warning to installers of brake upgrades / automotive FML

[and 1]

Lex says FML

from F*** my life by Lex
Today, I installed high performance brakes on my car after fearing that my old brake system was to weak and I could get into a crash. On the test drive a car in front of me stopped short. My new brakes worked, the ones on the car behind me didn't. I now have whiplash and a totalled car. FML



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better brakes than everyone else? BRILLIANT!

[roldan]

Haha -- the first week I had my 1er, I had one of my roommates in the car and had to make a quick stop on the highway -- he immediately said "those brakes are going to get you rear-ended."

[akak1997]

Sorry to hear that OP.
Here in the Epicenter of Road Rage and Tailgaters, I always have to leave a big gap between the car behind and in front of me in fear that if I stop too fast, I'm gonna get it in the ass.
Get Well Soon.

[BForbes]

Moving to Suspension/Brakes/Chasis section....

[Mark M]

Agreed 100% For the last 15 years I have been driving nothing but BMWs. BMWs brakes are always better than the run of the mill minivan, SUV, jap crap, etc. With that said, I have learned to never use my brakes to their full potential so that I don't get rear ended.

I have adopted a braking adaptation aproach. In the event of an incident that requires heavy braking, first instinct apply moderate brake force while scanning rear view mirror. If car behind me, I only apply the force I need to stop short of the car in front of me thus allowing the car behind me room to brake. Otherwise if I really use the 135 brakes to its potential I will surely be rear ended by lazy American drivers who follow too close.

[arok]

Originally Posted by Mark M

Agreed 100% For the last 15 years I have been driving nothing but BMWs. BMWs brakes are always better than the run of the mill minivan, SUV, jap crap, etc. With that said, I have learned to never use my brakes to their full potential so that I don't get rear ended.

I have adopted a braking adaptation aproach. In the event of an incident that requires heavy braking, first instinct apply moderate brake force while scanning rear view mirror. If car behind me, I only apply the force I need to stop short of the car in front of me thus allowing the car behind me room to brake. Otherwise if I really use the 135 brakes to its potential I will surely be rear ended by lazy American drivers who follow too close.

ditto, coming from STi w/brembos, G35 + rotora bbk and now the 135i, I usually modulate the braking to mimic the car infront OR pull off to the side if necessary and safe.

[1013mm]

Originally Posted by arok

ditto, coming from STi w/brembos, G35 + rotora bbk and now the 135i, I usually modulate the braking to mimic the car infront OR pull off to the side if necessary and safe.

+1 I always look at the cars ahead of the car in front of me too. if that makes sense haha.

[CoolToolGuy]

You mean you didn't get the optional super-absorbing 25 MPH rear bumper and diffuser?

Sorry to hear of your incident.

I once told a cop who asked me why I needed to go 70+ on the way home "If I obeyed the speed limit, I'd be buying a whole lot of rear bumpers."

Have Fun,
Rick

[Endre]

I have been rearended twice with my other BMWs..:s

[burlington-track]

I was rear ended last year while a passenger.That car was totalled.The thing about hitting the brakes is that unless you`ve been to a driving school or a race track, most drivers don`t really know how to use their brakes.The instructors tell us the apply the brakes as hard as you are able to slow the car down. The average city driver usually brakes far less than what is needed.
So keeping this is mind when you need to brake hard, think about the cars and the drivers behind you who may be:
1) half awake,
2) do not have a powerful brake system
3) don`t really know how hard they have to hammer their brakes
to avoid mashing right in to you.

[Carbonic]

When I get into a situation where I need to brake suddenly (the typical freeway scenario), I initially brake HARDER than necessary, to ensure that the driver behind me takes note (in most situations there is sufficient time for all the cars to stop safely, but some bonehead just doesn't realise how much the cars in front are slowing). This normally buys me some space in front, I can ease of the brakes, and give bozo behind me some space as well. If I realise that things aren't looking too good behind me, I also have a few extra moments to take evasive action.

This practice has saved my butt on numerous occassions in the past - driving in South Africa is not for the feint-hearted.

[cagekicker]

which one the 135 or the audi?