[bamboobuild]

Hi Folks,

My car is due for Front Break Pads and Rotors and I literally have zero knowledge on different options or brands. I have to buy these off of Amazon (I know I can get it cheap on other OEM retailers) because my cousin gets his employee discount with them and I have couple of Amazon Gift cards to make use of.

My car is 2007, 335i with Sports Pacakage. 49000 miles.
I never track my car. The only option I want is no to very light squeaking.

I looked at these pads on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/FRONT-Brake-52...1&s=automotive

Are these good? Other brands mentioned on Amazon are:
Beck Arnley
Bendix
Bosch
Centric
EBC Brakes
Hawk
Power Stop
Prime Choice Auto Parts
Raybestos
Wagner

Also which rotor to pick? Drilled and Slotted?

Sorry for the long post, you are my only friends in BMW world

[Princeton]

I bought Akebono Euro ceramic pads and Zimmerman coated rotors. The coated rotors eliminate the sticking of the wheels to the rotors. Very satisfied.

[335e92tx]

You actually reduce rotor mass by drilling. Slotting gives some benefits of outgassing. I just got a set of Hawk Street/sport pads and Centric Cryo rotors for the back from tirerack for 300$ shipped. They will probably get put on this weekend.

[bamboobuild]

Thanks bro.

I found the same breakpads on Amazon. Added em to my cart:

http://www.amazon.com/Akebono-EUR918...hu-rd_add_1_dp


Now off to Rotors.

[bamboobuild]

Hi 335e92tx,

Thanks for explaining it. I am looking for front rotors. Which one lasts longer? Slotted or Drilled?
I apologize if these questions are really dumb

[335e92tx]

Id say if your not going to track it just stick with slotted fronts. They probably give some better look without reducing rotor life.

[Bill-SD]

Originally Posted by Princeton

I bought Akebono Euro ceramic pads and Zimmerman coated rotors. The coated rotors eliminate the sticking of the wheels to the rotors. Very satisfied.

I actually had the exact setup installed a couple days ago. So far, I am very satisfied also!

[TC Kline Racing]

OP, We are a Hawk dealer so I can endorse those pads. I use them on my M3 track car and my daily driven E39. The Hawk HPS or the Hawk Performance Ceramic are both good street pads.

Do not get drilled rotors, they will eat through your pads much quicker and are not as strong with a bunch of holes in them Slotted will help if you are taking the car to the track. If not, just get 'blanks' ...If they have Zimmerman rotors, those are pretty good, or brembo blanks are good too. If you can find someone on Amazon that sells cryogenically frozen rotors the will last much longer than others, but the cost is associated with it.

Blank rotors:


Slotted Rotors:


This is the main reason not to get drilled rotors (they become weaker where they are drilled too)


Hope this helps

[Hybrid For Life]

just go with blanks and akebono pads if your not planning on tracking

[bamboobuild]

@ TC Kline Racing,

Thank you so much for the pics. I think your post should up there in the sticky for noobs and automotive illiterates like me

I will try to find your suggestions along "Hybrid For life"'s suggestion. I hope I cant find them on Amazon.

[d8rknight]

Honestly i'd recommend the Cool Carbon S/T pads... Been running them past 40k or so... quiet, limited dust and not a bad price.. I got them from Bav Auto

[bamboobuild]

@ TC Kline Racing,

So I found Hawk Pads on Amazon but even within Hawk there are so many options, Could you pick one for me?
Hawk Pads: http://www.amazon.com/gp/part-finder...sNode=15721811

cryogenically frozen rotors: Amazon used to sell these but item is unavailable as of now.

No brembo or zimmerman rotors for 335 on Amazon either.
Any other suggestions for these Amazon options? :

ACDelco
ATE
Beck Arnley
Bendix
Bosch
Centric
EBC Brakes
Genuine
Hawk
Power Slot
Power Stop
Prime Choice Auto Parts
R1 Concepts
Raybestos
StopTech
Wagner
Zimmermann
dba

Appreciate your replies. Drinks on me whenever you come to Chicago

[bamboobuild]

@ d8rknight,

Cool Carbon isnt available on Amazon. Any suggestions for rotor brand?

