Brake Lifetime

[JimD]

Anybody replace the brakes, front or rear, on their 1 series? If so, how many miles did you get?

My 128i has a little over 35,000 miles. It has a manual transmission. My other vehicle is a Suzuki Grand Vitara, SUV, with a little over 95,000 miles. My son and I checked it's brakes today and they show very little wear. My Zuk also has a manual transmission. Much more than half the wear surface left. I doubt my bimmer will last this long but it's my first and I am interested in others experiences.

[Jockey]

I'm at 44k with my 135 and I still haven't had to replace the brakes

[AlBinVA]

Replaced front brakes at 65k. 08 6M

[Hops128i]

2010 manual at 48k and still haven't changed the brakes, had like 5mm left last time I checked last year, I do 90+% highway miles

[Pkaia524]

Front pads/rotors at 87,500. Rears at 121,000. 08 128i 6MT.

[chdavis]

These numbers are insane. I'm at 56k miles.

I'm on my third set of rear pads and second set of front pads (to be replaced in 5k miles or so). I just replaced the rear rotors for the first and the front rotors will be replaced in about 5k miles with the new pads.

[1ToBeOn2Wheels]

I'm at 81k miles and original brakes all around, but I'm shopping to replace them soon. I can't handle the constant squeaking.

[JimD]

Originally Posted by chdavis

These numbers are insane. I'm at 56k miles.

I'm on my third set of rear pads and second set of front pads (to be replaced in 5k miles or so). I just replaced the rear rotors for the first and the front rotors will be replaced in about 5k miles with the new pads.

Is your 1 series an automatic? Brake life tends to be much shorter with an automatic. At least it does with a torque converter automatic. The torque converter leaves the engine hooked up and driving the wheels even when you get totally off the gas and apply the brakes. That's the same reason the car creeps forward when you are stopped and you back off the brakes. In addition, I downshift through the gears as I slow down reducing the need for brake application.

[Dackelone]

Brake pad life will depend on how you drive(as we all know). But also bc IF you like to spin your rear tires... the eDiff will use the rear brakes to stop the spinning wheel. Also... IF you drive in the rain a lot... when the wipers are on via the rain sensor... every few seconds the ABS block will slightly "clamp" or pressurize the brake lines to wipe the brake rotors of water.

On the 5/6/7/i8(but not on our cars!) when you have Nivi(Night Vision) it also pretensions the brake lines to anticipate the need for a panic stop when the Nivi detects an animal or pedestrian's crossing the car's path.

Maybe Jim you should also ask how long their tires last to gauge the brake pad wear. On my 135i mine lasted me 45K kms and now again at 110K kms they are all(front and rear) worn out. Germany has Autobahns and it rains a lot here! Many German guys say the rear pad actually wear out first. For me it was almost the same wear F&R.

My rear tires lasted me until 33K kms. I go thru two rear sets of tires for every one set of front tires.

Dackel

[JimD]

I replaced tires already and the rear were significantly more worn than the front. I went square so I can rotate front to rear. I think the big camber on the rear end hurts rear tire life. I never have the stability control in other than full on when driving on the street so I know it isn't from spinning tires in my case.

I wouldn't mind learning something but I don't think there is a variable as important as the type of transmission. I'm also interested if a DCT is more like a manual or more like a torque converter automatic. My wives have typically driven automatics and needed brakes much sooner. If we go somewhere together, their car is normally driven by me - so it couldn't all be the driver.

[Jettt]

60,000 km

DCT

[bimmer74]

I replaced front pads and rotors at 57K, rears pads at 59K. All pads were quite worn out and front rotors were very rusty with quite a bit of a lip and grooving on them. Rear rotors were still good.

[Pkaia524]

A few thoughts for Jim:

Regarding tire wear: I bought my 128i with 35K on the odometer. Tires were Nittos, so I know they were not the originals. But I don't know how new they were. That set of tires lasted 80K miles.

Regarding brake life. Maybe you should think about changing your driving style? Whatever you are doing you are incredibly hard on your equipment. Are you ruining in red light grand prixs all the time? For example, if I'm in traffic and see a light ahead, I shift to neutral and coast. Thinking of neutral as a gear will save you a lot of wear on your mechanicals.

Regarding downshifting to a stop. Unless you are rev matching every shift, practicing you he'll/toe skills, you are also putting a lot of unnecessary wear on your clutch.

[Bluelady]

I did my rear at 28,000km
My fronts are not done yet and I'm at 39,000
Though when I first got her she got pushed pretty hard
I've done rear Tyres and only now about to do fronts.
DCT 2012

[JimD]

Originally Posted by Pkaia524

A few thoughts for Jim:

Regarding tire wear: I bought my 128i with 35K on the odometer. Tires were Nittos, so I know they were not the originals. But I don't know how new they were. That set of tires lasted 80K miles.

Regarding brake life. Maybe you should think about changing your driving style? Whatever you are doing you are incredibly hard on your equipment. Are you ruining in red light grand prixs all the time? For example, if I'm in traffic and see a light ahead, I shift to neutral and coast. Thinking of neutral as a gear will save you a lot of wear on your mechanicals.

Regarding downshifting to a stop. Unless you are rev matching every shift, practicing you he'll/toe skills, you are also putting a lot of unnecessary wear on your clutch.

Sorry if I wasn't clear but I haven't replaced the brakes on my 128i (manual), I'm wondering when I need to check them. Based upon responses to-date, I', thinking 50K miles is safe. They might go twice that but probably not.

