My car is due for inspection at the end of the month. I know the front rotors will have to be replaced.
I see a lot of front rotors for sale on ebay. How do these fare with what the dealer might put on? I'm afraid to see the bill if I take it to the BMW dealership.
My friend offered to change the rotors/brakepads for me if I purchase them. He's worked on other cars in the past but not much on BMW's. Is there any special tool needed to replace the rotors?
Anything you can say to tell me not to go this route? I'd like to save some $$$ but if it's too much of a hassle for a novice I'd rather pay to have it done right.
Rotors are an easy job, even for a novice, if they have some basic tools and know how. But, I would pass on the eBay bargains, unless you get a brand name item (see below) and know what you're buying.
Instead, there are many online parts houses that sell perfectly good, top quality brake rotors at a serious discount from BMW's parts counter prices, and when you get right down to it, they (can be) just as good. After all, BMW does not actually manufacture ANY brake rotors. They just spec them for other companies to make (Balo, Brembo, ATE, etc...) If you buy those brands you will be getting essentially the same thing but with no BMW mark-up.
Tell us where you are and we can recommend some good parts places online, and the shipping will probably be less than the cost of driving to pick them up.
I guess it depends on how much of a novice he is. If he's done other brake jobs then the BMW shouldn't be a problem. Do a google group search - this kind of thing comes up very frequently and you'll find which tools you'll need.
Ok, firstly pass on the ebay job period...brand name or not. There are some things you scrimp on but these are your last line of defense once in motion, you really want to trust that to some ebay seller?? Do you know how many fakes are sold as brand name ones? They are not a bank breaker and last for ages so get ones you can trust. These things need to have no play in their makeup or u will get vibrations whenever braking.
Buy a good brand name from a good parts company, I know that the ATE ones I got for my front where like 50% cheaper than a dealership still. There were even cheaper ones but I wouldn't risk it.
Fitting: I didn't fit mine but, I've got an auto mechanic who works at a dealership and moonlights on his freetime and does all my work, he did mine and they were quite straigh forward. You can certainly do them if you know what you're doing, the only downer to DIY is to get them straight and level and to not warp them by hardbraking for the first weeks. Get it wrong or warp them and you will probably end up with a steering wheel shudder upon braking.
PS: The dealership quoted me a stupid price just to change rotors and pads... ok rotors and parts are not 10bucks, but still at nearly 150GBP for an hour thats like $300 per hour, plus taxes for labour,....I couldn't complain when my guy did the job for 40 plus me buying the parts myself, you'd have to consider using a good independent instead....
Don't buy brake rotors for your BMW at AutoZone. They are crap. Try one of these places. Compare prices for the same manufacturer (pay attention to that):
I recently overheard a dealer quoting =A3350 (~US$600) for a rear disc and pad replacement on an E39 *plus* another =A3100 or so if the parking brake shoes needed to be replaced. BMW really do rely on the "more money than sense" type of owners.
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