BMW trying it on?

Procrastinator333

We bought a nearly new BMW 1 series a few years back. At the time we managed to haggle a 5 year service pack as part of the deal.

The car had its second MOT less than 2 weeks ago. It passed. No advisory notices for anything.

The service light came on. Took it to BMW, service done no problem. But they are saying the brake pads and discs need to be changed.

Last year we did get an advisory on 1 set of the pads for the MOT and we got those changed. It has done no more than 5,000 miles since.

Whatever happens we are not paying BMW, I'm just not sure whether to even bother taking it to another garage to check. It isn't a car that does high mileage. It will probably only do another 5,000 before the next MOT. I'm quite tempted just to leave it for now. Or would you get it looked at by another garage?

k3lvc

Procrastinator333 wrote: »

The service light came on. Took it to BMW, service done no problem. But they are saying the brake pads and discs need to be changed.

Whenever I've had MB/Audis serviced they've always been a bit more scientific than that i.e. 65% worn - will need replacing before next service or similar.

What did your report say ?

Spicy_McHaggis

So you've been told you need work on the brakes and are prepared to leave it pending advice on a forum?

Get a second opinion from a trusted garage and follow their advice.

Strider590

My MOT advisory said the pads were getting low for 3 years before the warning light came on and I got them changed.

They do it to make money, because people normally go into headless chicken mode when you mention brakes.

Yet (ironically) if you mention it's fitted with sh*tty budget tyres, they soon close their ears.

They've obviously been changed now, but my car with decent rubber, sporting worn pads and discs (though not yet at the min limit) will stop faster and harder than any car running on new brakes with crappy tyres.


If your that concerned, take the wheels off and check them yourself. Look for an excessive lip on the edge of the disc, and check the pad material is more than 5mm thick.
The pad warning light will still come on way before they become ineffective.

Finally, it's not BMW that you suspect of "trying it on", it's a franchised distributor of BMW cars, basically a bunch of people who only care about extracting money.

Procrastinator333

Thanks for all the comments.

@k3lvc: It was my wife who took it in, I will see what the report says about % worn etc when I'm home tonight.

@Spicy: I'm not quite sure you read the whole of my opening post. The car had an MOT less than 2 weeks (and less than 100 miles) ago. No fails and no advisory notices on any pads or discs.

I therefore already have 2 opinions on the car, but I'm getting conflicting advice. The advice I'm getting from the garage that did my MOT is that all is fine. The advice I'm getting from BMW who will want to charge me £300 for a single set of pads is they all need changing. I think it is reasonable to question their motives.

@ Strider: Very true, franchised dealer. I do not trust them. And I agree about the tyres!

Procrastinator333

theghool wrote: »

Get second opinion. Brake pads wearing in 5k isn't unheard off depends on your driving style and how powerful your vehicle is

But why would it not have had an advisory on the MOT for the brakes?

Also, it is my wifes car, it is not powerful and she drives very conservatively.

enfield_freddy

brake pads (thickness) are not checked at an MOT (they do not remove wheels), only the braking efficiency , you could have pads down to 00000.5 mm thick , but if the car stops , it passes an MOT

Strider590

It is of course possible that they were not changed when you thought they had been.

The problem with main dealerships is they're run with a sales mentality, not a technical one, it's all targets and KPI's. The technical staff get unrealistic targets set by some office bod who's never even picked up a spanner, but could BS the hind legs off a donkey. The result is jobs not getting done properly after they run into a hitch that costs them a few hours extra work (like a sheered wheel nut for example).

motorguy

Procrastinator333 wrote: »

We bought a nearly new BMW 1 series a few years back. At the time we managed to haggle a 5 year service pack as part of the deal.

The car had its second MOT less than 2 weeks ago. It passed. No advisory notices for anything.

The service light came on. Took it to BMW, service done no problem. But they are saying the brake pads and discs need to be changed.

Last year we did get an advisory on 1 set of the pads for the MOT and we got those changed. It has done no more than 5,000 miles since.

Whatever happens we are not paying BMW, I'm just not sure whether to even bother taking it to another garage to check. It isn't a car that does high mileage. It will probably only do another 5,000 before the next MOT. I'm quite tempted just to leave it for now. Or would you get it looked at by another garage?

It would be common practice of a garage to advise if the pads were unlikely to make it to the next service without needing changed.

Also, when they're down to their markers they could well be past peak efficiency without being illegal.

Conversely, how would you feel if in say another 2,000 miles the brake pad warning light came on? Would you be on here saying "oh car just serviced, why didnt they pick that up??"

Procrastinator333

enfield_freddy wrote: »

brake pads (thickness) are not checked at an MOT (they do not remove wheels), only the braking efficiency , you could have pads down to 00000.5 mm thick , but if the car stops , it passes an MOT

Now I'm even more confused. Last year it did get an advisory notice saying the brake pads were low. If they dont' look at the pads, how did I get that advisory notice?!

I will take it to another garage this weekend and see what they say.

Thanks All.

Spicy_McHaggis

theghool wrote: »

name and shame the dealer please

Wouldn't it be better to have the evidence they're trying it on first?