[itechteam]

Hey everyone, what brand brake pads you guys using? Brembo, or just go with Duralast?


Thanks

[oVeRdOsE.]

Originally Posted by itechteam

Hey everyone, what brand brake pads you guys using? Brembo, or just go with Duralast?


Thanks

I tried few, hawk hps are my fav. EBC yellow not bad, but expensive.

Ive tried centric posi quiet pro, but they are noisy and dusty.

Ended up with Brembo Neo on all my cars, cheap on rockauto, little to no noise, no dust, and acceptable performance.

[lowrydr310]

This is like a question about oil, you're going to get a ton of responses. There aren't a whole lot of reviews of Brembo pads on the E90 platform. I've used Duralast Gold pads on other cars and they were fine.
But for the E90, my recommendation is to use any pad that has the ECE R90 certification as you're guaranteed to get OEM-like braking performance (which is excellent.)

There's the dust factor too, ceramic vs semi metallic, and even there not all ceramics are the same. Akebonos do NOT have the R90 cert and definitely do not have OEM performance, but they're the least dusting brake pad I've seen. I have them on my 330 front. Not the best braking feel but perfectly fine and they stay clean forever. I used Ate ceramic pads on my 335 which do have the R90 cert. Braking is excellent but not quite the same initial bite as semi metallic pads, and while there is much less dust from these (far less than semi metallic pads) they're not as clean as the Akebono pads.

Hope that helps. Like I said, it's almost like an oil discussion, lots of opinions.

[lookalikehuuh]

DO NOT GO WITH DURALAST... THEY ARE THE TRASH THAT TRASH POOPS OUT!!!! I have seen multiples Duralast pads literally separate from the metal backing on cars.

I think the question here is what type of pads do you need, do you want something for trackdays or just great daily driver pads?

I personally run the Akebono Ceramics because they are nearly dust free, quiet, and last a super long time. They stop pretty good too.

[oVeRdOsE.]

Originally Posted by lowrydr310

This is like a question about oil, you're going to get a ton of responses. There aren't a whole lot of reviews of Brembo pads on the E90 platform. I've used Duralast Gold pads on other cars and they were fine.
But for the E90, my recommendation is to use any pad that has the ECE R90 certification as you're guaranteed to get OEM-like braking performance (which is excellent.)

There's the dust factor too, ceramic vs semi metallic, and even there not all ceramics are the same. Akebonos do NOT have the R90 cert and definitely do not have OEM performance, but they're the least dusting brake pad I've seen. I have them on my 330 front. Not the best braking feel but perfectly fine and they stay clean forever. I used Ate ceramic pads on my 335 which do have the R90 cert. Braking is excellent but not quite the same initial bite as semi metallic pads, and while there is much less dust from these (far less than semi metallic pads) they're not as clean as the Akebono pads.

Hope that helps. Like I said, it's almost like an oil discussion, lots of opinions.

lot of opinion on oil unless you speak with few Euro shops owners open engines for 30+years.

They will tell you firmly that castrol and 12k miles interval will grenade a engine.


Pads will be subjective, because no body will do proper bench test. However, you'll might find a track guy, doing rough street drivin that will have a proper objective opinion.

[Efthreeoh]

I use OE BMW pads. Yeah, they dust a bit. BFD.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by oVeRdOsE.

lot of opinion on oil unless you speak with few Euro shops owners open engines for 30+years.

They will tell you firmly that castrol and 12k miles interval will grenade a engine.


Pads will be subjective, because no body will do proper bench test. However, you'll might find a track guy, doing rough street drivin that will have a proper objective opinion.

When I'm done with mine they can come and open it up for inspection.

[The Nightman]

OE or any ECE R90 rated pad is a safe choice, albeit dusty.

[eljay]

I currently have Brembo Ceramic with Brembo Premium rotors and I cannot wait to get rid of both... cheap Made in China stuff. These days, you have to look at the box as all brands move factories around, but there are some that stick to quality.
Zimmerman + Akebono for me next.

[StradaRedlands]

I HATE brake dust, so go with Akebono all the way!!!
Feel is fine for my poorly calibrated ass!

[3PedalJake]

I have Powerstop Z26 on my 330i and Bosch Quietcast on the 325i. The Z26 really have some bite, if you're looking for performance that's another to consider. The Bosh are very smooth and like the name are silent, a good pad for a daily. Both are moderate on the dust, I wouldn't say dustless but less than OEM.

[pedro2u]

+1 with StradaRedlands on Akebono... I upgraded to those more than a decade ago on my BMW's when I just got tired of washing brake dust off my wheels on an otherwise perfectly clean car..... I'm not tracking my BMW's so in my daily driver perspective, I also saw no difference in braking performance

[StradaRedlands]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

When I'm done with mine they can come and open it up for inspection.

For science! https://www.sciencecare.com/

[E93Dude]

Can someone provide Cliff Notes on what the R90 standard is? I missed that class and am looking at the Akebonos, too for reduced dust….

[johnung]

I’ve used Hawk 5.0 pads on other cars and they were the best. TireRack usually has best prices but their website sucks and may look like they don’t carry them for your car. Just call their tech support which is very good

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by johnung

I’ve used Hawk 5.0 pads on other cars and they were the best. TireRack usually has best prices but their website sucks and may look like they don’t carry them for your car. Just call their tech support which is very good

I put a set of Hawk pads on my Wife's Z3 probably a decade ago, now. She took the car out, came back, and gave the WTF what-for. The pads made a very loud screeching noise that she said was intolerable and that EVERYONE noticed. I took the car out, and never heard anything but silence. Needless to say, I ordered BMW OE pads that day and dropped them in. I blame Pete Townsend; saw The Who at the Capital Center 1979.

Peace all around.

[ppointer]

I went with Zimmerman cross drill sport rotors and Akenobo sport pads on my M roadster and love them. I have something similar on the front of my Infiniti SUV. Daughter's '11 e90 will require something in the spring and will definitely go with Akenobo and Zimmerman. My two e92s won't need brakes for a few years, but they'll get the same unless someone comes up with something better.

For two decades I had Brembo on my bikes. Just chose not to go that direction for autos because reviews were never steller.

[wrevilo]

I use EBC Redstuff pads and am happy with the way they perform and how little dust they produce.

[itechteam]

wow thanks for all the responses, the oil rabbit hole is deep. Hmmm these are for normal driving for a 17 year old, but he is going to the meet in Gatlinburg and will be doing some mountain stuff.