Playing 'beat the clock' with brakes, warranty

[dorkdog]

My 4 year free maintenance ends in June, around the 23rd. My 128i has 37K on the clock.

At last service for inspection, the front brakes were listed as 4/32" and the rear brakes at 3/32".

Will I slip under the wire and miss brake replacement or will they likely fail before the warranty expires?

What do you think?

[Maranello455]

I think your dealer should go ahead and replace your brakes right now under warranty.

[dorkdog]

I think they should too... but if I can get a couple more months of braking out of it beforehand that's a good thing.

I tend to downshift a lot, saving the brakes in the process... perhaps I should discontinue that for the time being and increase break wear until June?

I'd hate to romp on the brakes more for the remaining four months only to have them tell me that the brakes are still within spec come warranty close and then be stuck with a brake replacement on my dime, brought sooner by my own (questionably unethical?) actions.

I guess what I am asking is, worded more concisely, is it reasonable to assume that I will eat up enough brake lining in the next 4 months to put the brakes squarely in need of replacement before my warranty ends? I don't know how many 32nds the brakes come with new so it is hard to interpolate an answer, plus I don't know how the brakes were used first 17K as I bought the car cpo with 17K. They are at 4/32 front and 3/32 rear - dealer says 'fail' is at 2.

On a side note the CBI says my brakes aren't scheduled for another 10K miles

[Maranello455]

Be persistent with them,I think they will do it. I had mine just changed at 13K miles, but my warranty expires next month.

[dorkdog]

Originally Posted by Maranello455

Be persistent with them,I think they will do it. I had mine just changed at 13K miles, but my warranty expires next month.

How worn were your brakes when you had them serviced?

[Maranello455]

They where half way there or better. They mainly did it as a courtesy,I have been a good customer over the years.

[kensington]

Ride those brakes hard.

[greensto]

These thoughts have been going through my head as well. My rationale for using the brakes harder than normal at this point while I'm still under warranty for the next few months: I either will get my brakes replaced for free under BMW warranty or, if not worn down enough by the end of warranty, I will have a reason to upgrade my brakes to low-dust pads and 2-piece rotors in the future lol

[Maranello455]

Track it madly.

[Greenkirby21]

I had my front brakes wear out at 30k and my rear brakes are about to wear out at 34k.

I drive on the highway so I guess all that slamming on the brakes at high speeds made them wear down faster than normal. Also because traffic likes going from 70 to a standstill quite often in the morning.

[CincyOne]

dorkdog, on a side note; use the brakes not downshifting to slow down. Brake pads and rotors are a whole lot cheaper than transmissions and clutches. Brake, rev match and then downshift.

[dorkdog]

Originally Posted by CincyOne

dorkdog, on a side note; use the brakes not downshifting to slow down. Brake pads and rotors are a whole lot cheaper than transmissions and clutches. Brake, rev match and then downshift.

This is really, really funny to me - please, not that I am disputing what you are saying - it makes a lot more sense than the following sentence which was drilled into my head starting at about 15, by my dad:

"Use the engine to slow down it saves wear on the brakes!" and I have for 40 years. He was a master of hypermiling before his time and would literally start slowing his '63 beetle down 1/4 mile before the intersection, especially if it was green as it would certainly be red when he got there. He'd turn it into an act of Congress with a HUGE downshift into 3rd (4-speeds...) or 2nd if he really needed to slow down (ouch!) and he'd time it to downshift into 1 right as the light changed. If he got there early he'd just let it creep, idling in 1st, sputtering and spewing as it fought not to stall. Only at the last possible second would he utter a four letter and slam in the clutch.

My mom used to drive him crazy when he was in the car she'd do the exact opposite - in her Volvo 544 (which had mechanical brakes?) she would pop it into neutral without the clutch and then drill it right on down to the line, applying the brakes heavily at the last moment.

I agree 100% with what you say but as a daily driver old habits really do die hard. Heck I still need the little light to remind me about my belt sometimes.

[golf_234]

There is some truth to it.., It is just a matter of how you do it. For example, steep hill, at top. Car already in 2nd in step or manual, just leave it there. Engine slows you down. No brake wear and no trans wear.

The improper way is to actually shift to slow down, as Cincyone mentions.

