a different popular vehicle! This way you can easily find information from us regarding specific models within the VAG.

So what am I looking for?

This month’s blog we are going to focus on the Golf R and the Audi S3. Both have the EA888 engine which means they carry the same niggly issues. The most common problem people have is with the Haldex, mainly because people do not know it needs to be serviced. Off the back of the Haldex not being serviced the 4WD becomes non-existent and the vehicle essentially becomes FWD. The rear Diff then could need replacing, which would be a much more costly repair! This could be avoided by just having your Haldex serviced at the correct intervals. We recommend Gen 1&2 every 38,000 miles and Gen 4&5 every 20,000 miles.

The next issue we come across is the IS38 Turbo charger having issues. This turbo employs a ‘zero tolerance’ compressor design. There is virtually no clearance between the compressor wheel and housing. Improving efficiency and contributing to the incredible performance of the turbo. The compressor housing is lined with a Teflon insert, as the compressor wheel meets it in normal operation.

The issue is that batches of the turbo have not been balanced properly.  Several turbos have been stripped and examined, only to find the balancing is out by a very large margin on a few turbos.  This causes the compressor wheel to move off centre slightly.  On a “normal” turbo this would not be an issue, but on the IS38 the compressor wheel is hitting the Teflon insert. Digging in and snapping the shaft instantly. Therefore, we would advise before tuning (if that is a route you would want to go down) having an inspection to try reducing the likelihood of it failing.

Clutch Issues

The Clutches in the manual gearboxes also show some issues. The clutches are weak and show signs of slipping early on in age and miles! You will notice your clutch slipping if you are having trouble changing gears, the clutch pedal sticking, vibrating or appearing to feel spongey or loose; or Momentary loss of acceleration caused by a feeling of a ‘slipping’ clutch. The main problem with the clutches is that they are the same that are used in the Golf GTI’s. It has around 70HP less and is only 2WD. With the added traction of the Golf R and the added horsepower this then massively reduces the lifespan. Anybody tuning their car even at stage 1 level would have to consider replacing the clutch for reliability.

To ensure you get the most out of the vehicle make sure you keep up with your regular servicing intervals and keep an eye on the quality of your driving. Harsh acceleration and lots of start stop driving will do the clutch no favours.

What else?

Other common issues on the EA888 engines include piston and piston ring issues and Water pump issues. Squeaking front suspension arms is another concern. Golf R owners also complain of a defunct battery which needs replacing within the first two years of the vehicle’s life.

Hopefully, this gives you a quick overview of what to look out for if you are a Golf R/Audi S3 owner. Or if you are considering buying one in the future you can look at the pros and the con’s, every car has them! You can get in touch with us on 01642 613852 if you are wanting vehicle inspection. We carry out a full report on the vehicle which you can also keep for your records!

You can also get in touch via the contact page here: https://www.northeastautotech.com/contact/ or our facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/northeastautotech/