Re: New brakes after 45k? (archive)

I was supervising my son doing his first brake job, and afterwards was bragging on how much he'd saved. For grins I went through the service records for my 92 735i and discovered the previous owner had new rotors and pads on front and back at 67k, and then again at 105k. Should I expect this or was it typical dealer rip-off? I can see pads every 40k or so, but complete brake rotors and kits? By the way, we finally replaced his front rotors after 230k on his 89 Ford Probe.
Stu
93 735i

According to BMW, and confirmed by my personal experience, you can't turn the rotors, so yes, you'll have to do a new set of rotors when you change the pads. Basically, they are too thin to begin with and if you turn them they'll warp almost immediately. Fortunately, rotors are not expensive and can be purchased for about $65 us apiece.

Be happy with 40,000 miles on the fronts with a car this heavy! It is not remotely like a Ford Probe. When I did the fronts on my 750 at 35k, I switched to semi-metalic "lifetime" pads. Big mistake. The rotors are so delicate that the hard pads warped them in 12,000 miles. I now have 18,000 on a set of new rotors with organic pads and there is a very slight, barely discernable warp. I'll probably have another new set at in 12-15,000.

I'm still running the original rear pads and rotors at 65,000.

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