Brake Suggestions?

[MauiM3Mania]

My '04 is ready for new brakes. I'm open to suggestions, but as much as anything it's the pads that I'd like to hear preferences from experienced owners.

The car sees only road usage, but there is some significant elevation changes on some of the more fun driver routes. ;-) I really want to avoid any pad that is noisey and prefer less dust, of course. I am tempted to go with OEM as those have served me well.


Thoughts?

[dworthy]

Well I have yet to install them, but I went with OEM pads, and ECS Tuning slotted rotors, I am also going to put in the SS brake lines from them as well. I figures since I will be doing all that, might as well replace the rubber bushing for the slide pins and the parking brakes. So in the end, the only thing that will be original will be the bearings, calipers and backing plates.

[MauiM3Mania]

Funny, I already had the slotted rotors in the ECS cart, the StopTech though. Maybe for true racing, the slotted is not ideal but I've had them on my 99 for 15k with no issues.

How many miles have you get on your existing pads/rotors? I"m thinking I drive more granny-like with this car and don't really need bus-like sounding pads. I wouldn't mind less dust, but there is always a trade off it seems.

[dworthy]

I have the OEM on there at this time, and after looking at the paperwork, the dealership replaced Pads and Rotors at 51k, during the Inspection-II. I am now at 91k and at higher speeds, I am burning the rotors up as there are scorch marks on them. I talked to Chris about which would be better and while I had good luck with cross-drilled, he recommended the slotted for our kind of driving.

To keep the dust down, I apply rim wax twice a year. This keeps the dust from settling and makes it much easier to wash off with a bush.

[dsm3383]

I have the Hawk HPS 5.0 pads all around on blank rotors. They have good bite and great modulation. I'm actually surprised about how little dust they generate.

Also, don't go with drilled or slotted rotors. They are a waste of money. All us amateur racers use nothing but blanks cause they are cheap and strong.

[MassiveWalrus]

For the street... the StopTech high carbon blanks & Zimmermann Coat Z has served me well. edit when they go on sale... I do get ZIMMERMANN FORMULA Z rotors (European Version Cross Drilled with Floating Aluminum Hub (325 X 28 mm) for about $300 for a pair... not bad for the cost IMO.

as for OE formula street pads... I have tried , Textar, ATE, Jurid & Hella Pagid... Compare to the Genuine BMW pads... I like the Hella Pagid... out of all those OE suppler manufactures they have the least amount of dust IMHO.

For spirited driving... Stoptech street performance para-aramid (Kevlar) brake pads. less dusty than an OE organic compound... but more dusty than a ceramic pad...but much better brake pedal & less brake fade feel than ceramics IMHO.

[MauiM3Mania]

Looking at alternatives to ECS. The shipping is quite steep.

[dworthy]

I got free shipping from ECS tuning during a special they were having a couple of months ago. Installed the brakes today, and now the initial bite that was in the OEM pad and rotors is not there, however the brakes is more linear and doesn't fade when you get close to the threshold. The pedal feel is firm, and that can be from the SS brake lines I installed, or perhaps the slotted rotors. I am leaning more to the new brake lines.

[dworthy]

Which ones did you go with? I can say that I am happy with the ones I have on there now, for after driving on them for a week, it is rather hard for me to lock up the brakes, and they do grab very nice all the way to the threshold.

[MauiM3Mania]

I stalled on the project once the shipping cost was revealed, so I'm looking at alternatives. I need to get on the phone with ECS to get the package size for ocean freight pricing.

[dworthy]

Yeah, that can be a problem with living out in the middle of an Ocean, shipping tends to kill a project. I would just wait and watch until they do the free shipping again, as I sat on those brakes for about 4 months before I installed them.

[MassiveWalrus]

IIRC these guys have free shipping on Brake pads. You can just message them and ask for these 34 11 3 404 362 in Hella pagid.

http://stores.ebay.com/Euro-Asia-Parts

[MauiM3Mania]

It's all in the fine print. ECS has free shipping.... to the continental 48. ~$250 to Maui.

Yeah, the paradise tax can be killer. It's been years, but I paid more for the shipping than the actual product, a set of brass guide pins.

I need to scour Amazon one more time.

[legoman67]

OEM's are usually textar, which are great pads, but VERY dusty.