[Simon Linton]

My views on the standard brakes are well-known; the 280mm ones are dangerous on the hotter 850s, while the 302mm 70 series brakes seem to hold up well on the equivalent 70 series vehicles.

The Volvo big brake kit does appear to cost a lot for the upgrade in performance - and if I'd spent all that money I'd want a cosmetic improvement!

Tinkering around with upgraded pads and grooved discs on the standard size brakes is in my view a band-aid solution that many have found requires much tweaking and combining various flavours of pad and disc to achieve a useful result.

I recommend doing it all in one go and getting the AP kit, ideally when you are having to change the discs anyway to minimise the upgrade cost.

OK, I haven't yet had to put on new pads or discs on my AP kit so the pain of replacement has yet to arrive, but the confidence in stopping is something that I regard as essential in a performance saloon that weighs close to 2 tons laden.

But the very fact that I haven't yet had to replace either shows another advantage of the AP kit; the combination of larger swept area and greater moment arm of the larger disc diameter means that a lower pedal pressure is needed for similar retardation; thus cutting wear.

Putting high grip pads on more expensive small discs guarantees a high wear rate and frequent replacements, so the cost of ownership rises; good news for the suppliers, but bad for the owners.

I would definitely start your upgrade path with braided brake hoses; these give better response even on the standard rig and don't cost a fortune.
If and when you upgrade to a AP kit which has braided hoses, you can simply sell your new or old set.

And remember to TELL YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY WHATEVER YOU FIT. If you don't you are driving uninsured.

This last goes for any upgrade, no matter how minor; even putting Samco hoses on your engine could invalidate cover - especially if your accident involves your insurers or others in a large payout.