Replacing brake pads and discs

Sep 10, 2007 28 Replies

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R. Mark Clayton 19 years ago

I an in the UK and I have a 1999 316i (E46) with 42,000 miles on the clock. I have been told that I need to replace brake pads and discs front and rear. Is this usal for an 8 year old car given the low millage?. The cheapest quote I've had is about £390 (dealer price about £500). Is this reasonable?.

Thanks for any info.

I would expect pads almost any time. If you turn the wheels to lock you can usually check the thickness of the front pads.

Front disks would be wearing by 42k, although it suggests the car has had a hard life.

I don't think the rear disks are ventilated on your model, and I am surprised that they are required at this mileage.

£390 is dear for what is a pretty routine job.

I wouldn't have thought using BMW parts would be too critical on a 316i, so you can save yourself some money by buying aftermarket parts (not the cheapest though).

It is possible DIY, but you will probably need to bleed the brakes and be confident you got it right.

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adder1969 19 years ago

You could probably go another year! As others have said, take a LOOK at them youerself.

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Dave Plowman (News) 19 years ago

Not so. Plenty will need new discs at 40 odd k miles with normal use - especially if an auto.

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DCA 19 years ago

Why the need to bleed them? If there is no calliper removal then there is no need to bleed

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R. Mark Clayton 19 years ago

Probably should have said "may" need to bleed them.

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Dave Plowman (News) 19 years ago

If the system has been topped up with worn pads the fluid will overflow the reservoir when you push the pads back - and brake fluid will remove paint unless washed off with large amounts of water. Best to remove some before to prevent this happening.

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adder1969 19 years ago

When I picked up my M3, BMW (dealer) had put new discs and pads on and the brake fluid was oosing out of the master cylinder. They seemed perplexed when I asked them to clean it up. This was just part of a catalog of incompetencies, at several different dealers so in the end it's back to doing the work myself.

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Dave Plowman (News) 19 years ago

I know *exactly* what you mean. Mine went in for an oil service - early - so I could get them to fix a leak from the steering. Which had deposited fluid down the engine and on the tray, as well as the pipe it was leaking down - the usual failed crimp on the hose from the reservoir, for which they charged 70 gbp extra. They hadn't cleaned the engine, hose or tray. And after they had (for free) it was obvious they hadn't removed the hose as it said on the invoice as the crimp was old and untouched. Nor had they changed the oil or filter - the oil level was where it was when it went in, about half way between max and min. The oil filter canister didn't look like it had been touched either. But they had charged for an oil service as well, and had valeted the car.

I replaced the crimp with a worm drive clip myself.

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