Brake Fluid

Well, you learn something new every day...There are loads of different ways to improve braking on you VW, but funnily enough it can make huge difference just to change the fluid regularly (once a year). Brake fluid is hygroscopic i.e. it absorbs water/moisture. The reason that that hygroscopic fluid is used is to maintain the same braking force throughout the braking system, and not to have any imbalance. It is understood that after a year, brake fluid is 5% water and after 2 years it can be as high as 12% water...needless to say I will be changing the fluid in my car more often!!

Now, what's the difference between dot 4 and dot 5.1 fluid? - Boiling point apparently, so if you have a habit of driving hard, or you are going turbo (wink wink!), then dot 5.1 is probably the way forward, as brake sponginess will be apparent of the fluid has been boiled!