[Gray_Panther]

Brake hard. Instead of the thrill of acceleration. Feel the thrill of deceleration.

I would have a blast in your shoes. Be safe about it and don't be a dick to others behind you. Just brake hard every chance u get!

[mryakanisachoad]

Originally Posted by dorkdog

My 4 year free maintenance ends in June, around the 23rd. My 128i has 37K on the clock.

At last service for inspection, the front brakes were listed as 4/32" and the rear brakes at 3/32".

Will I slip under the wire and miss brake replacement or will they likely fail before the warranty expires?

What do you think?

You could burn the breaks up on purpose but then you risk warping the rotors - unless that's your goal as well?

I a couple years ago I had a BMW coming to the end of covered maintenance and when I brought her in for the final service I drove out with 4 new rotors with new pads, new spark plugs, coils, injectors, 2 new turbochargers, serpentine belt, thermostat, maf sensor, all new filters and a bunch of other stuff. I'm always nice to the service manager and I'm a good customer of the dealer. They're good people.

[dorkdog]

Originally Posted by mryakanisachoad

You could burn the breaks up on purpose but then you risk warping the rotors - unless that's your goal as well?

I a couple years ago I had a BMW coming to the end of covered maintenance and when I brought her in for the final service I drove out with 4 new rotors with new pads, new spark plugs, coils, injectors, 2 new turbochargers, serpentine belt, thermostat, maf sensor and a bunch of other stuff. I'm always nice to the service manager and I'm a good customer of the dealer. They're good people.

Nah, none of that rotor stuff... I'd just like to have the brake service light come on the day before warranty rather than the day after, and I suspect if it's after it won't be soon after. I feel out of bounds asking for brakes to be replaced when the dashboard thingy says otherwise.

What, or when is this 'final service' you speak of? I thought when it went off warranty it just sort of... well, uh, expired.

[mryakanisachoad]

Originally Posted by dorkdog

Nah, none of that rotor stuff... I'd just like to have the brake service light come on the day before warranty rather than the day after, and I suspect if it's after it won't be soon after. I feel out of bounds asking for brakes to be replaced when the dashboard thingy says otherwise.

What, or when is this 'final service' you speak of? I thought when it went off warranty it just sort of... well, uh, expired.

I don't think you'd be out of bounds asking for new pads if you're close. Do you have a good relationship with your dealer? It makes a big difference in the way you get treated by service.

There is no final service, per se, it just sort of works out that something (like oil or wipers ) is always due for service at the end of 4 years...

[dorkdog]

Originally Posted by mryakanisachoad

I don't think you'd be out of bounds asking for new pads if you're close. Do you have a good relationship with your dealer? It makes a big difference in the way you get treated by service.

There is no final service, per se, it just sort of works out that something (like oil or wipers ) is always due for service at the end of 4 years...

I have an OK relationship with the dealer; it's the first time I dealt with them so I have no history, but no bad experiences there either. The service manager is nice to me, but he's nice to everyone. I do know I have the only MT6 128 most of the techs have ever seen so they all know my car. I'm not going to stress too much as I may do the brakes myself, but still, I'd hate for a few days to be the difference between a few hundred dollars...

Next time I am in (probably for the battery terminal recall) I'll ask them about it.

Is 3/32" and 4/32" that close? What do new pads have?

[Gray_Panther]

You can prevent warping the rotors by not coming to a full stop. Shoulda mentioned that earlier :Banghead:

[Hops128i]

I have 36k and 9/32ths left on my fronts, and the the CBS has been telling me I have 15k left on the front pads for the last 25k+ miles. I think the best way to determine pad life is just measure the thickness at some interval and extrapolate.

[mike06612]

We went 88k on the front and 92k on the rear before their first replacement, so I have to believe it's way more a factor of how the car is driven then it is the miles on the odometer. Everybody is going to be different.

[kensington]

Originally Posted by mike06612

We went 88k on the front and 92k on the rear before their first replacement, so I have to believe it's way more a factor of how the car is driven then it is the miles on the odometer. Everybody is going to be different.

I think thats going to be the case for me too. Im at 30k right now and I dont think the brakes are even close to wearing out. My factory warranty is gone. I drive about 95% highway with little braking.