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BMW 3-Series (E90 E92) Forum
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Brake Pad and Rotor Replacement Time
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07-19-2019, 01:22 PM | #1 |
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Brake Pad and Rotor Replacement Time
It's time for my first front brake replacement on my 325i (old car, new to me, lots of mileage!) I searched and read all the discussions regarding pads and rotors, but I found a few other options which haven't been discussed and I'm interested in hearing some other opinions.
My car is a daily driver, ton of stop and go traffic, no track use. I haven't verified anything, but I can only assume my car has OEM rotors and pads based on the excellent initial bite, stopping performance, and the insane amount of brake dust generated. I want to minimize the dust so I'm getting ceramic pads, even if it means I lose a bit of the excellent performance/feel. FCP euro is the obvious choice; Zimmerman rotors and Meyle ceramic pads. I know there's a lot of love for Akebono pads, but I'm cool with saving $40 for a cheaper pad and from what I can tell the Meyle pads are still a great choice. Then there's another reputable retailer (not suspicious ebay/amazon sellers with possible counterfeit products) selling Brembo rotors and ceramic pads for a great price. Does anyone here have any experience with this setup on their E90? This same retailer also has Pagid rotors for the same price as the Brembos. Are there any major differences between Brembo and Pagid rotors? They also have a cheap budget option which I am seriously considering: Power Stop Evolution ceramic pads and Raybestos coated rotors. I know brake discussions are almost as bad as oil discussions; but I'm just looking to hear some opinions. |
07-22-2019, 10:03 AM | #2 |
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Did a quick cart for you on rock auto. Love the pads and the pagid rotors are coated in the same coating as OEM. Special mention to the high carbon centric rotors with their black coating (you can go with either). Super cost effective OEM alternative. I use the same pads on my car.
Edit: Did not include any pad sensors |
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08-01-2019, 03:38 PM | #4 | |
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08-06-2019, 10:48 AM | #5 | |
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I just came back from my 2nd HPDE with them installed, they are definitely not a track pad but I was very happy to know they would hold up to some intense beatings. No glazing or super fast wear. I had my front rotors up to 600 deg F too! Edit: After my 2nd track session with these pads I definitely hit the limits of what these pads could handle. I glazed my rotors and pads pretty bad and basically used up the rear pads to the backing plates. Good street pads, but not worth burning them up on a track. Last edited by Volasko; 10-09-2019 at 02:49 PM.. |
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08-23-2019, 02:13 PM | #6 |
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I installed the Pagid rotors and PQ PRO pads, and so far so good. Upon removal of the old pads, I learned that I had Textar pads so that explains the excellent feel and the insane amount of dust. I'm not sure what rotor was installed but I'm assuming it was either OEM or Zimmermann as it was just marked with numbers and "MADE IN GERMANY."
I was impressed with the quality and packaging of the Pagid rotors, they're shipped upside down with the rotor surface up top and the hat on the bottom of the box, with plenty of cardboard packaging so they don't get banged up. I've never seen a rotor packed this well. They also included a new hex screw to secure the rotor to the hub. The PQPRO pads look to be high quality, however I'm a bit curious about them. I know they're marketed as the premium Centric product, but they don't mention the material (ceramic vs metallic) anywhere and the only details I could find online are just their own internally generated marketing fluff, such as the "exclusive Mu500 Coating" and "Opti-Check Early Warning System," neither of which have any further explanation. They seem to work very well so far and have a great feel. They don't have that same feel of initial bite that the old Textar pads had which everyone loves, but it's not a scary or unpredictable feeling, it's just slightly different and easy to adjust to. The only downside is that I'm getting a very slight occasional squaling from the passenger side, but that's due to installation error. This was the first side I replaced and I didn't use as much brake grease on the back of the pads as I used on the drivers side, so I'll be opening it back up. I think instead of grease I might just use anti-squeal compound this time. |
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08-23-2019, 06:44 PM | #7 | |
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08-23-2019, 09:59 PM | #8 | |
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That red coating is just sprayed on the surface on the pads, allegedly to help with bedding in. After a 5 mile drive it's gone and they look like regular brake pads. |
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09-12-2019, 12:53 PM | #9 |
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I have about 1000 miles on these pads now and so far so good. I did some bedding in and they stop and feel great. Pedal feel is very similar to the OEM Textar pads I took off.
They are NOT dust-free, however the dust is significantly less than the Textar pads. There's more dust than what the Centric Premium Ceramics put out on my other car, but the braking feel is much better with these PQPRO pads. |
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09-16-2019, 11:52 AM | #10 |
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I just did my front brake pads and rotors.
Zimmerman Rotors $100 Akebono Ceramic Pads $50 Brake Sensor $12 Total : $162 Took me about 25 minutes a corner. This setup is great for a daily driver with minimal dusting. I would advise against Brembo setup since that's more geared towards people that track their cars frequently. I heard they squeak a lot.
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10-08-2019, 01:05 PM | #11 | |
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10-09-2019, 03:11 PM | #12 | |
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10-12-2019, 11:26 AM | #13 |
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well that sucks...I ordered the PQ pro pads last Sunday night. They are semi metallic pads but I will be very disappointed if they dust like OEMs. Maybe I should just return them.
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10-13-2019, 08:19 PM | #14 |
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Went ahead and installed the PQ pro's and initial performance seems remarkably close to OEM--which doesn't bode well for brake dust--but I'll report back after a few weeks.
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11-10-2019, 07:19 PM | #15 |
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In case anyone is looking for reviews on the Centric Posi-Quiet Pro (PQ Pro). They feel exactly like OEM pads in initial bite and they produce about 90% of the dust of OEM pads.
So, if you are looking for a lower dust alternative, don't trust the generic PQ Pro description about the pads being low dust. |
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11-10-2019, 08:46 PM | #16 |
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12-05-2019, 04:19 PM | #17 | |
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Also, don't be fooled by Centric marketing material. These PQPRO pads looked good with all the hardware and shims, but the "Q" most definitely does NOT stand for quiet. I used the included grease on the back of the shim on each pad where they meet the piston/caliper, and they squeal like crazy. Since I'd have to remove them to apply some proper anti-squeal compound, I'm just going to install a new set of ceramic pads. I have a new set of wheels to install soon, and the price of low-dust pads is worth not having to clean the wheels constantly of brake dust. I do agree that the performance of the PQPRO pads relateive to the OEM textar pads is pretty similar, so at least they have that going for them. |
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12-08-2019, 01:06 PM | #18 |
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From experience, I learned not to dick around and to just stick with ECE R90 approved brake pads and rotors on daily drivers. It guarantees braking performance that is similar or better than OE through specifications such as minimum pedal force for 58% braking force.
https://tmdfriction.com/ece-r-90-reg...d-brake-drums/ https://www.newtis.info/tisv2/a/en/e...ation/L5fJDIHo For a lower dust solution, you could try Textar ePads. They still comply with ECE R90 specifications but produce less dust. https://www.xbimmers.com/forums/show....php?t=1294451 |
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