How do you rate AP brakes?

[sholtby]

Those of you with AP brakes please let me know what you think of them. I ask the question with a possible view to buying them but the initial cost is a major concern. Replacement disks I'm told are about £300 each which is another thing putting me off.
Please answer honestly.

Simon

[Simon Linton]

Two points on the AP kit - it has stopped me taking test drives in other cars, since I now have the vehicle I want in all respects and remember that the appallingly expensive discs should last a lot longer than the stock items unless you're an obsessive trackday attender.

[sholtby]

Thanks to those of you that have voted and passed comment. I think I'm in a similar position to you Simon. That is I love my car to bits and don't mind spending money on it. I'd happily spend up to say £800 on something giving a reasonable improvement. But to spend £1500 I want a mind blowing improvement.
The voting so far isnt all that conclusive. I'm not sure how many of you on this forum have AP brakes or have experienced them and can add to the voting numbers. Keep the votes coming though.

Thanks

Simon

[PTV70R]

I dont think there is one simple correct answer - It all depends on how each person drives their car and what they want from it. Those who drive their cars hard and have really had the benefit of the AP's will vote yes whilst those who dont really drive hard may not have had enough gain to justify the cost in their own minds. If like me you had experienced fade with the stock brakes it is well worth it - after all if it saves you from just one mis-hap you have justified the expense. I have not yet had any fade with the AP's and dont expect to. I personally beleive that a car with the speed of a T5 or R needs better stopping power if it is driven anywhere near its potential and that anyone who seriously cannot acheive enough of a gain is not using the car to its potential and should have bought a bog standard 2 litre and saved themselves more than the price of the AP's in the first place.

So in essence it comes down to what you want from you car not what anyone else thinks.

Any way, enough talk about how good they are - they look bloody good ! Most of our alloys allow you to see the disc and caliper and dosent the stock item look pathetic !


My advice is to see if you can arrange a trip in a car equiped with AP's to get a better idea of what you get for your money !

A good comparison is to compare the difference in price between a T5 and R - what do you really get for the extra, a few cosmetic bits really and a more exclsuive badge - some people will pay the extra for the R while others will say 'Not worth it' and get a T5. Again its all about individual choice and tastes.

[doorman]

Bloody hell Paul, what with your reply to my Email and your reply to this thread, you have missed your vocation in life, you should have been a politician. :)
Dave
V70 'R' AWD

[sholtby]

I'd appreciate a comment from someone who hasnt been over impressed wih them.

Thanks

Simon

[Andy]

Thing is is anyone who's coughed up £1500 for a set going to admit they are unimpressed? ;-)

I was unimpressed at first...

Appologies for rubbing salt into wounds and going over old ground BUT I got my set second hand for £360 (from memory). If I part with my R I will pass them on, however this is unlikely to happen soon.

I fitted them with the supplied Green Stuff pads, standard issue a while ago. The disks were very rusty and I ran the original DOT 4 fluid. They were very average to say the least, I was glad I hadn't spent £1500 on them.

With the help of this forum I changed to Ferodo DS2500, DOT 5.1 fluid and spent £££ on new grooved disks.

They are now worth the £1500 asking price, probably.

I also have a Rica'd Passat 1.8T that has savage brakes as standard fit. Changed the disks to plain vanilla Brembo variety from ECP (£26 each?) and stuck on a set of DS2500 from Elite (£85?). There has been a noticible improvement for about £140. I would give that a go before spending the £1500.

[Simon J]

Of the six votes so far, it would seem that three of them are possibly from people who don't actually have the AP brakes. But from the comments above, the Ferodo 2500 pads would seem to be the key to success, regardless of what discs and calipers you have. My own experience of the Volvo big brakes is that while they are undoubtedly imnpressive in terms of absolute stopping power and are commendably fade free, they don't give an instant "oh my gawd!" response. So I think that when it comes time to replace them I will see if I can get the Ferodo 2500 pads.

Simon J

[Simon Linton]

Just remember that the 70 series brakes are pretty reasonable - it's the 850 ones that are rubbish.

If you're upgrading a 70 series I'd definitely try the pad route first, but if you have a 850 R or T5-R, you really do need the big brakes.

[Al115]

With my V70, I tend to find that I lose traction before I run out of braking force. That's with the standard (302mm) discs. Does this happen to anyone else, or is it just down to my tyre choice??


Alastair