Brake pad advice, please ...

[Busterboo]

35iS brake pads light on today*. Apart from doing them myself, where's the best place to go, please?

The stealers, any old garage, Kwit Fit ...?

(*The OBC says they're not due for 2k miles, but the warning light's come on twice.)

[Nictrix]

If you even have Kwik Fit in mind then you obviously don't want to pay dealers prices, so you should probably go to any old garage.
Or do them yourself.

[Busterboo]

OK, let me re-phrase the question, then.

Where's the best place to go to have new brake pads fitted, please?

And is there a particular make of (rear) pad that's best?

[Nictrix]

When you say the warning light has come on twice, are you sure its for the pads and not the brake fluid level?
I thought once the light came on for the pads it didn't go off.

[tominator]

I'd also like to know what make of pads do you recommend, back and front? My disks don't need changing and the brake pad wear warning light has not come on yet. So does the brake pad wear sensor wire need replacing if it hasn't been activated yet?

[csquire4]

Just make sure you buy qulity parts, don't scrimp. ECP is always pretty good, look at Pagid, Bosch & Brembo are at least OEM quality or higher.

A good independent garage will remove the cradle/carrier and clear off crap and corrosion which will take 30-45 mins, a lazy garage will just swap the pads out in about 5 mins.

[Busterboo]

When you say the warning light has come on twice, are you sure its for the pads and not the brake fluid level?
I thought once the light came on for the pads it didn't go off.

Just been out to check ...

No lights at all. I assume this is because the pad sensor has only just been exposed and will come on again soon.

(There is, however, an orange triangle by 'Brake Fluid' in 'Service Required'. )

Whatever, it'll need new rear pads soon, so what's your best advice, please?

[Nictrix]

When you say the warning light has come on twice, are you sure its for the pads and not the brake fluid level?
I thought once the light came on for the pads it didn't go off.

Just been out to check ...

No lights at all. I assume this is because the pad sensor has only just been exposed and will come on again soon.

(There is, however, an orange triangle by 'Brake Fluid' in 'Service Required'. )

Whatever, it'll need new rear pads soon, so what's your best advice, please?

Personally I would check the level in the reservoir, if its low top it up. If its due a brake fluid change, get it changed and reset the intervals.
If the pads still have 2,000 miles left depending on what miles you do this could be a few months or a year till they need done.
If it was ours that could be 3 months so I would leave the pads till closer to the time unless you change them at the same time as the fluid, if that needs done, to save a journey to a garage.
As for what kind of pads, I like brembos and can be had fairly cheaply from Eurocarparts, more expensive than others but I like to fit quality stuff on my cars and bikes.

[Busterboo]

Brake pad - definitely pad, not fluid - light on for the third time. Phoned Sytner's, because the car's going there on the 28th for a 'stamp in the book' service: 'How long from light to pad change?' 'A thousand miles, sir. But not more.'

[vester86]

What kind of performance do you expect? Same as OEM ?? Better/harder braking? Lower dust? Plenty of options, but brake pads are alwways a compromise between mileage\dust\braking power\heat resistence

[Busterboo]

To begin with, 'good' stopping' ... with no noise.

A Porsche specialist put ... I can't remember what ... on my 911 and they squealed for 500+ miles.

[vester86]

from my own experience: i've fitted Ferodo DS2500 pads 5000mls ago. stopping power improved significantly, especially when hot (cold is equal to OEM). bedded in properly & no noise so far. only downside so far is that they dust like hell compared to OEM. can't say anything on lifespan.