Will I need brake pads & discs?

thescouselander

darich wrote: »

It's more common than you think for discs to need replacing.
My 52 plate Celica needed new discs and pads all round when it was around 30k miles.

Long gentle braking heats up the pads and discs to a point where the pads become "glazed". Next time you brake, the glazed pads rub on the disc and because they're now glazed they're very very hard (and brittle I expect). The extra hardness of the pads wears the discs quicker than normal.
So it doesn't necessarily mean a high mileage or a dodgy garage if your discs need replaced at 30k miles.

Mine Celica was diagnosed by my brother in law mechanic and I could see/feel the lip for myself.

I'm not saying it cant happen but it is unusual - and its not as if its unknown for some of the less reputable garages to say discs need replacing when they are perfectly ok.

Perhaps its just my driving style but I've never had to replace a set of discs due to wear and I've kept cars a lot longer than 30K miles.

Microstar_2

We routinely service and repair minis. Definitely replace the discs as well as the pads, the mini discs wear/score quite badly, especially on the inside face. I think its down to the design of the caliper. We have just replaced discs on a 2008 model with 20k miles and the inside face of the O/S disc was very unevenly worn, even thought the pads were only half worn!

We get OE discs for £33 each, front pads, OE, for £25 on the 1.6 Coopers. These are trade price to us.

Book time for front pad/disc replacement is about 50 minutes. We charge about £160 for the job, including parts, and recommend a full bleed at the same time if the car has not had it done within the last 2 years (£40 extra).

The BMW dealers will fleece you for these jobs, but that is their role in life!

Kilty_2

Browntoa wrote: »

pads here

http://www.n-tech.co.uk/BrakePads.aspx?ID=777&Make=MINI&Model=Cooper+S&Trim=Other&Spec=1.6%2c+2007+-+Present

£94 fitted

Thanks for that link - they'll supply and fit Greenstuff for the front of mine for £80 :j The pads cost around £57 to buy.

Saying that, Vauxhall OEM pads are only £21.50 ex vat on trade - unsure if I'd notice the difference that much :rotfl:

Doozergirl

Thanks everyone for the comments. There is a garage just up the road here in the village and I will pop up to them and ask how much to fit if I buy the pads and discs online, knowing it should be less than an hours job or thereabouts? I'd read last night elsewhere that the pads and discs wear fairly evenly on the new MINI and there's another confirmation of that here.

There is also a MINI specialist about half an hour away and am going to take a drive over there, make use of the sports button on Monday.

I had a look at the discs this morning, the front and back are slightly different. On the back I can see a groove on the disc itself - the edge is thicker than the main body of the disc - about 1mm. On the front it is all smooth but the disc almost appears to sit inside something much less shiny and a bit rusty - and that sticks out a bit more than 1mm.

I feel reassured though that I can definitely get this sorted for less than £300 even if the discs need doing so thanks for everyone's input

oldtoolie

However your TLC package will cover most of your servicing needs so check to be sure. The BMW Mini garage might be a little more expensive but it may be worth it to have the 'Official' stamp in your service book. Especially if you intend to sell it in one year. You bought an expensive complex new car so don't try to pinch pennies maintaining it.

Recently, I was looking for brake pads for my motorcycle and saw some cheap ones on eBay. So I thought, wow I can save £25 by using unknown brand pads made in China. Then I thought, brakes... stopping... life... my family.... uh no, I'll have the expensive German brake pads.

xocbc

Brake disc wear is dependent on all sorts of things:

manual or automatic (autos are heavier on brakes)
the driver
types of roads driven on
congestion
etc

Main dealers will often "recommend" a disc change well before they actually need to be changed. Jaguar once advised me to get discs and I didn't actually need to change them for another 20k miles.

Check the lip of the disc as stated above.

Anyone who trades in a car just because it needs brake discs would be as well standing burning money...its part of the costs of running a car, get used to it lol.

gilbert_and_sullivan

If you Mini is 2 years old it is still under BMW warranty, regardless who fits the brakes make sure they and any other parts used are genuine or your warranty will be null and void.

To be honest i'd only let the dealer do anything to the car till it's at least 4 years old...BMW are quite generous in the goodwill stakes outside warranty time and mileage but only if you have a full BMW service history, and knowing how fragile the timing gear is on these i'd want to keep BMW on side but your choice.

clivejohnson

Doozergirl wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the comments. There is a garage just up the road here in the village and I will pop up to them and ask how much to fit if I buy the pads and discs online, knowing it should be less than an hours job or thereabouts? I'd read last night elsewhere that the pads and discs wear fairly evenly on the new MINI and there's another confirmation of that here.

There is also a MINI specialist about half an hour away and am going to take a drive over there, make use of the sports button on Monday.

I had a look at the discs this morning, the front and back are slightly different. On the back I can see a groove on the disc itself - the edge is thicker than the main body of the disc - about 1mm. On the front it is all smooth but the disc almost appears to sit inside something much less shiny and a bit rusty - and that sticks out a bit more than 1mm.

The discs definatley need replacing. That 1mm ridge you can see is where the pads dont come into contact with the discs. Get them replaced, and like the guys here have correctly dsaid- make sure they are genuine BMW parts. Also make sure that the ones you are replacing are genuine also , but £300? nah!;-)

tomstickland

£300 is a bit steep.
I can buy pads for £20 and discs for £20 each for my VW Golf.

Microstar_2

gilbert_and_sullivan wrote: »

If you Mini is 2 years old it is still under BMW warranty, regardless who fits the brakes make sure they and any other parts used are genuine or your warranty will be null and void.

To be honest i'd only let the dealer do anything to the car till it's at least 4 years old...BMW are quite generous in the goodwill stakes outside warranty time and mileage but only if you have a full BMW service history, and knowing how fragile the timing gear is on these i'd want to keep BMW on side but your choice.

This is incorrect information.
Parts used do not need to be 'genuine BMW', under EU Block Exemption rules they have to be 'matching quality'. Pretty much all the brake parts you buy in the UK, from legitimate trade sources, will meet this requirement. I recommend OE (Pagid, ATE are fine).

'Service history' and brake replacement are two different things.
BMW are certainly not generous on Goodwill. I know that for a fact (once upon a time I was a Service Manager for a BMW dealership - until Mr Finn took us over..).