[9352e90]

Has anyone had their front pads replaced at the dealer, and what is the cost?

[Chriztofor]

Originally Posted by 9352e90

Has anyone had their front pads replaced at the dealer, and what is the cost?

You are going to have to call around fit that. I would take it to an Indy over a dealer. Try regional forum on here for recommended shops. Also keep in mind they may have to replace rotors too. So they may low ball on the front brake pad quote and nail you on the rotor quote. Therefore, ask for a quote on both.

[954Stealth]

Don't take it to the dealer for such an easy job. Either take it to an indie or buy some pads on line and DIY it (there's pad replacement diy guide here on the site) Don't forget to buy new sensors when you buy the pads

[P2]

Originally Posted by 9352e90

Has anyone had their front pads replaced at the dealer, and what is the cost?

I'm sitting at my Indy getting them done now. Getbmwparts.com kit for $348 shipped. Not sure on the labor yet but the total will be under $500 for p&l. $795 at the dealer.

[supremegpc]

If you decide to DIY don't go cheap on the pads, then again that's just my opinion. Cool Carbon pads were my choice and I changed the pads all the way around myself. The pads (2 sets) were $232.00 with sensors , 2 new front rotors $100.00 (caught the special from Bavauto), and had to have the rear rotors resurfaced, $16.00. I took my time and did the extras that might not get done at the dealership. If you can manage to save a buck and avoid the dealer, do so.You can easily find the tutorial and give it a shot. Plus when you're working on your vehicle you get to know it better.

[supremegpc]

Just know that if you have developed a lip on the rotors, as long as your rotors are within specs, you can have them resurfaced. You don't necessarily have to buy new rotors. Your call.

[Turb0Surge]

Wow I can't believe people are paying 6-800$ just to have front brake pads done. C'mon guys it takes about an hour to do both sides and it's really not that hard. Last time I did mine it cost me $189.00 for pads from my local dealership and an hour of time.


Look up some DIY's and use some of that saved money on mods!

[9352e90]

Doesn't really sound too hard. Is it better to just by the genuine BMW pads then? I'll defiantly get a quote from the Indy to.

[marshall834]

Originally Posted by Turb0Surge

Wow I can't believe people are paying 6-800$ just to have front brake pads done. C'mon guys it takes about an hour to do both sides and it's really not that hard. Last time I did mine it cost me $189.00 for pads from my local dealership and an hour of time.


Look up some DIY's and use some of that saved money on mods!

+1

Even an inexperienced person can do it in a couple hours. Worth the savings in my opinion.

[Quasimodem]

Here is the DIY (look in the last pages for my diagram to get the front caliper spring off): http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=76418

Dont forget the service reset DIY:
http://www.e90post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51049

If you are ordering from Tischer, inspect your brake sensors before you place the order to see if any need replacing. My front sensor was on the driver's side and my rear sensor was on the passenger side. It was my rear sensor which needed replacing.

[Efthreeoh]

Okay, so it's not as "easy" as everyone is portraying here. There is more to it than just "replacing pads". This dangerous work (the car can fall on you if the wheels are off) and not doing the job properly can lead to brake failure.

First off, to get the most effective performance and longevity out of the new pads, the rotors need to either be replaced or resurfaced. If the rotors do not have a flat surface (as new rotors do) then the new pads will not bed properly to the old rotors and will not last as long and not perform as well. It's been my extensive experience with BMW brakes that the original set of rotors, once resurfaced as should be done for a proper brake relining (that's old dude speak for brake job), will not last all the way through the 2nd set of pads and may get too thin and can warp before the pads are used up. IMO it is just better to spend the money on a new set of rotors when relining BMW brakes.

Second, if you’re not well versed in wrenching on cars, and don't have all the proper tools to do the job correctly and safely, have a professional mechanic perform the work. Safely doing a brake job means raising the car on 4 high-quality jack stands (so it won't have the ability to roll off) using a high-quality floor jack that can reach the center lifting points of the chassis, and having a good set of quality tools to do the work with. It is dangerous work as well because as an example, there are anti-rattle springs attached to the calipers, which if improperly removed can fly off and hit you in the face. Also, you should not let the caliper hang on the brake hose as it could compromise the hose and at some point fail under pressure months after you did the brake job

[Quasimodem]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Also, you should let the caliper hang on the brake hose as it could compromise the hose and at some point fail under pressure months after you did the brake job

I think you meant to say that you should NOT let the caliper hang on the brake hose.

I agree, the job is harder than others seem to indicate here and it takes longer unless you have worked on similar cars before. I was not familiar with floating calipers and I nearly sh!t a brick when the front calipers started coming apart (you have to hold each caliper together because the two halves will try to slide apart).

1. Yes, you must be careful with the brake hose/hydraulic lines.
2. Yes, to do the job right, you would need to resurface or replace the rotors too.
3. Dont forget to bed-in the brakes. IMHO this involves using the brakes in the city lightly for around 150 miles and then accelerating to 60 and decelerating to around 5 mph as rapidly as possible without locking the brakes -- around five times in a row. Do a Google search to confirm this, there are different theories and different methods for different kinds of brake materials.

[Fat Goose]

Under the BMW Maintenance Program, when they replace the rear (or front) brake pads, do they also replace the rotors? Mine are pretty rusty around the inner wheel base

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by Quasimodem

I think you meant to say that you should NOT let the caliper hang on the brake hose.

I agree, the job is harder than others seem to indicate here and it takes longer unless you have worked on similar cars before. I was not familiar with floating calipers and I nearly sh!t a brick when the front calipers started coming apart (you have to hold each caliper together because the two halves will try to slide apart).

1. Yes, you must be careful with the brake hose/hydraulic lines.
2. Yes, to do the job right, you would need to resurface or replace the rotors too.
3. Dont forget to bed-in the brakes. IMHO this involves using the brakes in the city lightly for around 150 miles and then accelerating to 60 and decelerating to around 5 mph as rapidly as possible without locking the brakes -- around five times in a row. Do a Google search to confirm this, there are different theories and different methods for different kinds of brake materials.

Thanks. Good catch. Corrected.

Agree with your point 3 as well.