Sadly I don't drive the Viento on a daily basis and I have a VW GOLF GT TDI 150.

It needs new discs and pads, well the rears are knackered and the fronts are looking iffy. The MOT is in Oct.

Should I buy the OEM parts (as recommended by the man at German Swedish French) of should I buy the somewhat poorer quality 'pattern parts'

OEM Parts = 154+vat
Poorer Quality = 106=vat

Fully fitted with unknown quality at Dock/Dexel Tire = 200+vat

Which should I do, anyone know if these cheap parts are that crap?

IMHO..

I have always used patern disk parts for my Polo GTI from my local independant parts place...

Never had a problem, the pads are usually "branded" so you know the quality has to be assured...

If you are worried, get the generic disks... and then get some nice aftermarket sticky pads..... Ferodo to some nice ones

Only issue I have with changing rear disks on the polo is the carriers are done up with 120Nm of torque... and unless you jack the car up high enough there is no way you can get a breaker bar in to undo them!

OEM parts, more expensive but "buy cheap, buy twice" is not worth doing for the price difference. Is it really worth taking a risk on something as vital as brakes?

In the past I've used cheaper pads on my 106 from my local autofactors, they were so crap that after a week I had to go back and buy the oem ones! Just my opinion though, Cheers, Tom

Textar from GSF have always worked for me on various VW, Audi and SAABs.
Cheers, Pewe

You can get Brembo disks as aftermarket for the Golf for less than the OEM and you know they are good. Ferodo or similar pads should be equal to OEM as well .

As above, what Peteff said. I got Brembo discs & pads all round for my E39 528 from GSF rather than pay the robbing b@stards at BMW. Worked out at half the price and I was plenty happy with the results.

Most pattern parts are made in the same factory anyway and rebranded before remarketing as OEM or aftermarket.

But at the end of the day, you're the one driving the car so you have to make the decision.