[thetedderbear]

Just got Akebono ceramic pads from my indy and slotted discs and stainless steel brake lines from **********s. Combined with better fluid from my indy, it feels firm and much more powerful. Considerably better than my friends M3 with OEM gear.

[NJE90xi]

Hawk HPS pads are slightly better performing than OEM and have significantly less dusting. Brake dust eats wheels...

[TC Kline Racing]

Originally Posted by bamboobuild

@ TC Kline Racing,

So I found Hawk Pads on Amazon but even within Hawk there are so many options, Could you pick one for me?
Hawk Pads: http://www.amazon.com/gp/part-finder...sNode=15721811

cryogenically frozen rotors: Amazon used to sell these but item is unavailable as of now.

No brembo or zimmerman rotors for 335 on Amazon either.
Any other suggestions for these Amazon options? :

ACDelco
ATE
Beck Arnley
Bendix
Bosch
Centric
EBC Brakes
Genuine
Hawk
Power Slot
Power Stop
Prime Choice Auto Parts
R1 Concepts
Raybestos
StopTech
Wagner
Zimmermann
dba

Appreciate your replies. Drinks on me whenever you come to Chicago

For Hawk:

HPS --> http://www.amazon.com/Hawk-Performan...1&s=automotive
Performance Ceramic --> http://www.amazon.com/Hawk-Performan...1&s=automotive

I suggested zimmerman, and you have them on your list??

Is that correct? If so, do the Zimmerman rotors

[HP Autosport]

Originally Posted by bamboobuild

@ d8rknight,

Cool Carbon isnt available on Amazon. Any suggestions for rotor brand?

Try your CC dealer or buy direct.

Zimmerman blanks are excellent as TCK Racing stated. If you can't find them, have a look here:

http://www.hpashop.com/Zimmermann-Fo...Rotors-E9x.htm

[bamboobuild]

Folks, just wanted to update with what I ended up with:

I got Hawks Street performance pads and Zimmerman plain Z coat rotors. Thank you all for the suggestions.
Apologies to the folks who suggested these products on their websites, unfortunately I wanted to buy these off of Amazon.

Thanks

[jetblackcoupe]

Originally Posted by bamboobuild

Folks, just wanted to update with what I ended up with:

I got Hawks Street performance pads and Zimmerman plain Z coat rotors. Thank you all for the suggestions.
Apologies to the folks who suggested these products on their websites, unfortunately I wanted to buy these off of Amazon.

Thanks

i'm thinking of getting oem rotors and hawk hps pads. did you install these yet? any brake noises? how's the braking feel?

[eppisgood]

A little bit off topic - but assuming you purchased these items, how much should an independent shop charge you to install?

I'm in need of new front brakes & rotors and am considering purchasing:
Rotors - http://www.hpashop.com/Zimmermann-Fo...Rotors-E9x.htm
Brakes - http://www.amazon.com/Akebono-EUR918...hu-rd_add_1_dp

A few weeks ago I got a quote for parts + labor, totaling $627.76. The parts in the links above total $262.47, which I have a $50 Amazon gift card going towards the brakes.

[jetblackcoupe]

Originally Posted by eppisgood

A little bit off topic - but assuming you purchased these items, how much should an independent shop charge you to install?

I'm in need of new front brakes & rotors and am considering purchasing:
Rotors - http://www.hpashop.com/Zimmermann-Fo...Rotors-E9x.htm
Brakes - http://www.amazon.com/Akebono-EUR918...hu-rd_add_1_dp

A few weeks ago I got a quote for parts + labor, totaling $627.76. The parts in the links above total $262.47, which I have a $50 Amazon gift card going towards the brakes.

Labor should be about 125.. Go to a dif shop

What made you decide to not go OEM? Why akebono?

[swickings]

Ill have to keep this in mind for when i change my brakes. The brake dust and squeak is killing me.