It seems that my sticking front caliper problem has returned.
I’ll be stripping the brakes down tomorrow to investigate further.
Considering I replaced the slider pins last autumn, and the car has been in the garage all winter, it’s probably looking like a caliper issue.
Has anyone had any experience with eBay pattern parts.
Bendix and padgid calipers are around £120 each, yet I can get a pattern part for less than £40.
Not sure which model you have but I refurbished my own NC1 calipers using the Frentech kits.
New pistons, seals, sliders, springs etc.
Less than £100 to do all 4 calipers.
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I considered refurb kits, but for not much more I can buy new pattern calipers…
Reminds me, that I borrowed an idea from Frentech.
The company I worked for made a mint.
I’ll say no more 
I bought a reconditioned front NC caliper from my local Frenco. It was around £70 and indistinguishable from a new one.
I considered long term.
Wasn’t sure if you would be able to get rebuild kits for aftermarket calipers but knew I could
get them for OEM calipers.
I fitted an aftermarket caliper to my MK3 three years ago and no problems so far. Mine was from a motor factor rather than eBay and the car is used all year.
I thought the same. Quite enjoyed the refurb process to be honest and now won’t have rusting or corroding calipers for the next few years!
A valid point on the availability.
I’m going to take the caliper off this morning and see what’s going on. I’ll pop the piston out before I make that call.
I’VE DONE BOTH FRONTS NOW WITH CHEAP EBAY CALIPERS. NO PROBLEMS SO FAR, FIRST ONE HAS BEEN ON ABOUT 2 YEARS AND 8000 MILES.
ONLY TAKES ABOUT HALF AN HOUR TO FIT AND EASY TO BLEED JUST ONE.
THEY ARE PRETTY SIMPLE
The piston wouldn’t blow out until I pushed it back in a bit with the rewind tool. It then popped out with air pressure.
It’s rusty around the top, but the actual seal faces are clean and unmarked.
There is a small amount of wear in the bottom of the cylinder though.
Nothing I can feel, but the metal has an area that’s sort of polished (so to speak).
Deliberating between pattern or refurb oem, and I’ve decided on fitting pattern calipers, purely because of the polished part of the cylinder.
I don’t want to refurb and be in the same position in a years time.
I dare say that now I’ve freed it off, I could reassemble and it would be ok, but it’s off now, so just as easy to wait a few days and fit new.
New calliper fitted this morning with the second one going on early midweek when I’ve got time for the paint to dry.
I’ve had ebay pattern calipers that have lasted years and given no trouble, and others that have lasted 18 months. It’s a lottery.
Most decent motor factors do exchange units which does reduce the cost significantly. The one I got for our Skoda has the Audi rings on it so is a refurbished original.
I kept the old ones (I’m a closet hoarder).
If one day I should happen to buy a sand blaster, then I might just consider refurbishing them. For no other reson but to hoard them clean.
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