XSeries-forum

Not happey E70 58 REG 24.000 MILES FIRST FRONT BRAKE SERVICE BMW MAIN DEALER SAYS NEW FRONT DISCS NEEDED ???? ANY IDEARS ??

Hi & welcome,

Min recommended thickness should be stamped on discs. I would ask dealer to be specific as to why they advise changing..........Specifically consider asking :

1. What is the minimum thickness your discs should be ?
2. What thickness were they measured at ?
3. Were they below min thickness ?
4. Were they excessively corroded ?


You can get someone else to measaure discs independently using a vernier gauge or buy/borow one yourself then take wheels off & measure same. If getting someone else to check I wiould make it clear you have a friend who has some new ones & who will be fitting same if required. That way no agenda for person measuring to give false info to secure future work.

If plenty of thickness but just corrosion you should consider if the corroded section is in contact with pad or not. If minor corrosion and not affecting braking efficency then IMO this should not require replacement. If corroded to detriment of brake pad contact area but discs of decent thickness you could get them skimmed but weigh up costs to get skimmed considering how many miles would be likely to remain get versus cost to replace with new. Personally I would only get new ones if existing ones not good.


On MOT test parts cannot be removed to examine, MOT testers conduct a visual inspection looking for obvious severe wear/cracking but essentially it will be the braking test that determines efficency & any pass/fail.

You drive a heavy car. Unless very gentle in way driven these cars eat bushes,pads & discs more than lighter cars. 60k on original discs not impossible on an E53 but I'd expect them to be heavily corroded & badly worn. A non taligaiting mainly motorway mile user will be likely to get more miles out of discs than someone stop starting & doing a lot of fast twisty road stuff & who brakes late & hard.


Hope this helps - Ideally pop over to introduction section to say hi & ideally please lay off the SHOUTY CAPS !

Good Luck & let us know how you get on.

THANKS FOR THAT!!!! THERE NOT CORRODED.. WILL GET IT CHECKED!! It might be ME! JUST when I walk into a BMW SHOWROOM I JUST GET THE FEELING OF BEING SURROUNDED by RIP OFF CON MEN

I believe that brake discs are no longer measured for thickness on an MOT , but are checked for condition and performance.

I will be doing my brakes in the summer, when the weather is a little bit better, so will have done about 3000 miles on them. I do check them every week just to make sure that there aren't any problems.


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Just had the front discs changed, and all new pads and sensors at 47,000 miles. The discs were only changed because of corrosion and wear - just below the limit. I think you would have to be a demon late braker to kill them that quick. These are heavy vehicles but I would be surprised personally at that low a mileage.

When I bought mine in 2005 one if the justifications the dealer used for the all inclusive maintenance pack was that I would need a set of rotors and pads EVERY year. Guess what - I didn't!! That policy was a rip off at £1200 but now I know better as I only ever had two oil changes and two brake fluid changes and an Inspection 1 and that certainly didn't come to £1200.