Leeds

Leeds is a city in West Yorkshire with an estimated population of 785,000.

Leeds has become the largest legal and financial centre outside London. Its financial and insurance industries are worth £13billion to the city’s economy alone. It is also the UK’s 3rd largest manufacturing centre employing around 39k employees and adding over £7billion to the economy.

Home to Leeds Rhinos rugby league team, Yorkshire Carnegie rugby union team, Headingly and Yorkshire County Cricket Club, perhaps the most famous of Leeds’ sporting champions is Leeds United FC. Formed in 1919, and situated at the Elland Road Stadium, they have won The FA Cup, The League Cup and were runners-up in the European Cup and the European Cup Winners Cup to boot.

The most popular cars in Leeds

With Leeds location sitting in the heart of the West Riding, the VW Golf is an ideal family car and city commute vehicle; it is estimated to be the most popular car in Leeds, according to data provided between 2012 to 2018 by ownership and postcode.

Close on its heels—and in order of popularity—are the Mercedes A-Class, Ford Fiesta, VW Tiguan and the Nissan Qashqai.

Vehicle numbers in Leeds

There are approximately 314,000 licensed vehicles in the Leeds area, with some of the most popular models including the Ford Focus, the Mini and the VW Polo.

Fixter garages in Leeds

There are a total of 19 Fixter garages in the Leeds area, all ready and waiting to provide you with a fantastic quote for your car service, MOT and a wide range of vehicle repairs.

Fixter garages service the following postcodes and more, in and around the Leeds area:

• LS1: City Centre, Leeds
• LS2: Woodhouse, Leeds
• LS3 & LS4: Burley & Kirkstall, Leeds
• LS5: Hawksworth, Leeds
• LS6: Headingly, Hyde Park, Beckett Park & Meanwood, Leeds
• LS7: Chapel Allerton, Beck Hill Lovell Park & Potternewton, Leeds

Front brake pad replacement

How do front brake pads work?

Brake pads are a key component of any vehicle’s braking system. They’re flat parts made of semi-metallic, organic or ceramic materials, with a metal backing. When you use your brakes, the pads hydraulically squeeze the brake discs, slowing your car down through friction and pressure. The pads absorb some of the biggest forces involved in daily driving.

Most cars have two pads per brake disc, although some high-performance models can have more.

How often should front brake pads need replacing?

As a rough guide, your brake pads should last for 50,000 miles, but there are a number of variables, including driver behaviour, the weight you carry, speed and the type of pads used. Not to mention that nearly 20% of MOT failures are caused by faulty brakes.

The law, vehicle regulations and your MOT

Incorrect brake operation, damaged or excessively worn discs or pads are considered unsafe for your vehicle performance and will cause your car to fail an MOT.

The cost of replacing front brake pads

The typical cost of replacing front brake pads is around £100.

For example, a BMW 116d M Sport would have a dealer price of £133.13, yet Fixter will carry out the same work for only £107.10—a 20% saving!

Changing the rear brake pads on a Fiat 500 C Lounge will cost you £120.59 with your dealer, but only £99.17 with Fixter—a superb saving of 18%!

When you choose Fixter to find you a great deal and a premium mechanic to carry out your rear brake pad replacement, you can expect to save around £20–£25 from an average dealer price. That’s a typical saving in the region of 15–20%.

What happens when we replace your brake pads?

• Our efficient and fully qualified mechanics will inspect the brake system for signs of wear, damage and breakage.
• They will establish which brake pads need to be replaced and fit new ones as necessary.
• You will also be advised of any other parts that may need to be replaced for the best operation and health of your vehicle.
• Once the brake pads have been replaced, our mechanics will test it thoroughly to ensure the correct operation of the new parts and make any adjustments required for premium performance.

What causes your brake pads to stop working correctly?

While your brake pads will keep you safe over thousands of miles, they won’t last forever. Eventually, the abrasive surface on them wears down, and they will need to be replaced, ideally while you still have around 25% capacity of the pads left.

Given that they take most of the load, front brake pads will probably need replacing first. They also have a bigger surface area to increase friction.

To make your brake pads last longer:

• Try avoiding driving at high speeds so that you’re less likely to need to brake quickly and heavily, which puts extra pressure on the pads.
• Anticipate traffic and hazards ahead so you can brake steadily and gradually.
• Heavy loads also put stress on brake pads – don’t carry unnecessary weight.

Symptoms of malfunctioning brakes

Your brake callipers make unusual noises

A loud screeching or grinding noise when you apply the brakes is a clear indicator that new pads are required.

When your car pulls to one side under braking

If only one brake is working correctly, it can cause your car to pull in the direction of the functioning brake.

The car vibrates under braking

Your brake pads could be warped if the pedal vibrates when you press down on it.

The brake pad is worn down

Look through the wheel’s spokes for a visual check—the outside pad is pressed against a metal rotor, and you should be able to see at least 3mm of the pad.

Your brake warning light on the dashboard is illuminated

If any of your dashboard warning lights are illuminated, the sensor that detects problems or worn out parts and components has detected an issue and activated the system.