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West3Garage Acton
- veryverydarkblue
- Member
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2018 4:09 pm
- Location: London
West3Garage Acton
Had discs and pads done today at West 3 Garage (Parts supplied by me). Seemed a pretty good setup with lots of BMWs of various ages coming through and friendly staff. Better price than my nearest Indy, but still smarts a bit at £95 + v.a.t. per hour when a job quoted at 2 3/4 hours is completed in well under 2… At least wait to let me know it’s done and we can both pretend it was worth the money! I’d still make the trip to Ross @ RBM for bigger work but would happily use again for regular servicing/ emergency
Current: 2008 E91 330i M Sport. Titanium Silver. Babywagon
Prev: 2006 E85 3.0SI Sport Manual. Midnight Blue IND / Extended Black Leather / MV2s
Prev: 2005 E85 2.0i SE Manual. Sapphire Black. poverty spec.
Prev: 2006 E85 3.0SI Sport Manual. Midnight Blue IND / Extended Black Leather / MV2s
Prev: 2005 E85 2.0i SE Manual. Sapphire Black. poverty spec.
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- Senior Member
- Posts: 1084
- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2016 7:42 pm
West3Garage Acton
Triple what my mechanic charges. At those prices I would be doing the discs myself for sure as they are a doddle. Pads are a smidgen harder.
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- Lifer
- Posts: 5282
- Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 3:01 pm
- Location: NW London
West3Garage Acton
Other way round, surely
3.0si Sport: F10 Illuminated ZHP, Retrofit Cruise, OE Stubby, Gaptech RCH+, Kenwood BT73DAB + Handsfree, HIDs, LED Sidelights, OE LED Number Plate Lights, Custom LED strip bootlight.
- bigwinn
- Lifer
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- Location: Lincoln UK
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West3Garage Acton
was just thinking that...
and my garage is much cheaper- labour wise I run on builders tea and chocolate digestives
If the forum helped you, why not help the forum back. Thats the Z4 way!
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- enuff_zed
- Lifer
- Posts: 15172
- Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:05 am
- Location: Attleborough, Norfolk
West3Garage Acton
Given that you have to first remove the pads, then the calliper, then the calliper carrier, then hope the retaining screw isn't seized, how in (insert preferred deity here)'s name do you find the discs easier than pads???
Methinks 'your mechanic' could have found himself a little goldmine.
- veryverydarkblue
- Member
- Posts: 158
- Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2018 4:09 pm
- Location: London
West3Garage Acton
Driveways, convenient garages and competent mechanics are in short supply in these parts. Money less so. Thanks for your contribution
Current: 2008 E91 330i M Sport. Titanium Silver. Babywagon
Prev: 2006 E85 3.0SI Sport Manual. Midnight Blue IND / Extended Black Leather / MV2s
Prev: 2005 E85 2.0i SE Manual. Sapphire Black. poverty spec.
Prev: 2006 E85 3.0SI Sport Manual. Midnight Blue IND / Extended Black Leather / MV2s
Prev: 2005 E85 2.0i SE Manual. Sapphire Black. poverty spec.
- Mr Tidy
- Legend
- Posts: 24184
- Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2014 12:18 pm
- Location: North West Surrey
West3Garage Acton
Yes, labour costs definitely seem to include a South East tax that gets higher still the further you head into London.veryverydarkblue wrote: ↑Thu Jun 09, 2022 5:56 pm Driveways, convenient garages and competent mechanics are in short supply in these parts. Money less so. Thanks for your contribution
I'm just glad I'm less than 10 miles from RBM.
Coupes because stunning!
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
Gone - Montego Blue
Gone - Ruby Black
Current - Silver Grey MC, Imola Red heated Nappa & carbon trim. Aeros, H & R Coil-overs, 224s, OE Strut brace, Nav, cup-holders, DSP Hi-Fi, pdc, cruise, MFSW, no CDV! E90 330i daily
Gone - Montego Blue
Gone - Ruby Black
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- Senior Member
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- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2016 7:42 pm
West3Garage Acton
You guys clearly have never used a piston winder tool before when doing brake pads. Not the hardest job but I'd say a smidge harder than removing a bolt or two and swapping over new discs.
The last time I did brakes was on the Lexus and I never had the tool and had to go buy one luckily had 2 other cars to hand otherwise I would have been stuffed. Was impossible to wind it back fully using pliers and Various other tools I tried before deciding a trip to get one was required. I could have done it by taking the nipple off and letting some brake fluid come out but that wouldn't have been ideal.
