[zxwreg]

My 2011 335D just turned 100K, went in for oil change, and asked the technician to check the brake pads since they were never changed.

I was told the pads still have about half left.

Am I driving my D way too gentle...?? I do have fun occasionally at the traffic light and ramp.

Mine are almost highway miles, and I admit I was trying to avoid using brakes when I can, but still...

How many miles do your brake pads last?

[IllSic_Design]

I'm very surprised with my pad wear also. I'm a hard/late braker and do a fair amount of spirited driving/canyon runs, I just changed mine out for street/track pads in prep for a track day coming up and was very surprised to see atleast 3/4 pad still there after 50k miles.

[32valves]

You must be normal drivers. Before 50k I had two sets of rotors put on and I think they are warped again

[IllSic_Design]

Originally Posted by 32valves

You must be normal drivers.

LOL

[32valves]

Originally Posted by IllSic_Design

LOL

Just saying but I do have stage 3 and drive like an ass hole and go the the 1/4 mike track all the time.

[IllSic_Design]

Originally Posted by 32valves

Just saying but I do have stage 3 and drive like an ass hole and go the the 1/4 mike track all the time.

Lol I get where you're coming from but if you knew/saw how I drive you'd be wondering the same as me. I too drive way too fast all the time, am stage 2+ FBO, and as said do lots of spirited driving and canyon runs. I am very hard on the brake which is why I was so surprised.

[bvanlieu]

Sounds normal for HW drivers.

I had the original dusty formula pads that made it at least 68K or so on my 2011, the first 32K was not my driving: swapped out for a less dusty Akebono pads and at 98K now their is plenty of meat left on them: 80%+ HW commuting on my D.

- b

[mjn77]

At 136k, in that time, 2 sets of front discs, 2 sets of pads. 2 sets of rear discs, 3 sets of pads.

Front discs and pads will need doing very soon and rear pads are pretty low.

[PerfectAce]

Originally Posted by zxwreg

My 2011 335D just turned 100K, went in for oil change, and asked the technician to check the brake pads since they were never changed.

I was told the pads still have about half left.

Am I driving my D way too gentle...?? I do have fun occasionally at the traffic light and ramp.

Mine are almost highway miles, and I admit I was trying to avoid using brakes when I can, but still...

How many miles do your brake pads last?

There's (most of) your answer. 100k miles does seem like an awful lot for one set of brake pads, but then again, brake pad life is not a direct function of how many miles you drive; it's a function of how often and aggressively you apply the brakes.

My wife's second-gen Prius lasted 11 years on one set of brakes. All due to virtually never having to apply them with it's electric motor regenerative brake applying most of the stopping power. I, on the other hand, burned through a set of rotors and pads in 30k miles (2.5 years) on a Focus ST by driving it like a hooligan.

It's all about how you use them.

[IllSic_Design]

Originally Posted by bvanlieu

Sounds normal for HW drivers.

- b

Yes very true, most of my miles are highway, 80 miles a day. The weekends are when I really use the brakes, so I guess not really THAT many hard braking miles on them.

[mefferso]

Thats pretty impressive. In changed mine at 120k just b/c they had so many miles on them. Prob less than 25% left

[Nadir Point]

The rears got done by the dealer on the maintenance service plan at around 100k, IIRC. Just went past 125k miles on the factory front rotors and pads. That's on my ToDo radar now, so we'll see how much farther they go. Definitely a new brake hardware record for me, personally.

[kbsilver]

I would say not that unusual. I have 102K miles on the D and the pads have at least 25% life left in them. I believe one reason is due to the high compression of the diesel where the car actually slows down when you take your foot off the accelerator. Our 340GT just seems to keep going when off the throttle. In economy mode (which I will never use nor the stop/start) it actually puts the trans in neutral when you take your foot off. The brakes on that car will likely not make 50K miles.

Not that it matters I determined the pads on the 335D are ATE. While not dust free are more than acceptable to me and intend to use ATEs when replacement time comes. Just hope I can get the rotors off after 8 years.

[Nadir Point]

Originally Posted by kbsilver

I believe one reason is due to the high compression of the diesel where the car actually slows down when you take your foot off the accelerator.

Intake vacuum on a gasser (which is un-related to compression) is what causes the effect of engine braking in a gas engine. Diesels to not make vacuum, except for dedicated vacuum pumps, which does not affect engine braking.

Not that the effect you feel isn't there. That's just not where it comes from.

[kbsilver]

Originally Posted by Nadir Point

Intake vacuum on a gasser (which is un-related to compression) is what causes the effect of engine braking in a gas engine. Diesels to not make vacuum, except for dedicated vacuum pumps, which does not affect engine braking.

Not that the effect you feel isn't there. That's just not where it comes from.

Seems backwards to what I described??

[TYS335D]

I don't know how worn the pads are on my 2011 335d, but I've driven 127,000 and neither the pads nor the rotors have been replaced. I have had a couple of brake fluid flushes as part of the scheduled maintenance.

Much of my first 50,000 miles was highway driving. Also, I don't usually drive particularly fast as a rule. I find that having to pay for the maintenance and repairs tends to moderate my driving style.

[dixy2k]

Totally normal.

Just don't compare them to a Lexus. You will think there is something wrong with your car and the brakes don't work.