Front brake pads service

[Nictrix]

2 hours work at home including tea and biscuit break, toilet break, and a chat over the fence

2 hours??? That must be some chat

BMW must include "chat time" in their chargeable labour!

Easily done, properly in around 30 mins....

No way on this planet would I pay their price for front pads OP.. Have you actually LOOKED at them, to check how much material is left? If the "service indicator" is time & mileage related, depending on how you drive, you may be surprised at how little they are worn..

Mike

Yep, I think it all depends on the sensor, each one seems different as to when they tell you the pads are worn. Our mini cooper said the pads were worn and they still had half the pad material left. Some of the sensors seem to wear to the contacts too quickly.

[csquire4]

Don't bother with BMW.

As other have said get quality parts from ECP (Pagid, Brembo, Pagid) and get a good independent to fit. 30-60 mins depending on if there's any fettling required such as cleaning out the corrosion from the caliper cradle.

I go to Ollie Clark of OC Motorsport in Battlesbridge, Essex so only about 1hr away. He's worked on my cars for years and recently did the fronts pads on my Z4. My car is 2004 so cradles were very corroded and needed a bit of work, most garages just swap the pads and leave it at that. Ollie, is very honest straight up guy, your probably looking at £50 ish plus parts. Remember, you only need to buy 1 sensor.

He'll do a 'while you wait' service if you tell him when you want to go. Feel free to mention 'Colin' and he'll know who sent you.

[Smartbear]

Don't bother with BMW.

As other have said get quality parts from ECP (Pagid, Brembo, Pagid) and get a good independent to fit. 30-60 mins depending on if there's any fettling required such as cleaning out the corrosion from the caliper cradle.

I go to Ollie Clark of OC Motorsport in Battlesbridge, Essex so only about 1hr away. He's worked on my cars for years and recently did the fronts pads on my Z4. My car is 2004 so cradles were very corroded and needed a bit of work, most garages just swap the pads and leave it at that. Ollie, is very honest straight up guy, your probably looking at £50 ish plus parts. Remember, you only need to buy 1 sensor.

He'll do a 'while you wait' service if you tell him when you want to go. Feel free to mention 'Colin' and he'll know who sent you.

Just had a look & the website is suspended, have you been there recently?
Rob

[csquire4]

Try this one. He's also on Facebook. My partner was there last week getting new caliper fitted to her fiesta.

http://www.ocmechanics.co.uk/

https://www.facebook.com/OC-Motorsport- ... 0/?fref=ts

https://www.facebook.com/TerraCleanBatt ... e/?fref=ts

[kinger]

Was working on a first time attempt at an hour a side, ....take youre time with brakes...theyre sorta safety critical

[greg1953]

I'm about to do the pads & discs on the front of my '07 Z4, do I need to replace the sensor when I do this ?
Greg

Is the warning light lit on the dash?
Rob

No, not yet, the discs are a bit scabby and I'm fussy about brakes but a bit confused about replacing the sensor, didn't do it on other cars.
Greg

[adann]

Euro Car Parts,
Pagid Pads for £52.99 Product Code: 101110528
Pagid Wear Sensor £14.99 Product Code: 106110808

For the next 7 days add code XMAS to the checkout and get a discount of £22.09, so both items for a total of 45.89 inc VAT...bargain

2 hours work at home including tea and biscuit break, toilet break, and a chat over the fence

Perfect - thanks very much for this.

[Pastry]

I'm not a fan of Pagid pads as theyve been known to squeak after a while. I prefer Textar which were also recommended by protech cars ( an Indy the other side of Aylesbury). They are similar cost from ECP as I bought a set for my 23i just before I sold it last month. In fact I still think they are in my shed somewhere lol

[Smartbear]

I'm about to do the pads & discs on the front of my '07 Z4, do I need to replace the sensor when I do this ?
Greg

Is the warning light lit on the dash?
Rob

No, not yet, the discs are a bit scabby and I'm fussy about brakes but a bit confused about replacing the sensor, didn't do it on other cars.
Greg

If the warning hasn't triggered you can use the sensor again with the new pads
Rob

[greg1953]

Is the warning light lit on the dash?
Rob

No, not yet, the discs are a bit scabby and I'm fussy about brakes but a bit confused about replacing the sensor, didn't do it on other cars.
Greg

If the warning hasn't triggered you can use the sensor again with the new pads
Rob

Cheers,
Greg

[kinger]

I'm not a fan of Pagid pads as theyve been known to squeak after a while. I prefer Textar which were also recommended by protech cars ( an Indy the other side of Aylesbury). They are similar cost from ECP as I bought a set for my 23i just before I sold it last month. In fact I still think they are in my shed somewhere lol

I always used Pagids on my Porsches, they come on there as OE but i have also bought Textars in the past and had Pagids in the boxes, they and other brands, are all made by the same company anyhow http://www.tmdfriction.com/
I'd go for either based on the best deal
Mike

[adann]

Is the warning light lit on the dash?
Rob

No, not yet, the discs are a bit scabby and I'm fussy about brakes but a bit confused about replacing the sensor, didn't do it on other cars.
Greg

If the warning hasn't triggered you can use the sensor again with the new pads
Rob

What warning light is it? The one in the image above or another one? Just wondering if I will get away without changing the sensor.

[Bluecat]

When i had my z4 coupe insp 2 done,the indy garage I used highlighted that the pads and discs were between 80-85% worn, they stated that its 1.5 hours labour to replace all discs and pads, thats from the official bmw site, so if its 45 mins to do front pads and discs must be less than 30 mins to do the pads?

[andyfanshawe]

When i had my z4 coupe insp 2 done,the indy garage I used highlighted that the pads and discs were between 80-85% worn, they stated that its 1.5 hours labour to replace all discs and pads, thats from the official bmw site, so if its 45 mins to do front pads and discs must be less than 30 mins to do the pads?

At my shop.....
Drive car in
Put lift legs under it
Reposition car because legs wont go under pads unless its in the perfect position!!
Find locking wheel nut
Phone owner to ask where locking wheel nut is....
Raise car
Remove both front wheels
Remove caliper and hang it from the coil spring on a metal hook.
Spray caliper, and especially piston dust boot with brake clean.
Clamp off flexible line and loosen bleed nipple, attach tube and press piston in.
Tighten bleed nipple.
Remove pad carrier bracket and media blast areas where pad contacts.
Check any sliders and boots are free to move
Clean any metal shims if present
Grease areas on pad carrier where pad goes
reinstall pad carrier and torque bolts to spec
Sliver of grease on new pads and install (not forgetting pad wear sensor)
Reattach caliper and torque bolts up.
Repeat on other side
Spray aluminium antiseize grease on hub where wheels contact
Wheels back on
Lower to floor
Torque wheel nuts up
Put locking wheel nut back where I found it (cleaning it first)
Check brake fluid level
Wipe mucky hand marks off wheels
press pedal a few times to position pads in correct place
Remove overalls........wash hands, quick test drive
Reset any service indicators
Phone customer to say car is ready


All that in 30 minutes????? YEAH RIGHT!!!.......And i still only charge 40 to 45 for fitting pads.

So everybody wants a quality job on their car, but most are not prepared to pay for the time it actually take to do this quality job.

Thank god I was a teacher before this, and not a mechanic to earn a living.

I only take certain jobs on, but all are done with great care. But if someone says to me you only need 30 mins to do the pads....guess what............take it somewhere else then.

Find a good Indy to do this job. One you can trust. BMW are taking the p*ss to charge what they do.
Enough said.

Andy

[*AL*]

Are you crazy? Do it yourself!!!