New brakes

[Volvo83]

I have a Volvo XC60 d4 2013 plate and very soon the front brakes will need replacing, on previous cars I have owned I have always done the front brakes myself ( saving myself abit of money), just wondering what do people recommend should I go for genuine Volvo XC60 front discs and pads or shall I go for a different make?
Have people gone for a different make and regretted it? Wishing they had gone for genuine? Or does it really matter about genuine or not?
Also if I didn't want to do the brakes myself how much would I be looking at to replace them?
Many thanks

[Tannaton]

Lots of "OEM" quality or "OEM" manufacturer brake parts are no where near the quality of original Volvo. I'm not sure about the XC60 but if you look on the XC90 forum about every 6 weeks someone posts about their car warping the discs every few weeks - this is usually cured by fitting genuine discs and pads.

Some people suggest that as ATE make brake parts for Volvo their discs and pads are in fact identical, but in practice it's likely that the exact pad compound used in Volvo pads is their intellectual property and their manufacturer is prevented from selling it as their own brand. That said though I have yet to read anyone reporting a problem with ATE parts.

Some sellers on ebay sell the Volvo discs and pads in a kit at a discounted price (about £190 for the XC60), I would pay the extra £50 or so and use genuine ones every time, otherwise you might be doing it twice.

[Whyman]

On my 2013 D5 it's the rear pads that need doing first, so a little surprised that your fronts need doing.

I have gone for Volvo discs and pads but have yet to fit them, probably a job when we return from our caravan hols in Cornwall in early October.

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by Whyman

On my 2013 D5 it's the rear pads that need doing first,

Same for me with my 2016 D4 FWD

[Volvo83]

Originally Posted by Whyman

On my 2013 D5 it's the rear pads that need doing first, so a little surprised that your fronts need doing.

I have gone for Volvo discs and pads but have yet to fit them, probably a job when we return from our caravan hols in Cornwall in early October.

When washing the car last night I looked at the rear pads etc and on first glance they had quite a lot of pad left on them, where as the front had half that.
Is it a we'll known issue that rears go before fronts on the xc60?

[cheshired5]

Originally Posted by Volvo83

Is it a we'll known issue that rears go before fronts on the xc60?

Yes, I believe that Volvo changed the braking bias on newer cars.
Older models like mine go through front pads faster.
ATE make your brakes so ATE own brand will give you excellent results.

[kdst5]

I think Clan said that the braking bias changes depending upon how hard you press the brake pedal and maybe the speed you are doing?

[Tannaton]

Originally Posted by kdst5

I think Clan said that the braking bias changes depending upon how hard you press the brake pedal and maybe the speed you are doing?

He did say something like that - the irony being the more gently you tend to brake the faster it wears the rear pads which are substantially smaller than the fronts. I hope I've got that right...

[Volvo83]

Originally Posted by cheshired5

Yes, I believe that Volvo changed the braking bias on newer cars.
Older models like mine go through front pads faster.
ATE make your brakes so ATE own brand will give you excellent results.

Forgive me for asking but what year is your XC60? Also is ATE a abbreviation? If so what for?

[cheshired5]

Originally Posted by Volvo83

Forgive me for asking but what year is your XC60? Also is ATE a abbreviation? If so what for?

I have an S60 as per my signature but Volvo have used ATE for years on many of their cars and yours and my calipers will be very similar.
ATE is an abbreviation of sorts of Alfred Teves, the founder but you just search for ATE.