While I'll pinch a penny where I can, I have learned that FLAPS brake pads
are junk compared to the OEM VW pads.

Being dense, I have tried numerous off-market brands on each of the dozen
or so VW's I have owned. In my experience, ALL non-VW pads either squeak,
wear down quickly, wear down the rotors quickly, produce copious amounts of
black dust, don't stop the vehicle very well, fade on repeated braking or
otherwise perform in some annoying fashion. It is a bummer to go to the
dealer for brake pads/shoes, but they are worth the coin, unless a list
vendor has OEM pads for chump change.

Your chump,

G. Matthew Bulley
Director
Bulley-Hewlett & Associates
www.bulley-hewlett.com
Cary, NC USA
888.468.4880 tollfree

-----Original Message-----
From:   Alfred Bagdan [SMTP:abagdan@POWERSURFR.COM]
Sent:   Wednesday, October 13, 1999 1:29 AM
To:     vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject:        Re: Why do my brakes squeak?

Hi Susanne

I had my brakes redone once cheaply using cheap brake pads.  Drove like
that
for years until this year I couldn't stand it any longer.  It was
embarrassing.  Sounded like a bunch of shrieking old women and/or wheezing
rabbits.  Had them redone properly using genuine VW pads. No more squeaks!

Alfred
85 Westy

----- Original Message -----
From: Suzanne Hackett <yetilvft@EARTHLINK.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 1999 11:39 PM
Subject: Why do my brakes squeak?

> Why do the brakes on my 1990 Vanagon Carat squeak so horribly, even
> after I've just had them redone?  They sound like alternately like
> wheezing old men and shrieking squirrels, and then sometimes they are
> quiet.
>
> I hate these brakes, and that's the only thing I hate about my otherwise
> beloved "Geordi" (as in La Forge).
>
> I live in L.A....could that be it?
>
> Seriously, I'm clueless about this one.
>
> Suzanne