[thanksfornothing]

As you might be able to tell from the title, I'm looking to buy brake pads for my 328i.

I just recently purchased the car and the brakes are fine, but I want to buy a set while I have the money for when I do need to replace them. Does anyone recommend any particular kind/brand?

Also, I'm curious how hard it would be to replace them myself. The most I've ever done on a car myself is oil changes and headlight bulb replacement so I'm definitely a novice, but willing to get my hands dirty. I don't have a garage either and my toolbox is depressingly empty if that helps.

I've never bought parts like this before so any advise will be greatly appreciated!

[sunny]

the only thing bad about stock pad is that they dust alot.
if anything, most aftermarket pad does not have that initial bite like the stock ones.

I like stoptech pads, they feel like stock and they dust a little less. little cheaper too.

keep your stock pad until they wear out and then get new pad and new rotors.

[mlifxs]

I would stick with oem, unless you have some sort of off-road use or want to minimize dust.

Picking a "better pad" (non-oem) can sometimes lead to noise or other less desirable characteristics, such as loss of initial bite.

Example: Akebono pads will definitely cut down on dust, but they do not have comparable initial bite compared to oem. There are people that like them alot and will tell you otherwise, but I've had them and have switched back to oem and there is a noticeable difference. Some won't care, as the low-dust quality is more important.

[mlifxs]

regarding DIY,

you would need a jack to raise the car, jack stands and wheel chocks to stabilize it.

a 17mm socket, torque wrench, and breaker bar to remove and re-mount the wheel.

a large screw driver to remove the caliper spring. a hex bit socket (not sure of size, possibly 6mm) and socket wrench to remove the caliper pins.

a brake piston tool to push the piston back into the caliper, prior to putting on the new pads and reinstalling the caliper. Auto parts stores sell these for ~ $10.

brake grease and "brake quiet" to lube the caliper pins and minimize the possibility of new pad squeal. both can be had for less than $10 total.

there are DIYs on our forum for this and you can find others online: fcpeuro has a youtube video and I suspect you can find others by searching on youtube.

[M.Etreby]

I installed cool.carbon rear pads, and still have my OEMs front, definitely low dust, brakes feel better as well

[mweisdorfer]

Originally Posted by sealbhaigh

As you might be able to tell from the title, I'm looking to buy brake pads for my 328i.

I just recently purchased the car and the brakes are fine, but I want to buy a set while I have the money for when I do need to replace them. Does anyone recommend any particular kind/brand?

Also, I'm curious how hard it would be to replace them myself. The most I've ever done on a car myself is oil changes and headlight bulb replacement so I'm definitely a novice, but willing to get my hands dirty. I don't have a garage either and my toolbox is depressingly empty if that helps.

I've never bought parts like this before so any advise will be greatly appreciated!

Brake pads, I am assuming your not tracking a 328i. So, one word

Akebono

[Jeff@TopGearSolutions]

Stop Tech or Hawk 5.0

[Jklad]

I would recommend you just do textar oem replacement pads. I just did cool carbons with Zimmerman rotors, the initial bite is not strong, and the brake modulation feels great. But at double the cost, and for your purposes, oem is more ideal and probobly "better" than other aftermarket pads.

[Camman]

If you don't want dust, go Akebono. I have akebono pads in the rear and brembo pads in the front. I HATE the brembos. They have been noisy their entire life and the dust is terrible. I have never cleaned brake dust off the rear wheels. The fronts have a solid layer of dust after a couple days.

I have done what you did and got all my parts for a brake change because I'm getting tired of the noise/dust from the fronts and the rears are just about worn out so I'm just gonna do all four corners. I got Akebono pads for front and rear this time.

I've heard good things about the Hawk 5.0 but I don't have experience with them so I can't comment any further on them. I would do a search on the forum on different brands and you should find some threads with reviews on them.

[mlifxs]

fwiw I have a set of front akebono eur1061 with 2/3 left that i'd sell for $20 plus shipping conus. If interested, check fitment for your car as it won't work for 335i or LCI 328i.

[MTTH]

The new revised stock pads hardly dust. I know because I recently replaced my rears last October.

[AtlasM]

I love EBC RedStuff pads. Low dust, no noise, great bite.

[E90SMOKE]

Originally Posted by sunny

the only thing bad about stock pad is that they dust alot.
if anything, most aftermarket pad does not have that initial bite like the stock ones.

I like stoptech pads, they feel like stock and they dust a little less. little cheaper too.

keep your stock pad until they wear out and then get new pad and new rotors.

Do you recommend OEM pads?

[dleccord]

you guys are not supposed to grease the caliper pins. brake clean them and reinstall.

[geko29]

I'm happy with the Hawk 5.0s I put on the rear a year or so ago, and will be putting them on the front soon. Paired them with the ECS Tuning drilled/slotted rotors.

Also one thing that makes a huge difference IMO is replacing the caliper guide bushings with solid ones. Did this on both my E46 and E90 (rear only; will do the fronts at the same time as the pads/rotors). They keep the caliper from moving radially or deflecting, and in my experience never freeze up.

[dleccord]

Originally Posted by geko29

I'm happy with the Hawk 5.0s I put on the rear a year or so ago, and will be putting them on the front soon. Paired them with the ECS Tuning drilled/slotted rotors.

Also one thing that makes a huge difference IMO is replacing the caliper guide bushings with solid ones. Did this on both my E46 and E90 (rear only; will do the fronts at the same time as the pads/rotors). They keep the caliper from moving radially or deflecting, and in my experience never freeze up.

Are you talking g about the brass pins?

[geko29]

Originally Posted by dleccord

Are you talking g about the brass pins?

The bushings are brass. Pins are stainless or something resembling it.