F30 - Brake Pads / Discs - advice & returning my car to BMW

[Leemcl2105]

Hi all - I was a member here before but could not get into my account, so I am coming across as brand new as opposed to not being here for a long while :-) Anyway a long time 3 series owner - 4 since 2007. All of which have been excellent. And maybe number 5 is next....

So I have a question / dilema about my front disc pads and I am looking for a view.

I am due to return my 325D ( F30 ) next month at the end of my 4 year agreement. The car has been Very Very good. Has never missed a beat, not once. Drives lovely. Maybe a bit noisy in the cabin, but it’s an SE spec so comfortable. Anyway, praise aside...

To coincide with the pending parting of the ways my front Brake pad serving light has activated ( just gone red actually after a long drive to and from Manchester ) No big problem I thought, so off to the local garage I went today, asked for what the cars computer says I need but was told “nah mate. It’s discs and pads needing to be changed”

Despite explaining that is not what the computer says ( little Britain gags ) we could not agree to change only the pads. Only £395 for the lot including the wear cable, otherwise no deal. I was confident that just Pads would be less than £150 ? Just fit, reset. Move on. But nope.

There was no clear explanation as to why the discs needed changing also - general wear they said, but the computer is not signally a need to do the discs, just the pads.

There are essentially two problems here. Firstly, I have not budgeted £400 for this job.

and 2 - the bloody car is going back to BMW next month - no doubt to find it’s way to British Car Auctions - which it does not deserve... i’d Like to keep my £400 for a deposit contribution for my next car.

So back to the point, is it possible to just change the pads and the sensor and move on as I wanted ?

or does every garage insist on pads and discs these days ? I am sure you don’t have to do both ? And I am recalling someone saying that garages always say to do both as it’s so much easier for them and gets more profit ?

What would someone else do in this situation, would you swallow the cost ? I would if I was going to keep the car, but I have no experience of re financing a car with BMW and I bet their APR is laughable ( I already have a car loan for our other car so another loan is not an option at the moment )

BMW are claiming my car is worth less than my final balance payment, hence why i have not part exchanges again and why I am walking away from them.

I knew I would get caught as I did not pay a big deposit at the start and my mileage is higher, but balls to them. They have earned their flesh on the APR over 4 years.

naturally I don’t want to now be facing ££££ in bills a month before I walk away - especially as I was also told today that 2 tyres need changing before the July MoT - surprise to me given I had no warning previous. Oh well.

Advice on the pads / disc situation most welcomed any ( positive ) advice on the wider aspects of giving the car back VT etc welcomed too.

Thanks all and enjoy Monday night :-)

[MauiM3Mania]

Ouch. I don't have an answer, beyond the fact that you used 'em up so it's time to pony up. Hurts, I'm sure.

Good luck from an ocean and half away.

[ship4u]

As an Anglophile living in an English Tudor home in Ohio, USA, I enjoyed reading your post. My wife and I vacation in the Cotswolds each year in September.
To answer your question, it is my understanding that current wisdom is that it is preferable to change disc rotors along with pads for optimal braking performance, rather than have new pads adapt (i.e., "seat" themselves) to the grooves and uneven wear of old rotors. However, if your rotors are above minimum thickness, which I believe is 28.4 mm for your car, and there are no deep grooves worn into the rotors, it is not mandatory to change them.
Here is a discussion on the matter might help:
https://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh....php?t=1530340

Cheers!
Don

[Critter7r]

+1

Rotor replacement is based on only 2 factors : surface condition and / or thickness.

Officially ... If they are below the minimum thickness, they are supposed to be replaced. If they are above minimum thickness by less than 0.5mm and mildly grooved or rusty, then they are supposed to be replaced. If they are above minimum thickness by more than 0.5mm and heavily grooved or corroded, they are supposed to be replaced. If they are above minimum thickness by more than 0.5mm and mildly grooved or corroded then they should be machined. If they are above minimum thickness and not grooved or corroded, they can be reused.

Maybe it's different across the pond, but here in the US, unless they're in really horrid shape, just about any shop would reuse rotors if I tell them that's what I want to do.

[ship4u]

Any update?

[marvinstockman]

Costs are costs, and they are roughly the same in the US as in the UK. My son came to the end of his lease, and offered much less than the buyout. I think they came somewhere in the middle.

Remember, whoever is selling the car needs to pay transportations costs, auction costs, and reconditioning costs. Make them an offer, and see what happens. If the person who you're dealing with says no, ask to speak with his boss.