You "hard on equipment" comments are probably based upon a belief I need brakes already. But, for the record, I do heel and toe on downshifts. I haven't always, however, and my manual transmission vehicles have been fine. I had one go 140K miles between my son and I on the original clutch. The synchros in the transmission can also complain about downshifting but they were fine too. I believe the secret is not so much the heel and toe (although it helps the synchros) but not getting the rpm up too much downshifting. I never go above 2K rpm on a downshift unless I'm on a track. Ususally it only bumps up to about 1,500 rpm. That sort of downshifting doesn't hurt the car - at least in my experience.

Coasting for any distance in neutral is probably usually OK but some transmissions may not lubricate properly when in neutral at speed. If you do it a lot, I would check to see if it can be towed in neutral. If it can't you probably shouldn't stop that way.

[wolfe]

51k miles, still on the original brakes, about to need my 3rd set of tires.

[TheSt|G]

20k or so on the rears, fronts will probably be done around 30k.

[JimD]

Originally Posted by TheSt|G

20k or so on the rears, fronts will probably be done around 30k.

Stig is hard on his equipment - or exercising it properly depending on hour point of view.

[TheSt|G]

Originally Posted by JimD

Stig is hard on his equipment - or exercising it properly depending on hour point of view.

Bought it to drive it.

Amusingly my brother is the one that is known to be hard on his car. I'm also hoping that the Quaife, when I get around to putting it in, will reduce the rear usage a bit. Recently found some settings in the DSC module that should allow me to make the car think it has a LSD and turn off brake fade induced limp mode. Excited for both.

[pj.rodriguez]

Originally Posted by JimD

I replaced tires already and the rear were significantly more worn than the front. I went square so I can rotate front to rear. I think the big camber on the rear end hurts rear tire life. I never have the stability control in other than full on when driving on the street so I know it isn't from spinning tires in my case.

I wouldn't mind learning something but I don't think there is a variable as important as the type of transmission. I'm also interested if a DCT is more like a manual or more like a torque converter automatic. My wives have typically driven automatics and needed brakes much sooner. If we go somewhere together, their car is normally driven by me - so it couldn't all be the driver.

Interesting about the tires. I have camber wear on my rears but it is an odd wear pattern. It's almost as if there is an elf shaving away the very inside edge of my rear tires.

Still have brakes btw. I have driven 60,000km since purchasing the car used so I'm unsure which set of brakes are currently on the vehicle. But at least it's lasted me that long. Automatic.

[128Convertibleguy]

For all who routinely use the engine to slow the car. The saying is "brakes are cheaper than engines/transmissions".

The use of the engine is from the time when racecars didn't have very good brakes. Then, engine braking kept the brakes from failing. These days racecars do have good brakes. Practice varies. Some guys do still row down through the gears. But some (most?) just brake, and select the proper gear at the proper time. Among other things it's easier to brake at the very edge of traction if you're just using properly set up four wheel brakes, rather than throwing two wheel only and variable engine braking into the mix.

[JimD]

Originally Posted by 128Convertibleguy

For all who routinely use the engine to slow the car. The saying is "brakes are cheaper than engines/transmissions".

The use of the engine is from the time when racecars didn't have very good brakes. Then, engine braking kept the brakes from failing. These days racecars do have good brakes. Practice varies. Some guys do still row down through the gears. But some (most?) just brake, and select the proper gear at the proper time. Among other things it's easier to brake at the very edge of traction if you're just using properly set up four wheel brakes, rather than throwing two wheel only and variable engine braking into the mix.

I guess it may just be my prejudice but when I ride with somebody that shifts into neutral to stop the car, I think they aren't very skillful. Besides my prejudice, it has disadvantages. Suppose you decide to stop but then need to manuver your car because of something in front of you. If you are in neutral, you lose precious seconds getting back into an appropriate gear. You could ride the clutch (wearing out the throwout bearing) but you still have to be in the right gear to be able to let it back out and do something.

It's true that brakes are relatively cheap. But downshifting does nearly nothing to the clutch if done properly. I am not slipping the clutch as I downshift neither is it handling any significant mismatch between the engine and the transmission. I have blipped the throttle to get at least a rought match of rpm. Without power being applied any clutch slippage will be minimal. Synchronizers in the transmission wear is minimized by the throttle blip. The engine is not damaged at all by this provided you don't downshift into high rpm. Even then if you stay under red line any damage should be minimal. I am staying under 2000 rpm most of the time. That doesn't hurt the engine at all. I will say again that I've done this consistently for a long time, over 40 years, and know the history of several cars driven this way and there has been no associated damage. It is entirely safe to downshift when braking from a vehicle damage point of view and is appropriate if you want to be in control of your vehicle.

That said, if I have to stop quickly and I am not on a track, I just push in the clutch, brake and then move to neutral if I will be stopped for awhile. If I am autocrossing, I do not come to a complete stop so it's hard on the brake, clutch in, shift to the correct gear while braking and then clutch out and give it as much gas as I can as soon as I can. Throttle blipping is very important because downshift will be, if I am on my game, back into the 3500 rpm area. Downshifting while braking is normally only done by me when the braking is gradual, like for a light you see is red well in advance. Staying on the throttle all the way to the light wastes gas and brakes, starting to slow down hoping the light will change and you won't have to stop is correct in my view and using the engine braking does no harm to the car and is good to maintain control.