Front brake pad replacement

[KenL]

Hello,

My Cooper is showing 1000 miles to replacement of the front pads is required. It has covered 27 000 miles. This is surprising for me as my last car (R56 S) was traded at 35 000 miles and was showing about 5k more miles till they needed replaced on it.

Is it possible that the sensor could be telling lies? I will have a look at the pads and see how much life is left in them but I haven't had time yet.

Now, if they do need replaced, how much is a dealer likely to ask to carry out this work?

If I go to an independent and source my own bit will I only need pads and a new sensor? Is there a sensor on both sides or just one?

This realoem page looks like the correct one for info: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=SU32&mospid=52161&btnr=34_1523&hg=34&fg=05

If I buy my own bits, anyone any idea what to expect to pay?

My rear brakes are showing 10 000 miles to go.

Thanks!

[Mon the fish]

Is the miles to go not an estimate, based on what the car thinks, not actual pad condition? Check the pad thickness

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk

[HF Parts]

Hello,

My Cooper is showing 1000 miles to replacement of the front pads is required. It has covered 27 000 miles. This is surprising for me as my last car (R56 S) was traded at 35 000 miles and was showing about 5k more miles till they needed replaced on it.

Is it possible that the sensor could be telling lies? I will have a look at the pads and see how much life is left in them but I haven't had time yet.

Now, if they do need replaced, how much is a dealer likely to ask to carry out this work?

If I go to an independent and source my own bit will I only need pads and a new sensor? Is there a sensor on both sides or just one?

This realoem page looks like the correct one for info: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts.do?model=SU32&mospid=52161&btnr=34_1523&hg=34&fg=05

If I buy my own bits, anyone any idea what to expect to pay?

My rear brakes are showing 10 000 miles to go.

Thanks!

Hi there Ken

Couldn't help but notice your post and thought we might be able to help you!

It's not uncommon for the sensor to slip up and "guess the mileage" so it would definitely be worth checking the pads thickness manually or even bring the vehicle into ourselves so we can have a quick look at it!

It may just be the case that the sensor needs replacing or even reset.

After speaking with the service guys, we have agreed on a discounted price for Mini Scotland Members and for this particular car, a Rear Brake Service (i.e pads, sensor, fully fitted) would cost you £149 including vat.

Alternatively, the pads and sensor could be supplied alone at just £78.90 including vat for yourself :thumbs up:

We could make a booking for you at our Kirkcaldy Branch any time next week if you would like us to carry out the work?

Any further questions feel free to contact me on 01592 657842

Cheers

Stuart

[Angib]

I thought that 1000 miles to go was soon enough that the first stage on the wear sensor has been triggered, so it's no longer guessing? This is assuming we are talking about a second generation. My R59 fronts are showing 1400 to go and have about 4mm on them, so I reckon there is a huge safety margin on the sensors.

[MINI William]

Hi there Ken

Couldn't help but notice your post and thought we might be able to help you!

It's not uncommon for the sensor to slip up and "guess the mileage" so it would definitely be worth checking the pads thickness manually or even bring the vehicle into ourselves so we can have a quick look at it!

It may just be the case that the sensor needs replacing or even reset.

After speaking with the service guys, we have agreed on a discounted price for Mini Scotland Members and for this particular car, a Rear Brake Service (i.e pads, sensor, fully fitted) would cost you £149 including vat.

Alternatively, the pads and sensor could be supplied alone at just £78.90 including vat for yourself :thumbs up:

We could make a booking for you at our Kirkcaldy Branch any time next week if you would like us to carry out the work?

Any further questions feel free to contact me on 01592 657842

Cheers

Stuart

:thumbs up: HF to the help

But it was for the fronts :smilewinkgrin:

[HF Parts]

:thumbs up: HF to the help

But it was for the fronts :smilewinkgrin:

Haha apologies guys!

Believe it or not i have actually priced the fronts and simply wrote rear! Prices remain the same :thumbs up:

Regards

[Duncan Stewart]

You're doing well. all my R56 minis have needed brakes before 20K and I'm told its normal. They usually need to replace discs as well. My current cooper had front and rears done at 15k. Fronts were 260 plus VAT ( discs and pads) hope that helps

[MINI William]

Haha apologies guys!

Believe it or not i have actually priced the fronts and simply wrote rear! Prices remain the same :thumbs up:

Regards

Thought so :thumbs up:

[KenL]

Thanks everyone.

To HF, your price including fitting seems very reasonable. I will certainly consider this if I need to go ahead. Would need to wait until I am off work in April.

Duncan. I have heard about this but I would be very surprised and annoyed if the discs needed replacement. I have never had to have them replaced even in cars with up to 70k miles on.

[Duncan Stewart]

Neither had I until I got my first R56 mini and I phoned trading standards but there was nothing they could do. Friends in the motor trade say disks are made of pretty soft material now and I drive twisty, muddy, gritty country roads to work every day so guess its like sandpaper every time I brake.

[KenL]

Interesting Duncan. I drive about 75% on dual carriageways so hopefully may be better for my disks.

[Angib]

In the USA many Mini garages (and owners) had a policy of automatically replacing discs when fitting new pads, though that has mostly changed now.

New discs every two sets of pads would seem to be the norm. I could understand this if the brakes were as good as BMW could make them but even after converting my SD from Cooper to S brakes, I would describe them as 'adequate' rather than 'good'.

BMW have always been like this - I can remember back in the 80s when my first gen 3-series was the same, with drum skimming required every two sets of shoes.

[badwolf340]

Neither had I until I got my first R56 mini and I phoned trading standards but there was nothing they could do. Friends in the motor trade say disks are made of pretty soft material now and I drive twisty, muddy, gritty country roads to work every day so guess its like sandpaper every time I brake.

the other thing to bear in mind is that since the removal of asbestos from brake pad material (a long time ago ) pads are fairly hard now a days and discs are pretty much a service item now :frown:

[KenL]

Washed the car today. Couldn't get a good look at the pads but the disks look great. A little lip but no scores or anything.

[daver6]

KenL my wife's cooper has 80k on it, the rear brake service light came on, I checked the pads, at least 4mm on both pads, very little lip on the discs, but, broke the cable trying to remove it, ordered 1 from eBay, plugged in the new wire - but did not refit in pads (I will replace the pads in a few months) in 15mins, reset the service light, job done.
I understand that people with little home mechanic skills need to have a reminder to check the brakes, but, this seems a little over the top - just my opinion so don't shoot me down......

[KenL]

Thanks for that Dave.

[KenL]

I checked the pads and there looks to be plenty miles left on them.

Interestingly, after another 2000 miles covered the indicator has gone up by 1100 miles to a suggested brake service.

So, I guess the indicator is not that accurate and only serves as a reminder.

[badwolf340]

I checked the pads and there looks to be plenty miles left on them.

Interestingly, after another 2000 miles covered the indicator has gone up by 1100 miles to a suggested brake service.

So, I guess the indicator is not that accurate and only serves as a reminder.

A good point Ken and most likely influenced by the type of driving EG motorway miles with little driving/braking to town driving with stop start driving and more braking :thumbs up:

[Angib]

I swapped my SD's Cooper discs for Cooper S discs after about 10,000 miles so the pad wear sensor is utterly confused in my car. It got as low as 1600 miles to go but is now counting up and has got to 2000 miles.

This isn't wrong - it's just the system saying "OK, you are using the pads slower than I am expecting, as you haven't yet tripped the second-stage wear sensor".

I conclude that we should not believe the 'miles to go' figure on brake pads until it is at least under 1,000 miles and probably not till 500 miles to go.