Least I know now that it's a completely different brake setup on the hybrids and they never need changing regularly. 150k miles can be done on a set of pads because of regenerative braking if you drive carefully. The pads only get used under emergency and hard braking.
The last time I did brakes was on the Lexus and I never had the tool and had to go buy one luckily had 2 other cars to hand otherwise I would have been stuffed. Was impossible to wind it back fully using pliers and Various other tools I tried before deciding a trip to get one was required. I could have done it by taking the nipple off and letting some brake fluid come out but that wouldn't have been ideal.
Least I know now that it's a completely different brake setup on the hybrids and they never need changing regularly. 150k miles can be done on a set of pads because of regenerative braking if you drive carefully. The pads only get used under emergency and hard braking.
- mr.tourette
- Lifer
- Posts: 4294
- Joined: Thu Aug 27, 2015 9:16 am
- Location: north wales
West3Garage Acton
regenerative braking has nothing to do with brake pads does it? .. thought its your vehicle storing kinetic energy.. edit.. it appears it does on hybrids.. thats something new learnt
if its got tits or tyres..its trouble
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- Lifer
- Posts: 5282
- Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 3:01 pm
- Location: NW London
West3Garage Acton
Yes, but you still have to get the pads backed out for both jobs! Easier task but more effort overall
3.0si Sport: F10 Illuminated ZHP, Retrofit Cruise, OE Stubby, Gaptech RCH+, Kenwood BT73DAB + Handsfree, HIDs, LED Sidelights, OE LED Number Plate Lights, Custom LED strip bootlight.
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- Lifer
- Posts: 5282
- Joined: Wed Feb 19, 2014 3:01 pm
- Location: NW London
West3Garage Acton
It doesn't have anything to do with the pads directly, i.e. the energy isn't recovered from them. Same stopping force requires less brake pad force so they wear less.mr.tourette wrote: ↑Thu Jun 09, 2022 8:08 pm regenerative braking has nothing to do with brake pads does it? .. thought its your vehicle storing kinetic energy.. edit.. it appears it does on hybrids.. thats something new learnt
3.0si Sport: F10 Illuminated ZHP, Retrofit Cruise, OE Stubby, Gaptech RCH+, Kenwood BT73DAB + Handsfree, HIDs, LED Sidelights, OE LED Number Plate Lights, Custom LED strip bootlight.
- enuff_zed
- Lifer
- Posts: 15172
- Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2016 11:05 am
- Location: Attleborough, Norfolk
West3Garage Acton
I am now at the point where I have to ask. Are you simply trolling us?SonnyA85 wrote: ↑Thu Jun 09, 2022 7:56 pm You guys clearly have never used a piston winder tool before when doing brake pads. Not the hardest job but I'd say a smidge harder than removing a bolt or two and swapping over new discs.
The last time I did brakes was on the Lexus and I never had the tool and had to go buy one luckily had 2 other cars to hand otherwise I would have been stuffed. Was impossible to wind it back fully using pliers and Various other tools I tried before deciding a trip to get one was required. I could have done it by taking the nipple off and letting some brake fluid come out but that wouldn't have been ideal.
Least I know now that it's a completely different brake setup on the hybrids and they never need changing regularly. 150k miles can be done on a set of pads because of regenerative braking if you drive carefully. The pads only get used under emergency and hard braking.
Do you even remotely understand anything mechanical?
I'm keen to see you 'remove a bolt or two' and change a disc without removing anything else first, including the pads.
If I need advice on landscaping I'll get back to you, but car stuff??? Nah.
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- Senior Member
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- Joined: Tue Apr 12, 2016 7:42 pm
West3Garage Acton
Which is a good thing. I hopefully won't need to do them ever again because they wear so little. Depends on how you drive but the wife is the main driver on that car so they should last unless a caliper seizes but I plan on changing the brake fluid yearly rather than the 4 years lexus recommends.Scooba_Steve wrote: ↑Thu Jun 09, 2022 8:24 pmIt doesn't have anything to do with the pads directly, i.e. the energy isn't recovered from them. Same stopping force requires less brake pad force so they wear less.mr.tourette wrote: ↑Thu Jun 09, 2022 8:08 pm regenerative braking has nothing to do with brake pads does it? .. thought its your vehicle storing kinetic energy.. edit.. it appears it does on hybrids.. thats something new learnt