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2008 328i breaks and maintenance work

2K views 9 replies 2 participants last post by  Lord Vader 
#1 ·
i was wondering about my cars breaks and maintenance work i believe the warranty for the maintenance has expired and i need to do that and get new breaks should i take it to the dealer where i got it or can i take it to any place that can service bmws where would it be cheaper or should i just take it to the dealer so i know everything gets done correctly?
 
#2 ·
Taking it to the dealer will cost a lot more then an independent mechanic and from my experience, it's not always done right their. Their are usually pretty good shops thr specialize in BMWs that should be fully capable of doing it cheaper and properly. Find out of you have a local BMW CCA chapter and ask them who they recommend.

It's quite easy to do, especially of your just replacing the pads. On an 08 I would think the rotors would still be fine but I dont know your driving style. Their are two pad wear sensors that have to be replaced when you change out the pads as well, but these are usually less then $20 each (except at the dealership).
 
#3 ·
thanks for the help and yeah i knew i also had to change the sensors i wasnt sure how much they would be but thanks for telling the price they should be also do you know how i can find a BMW CCA chapter in my area, and my driving style well not sure how describe it but i dont drive super crazy but then again i dont drive like a slow turtle for my age i consider myself to be a very responsible cautioned driver so how does that affect the rotors and what are rotors?
 
#4 ·
The sensors will vary between retailers. I personally use BimmerSpecialist.com for all my parts. They have the sensor for my E36 for $15.

Visit Welcome | bmwcca.org BMW Car Club of America for information on memberships and chapter information. Memberships get you discounts at certain locations.

The brake rotor is the silver disc you will see behind the wheel. The rotor is what the brake pads clamp onto to stop the car. A good wear indicator for rotors is the pads will clamp just below the top of the rotor. As the rotor wears it will create a "lip" at the top. Just like brake pads, rotors have a minimum thickness to be able to effectively stop the car.
 
#5 ·
i took it to an independent shop today to get oil change and all the fluids checked out and an all over check guy said i needed new front and back brakes and rotors plus the sensor that goes with that he quoted me for $988 plus tax is that a good price? i got this car new out the dealer and i dont drive it much just to work 30 miles one way so yeah my brother thought this was a high price but im unsure i obviously dont know about cars
 
#6 ·
For a 2008 that's probably not bad. I paid $700~ for all new rotors and pads a couple years ago. One thing to do is to go to places like BimmerSpecialist.com or PelicanParts.com and find the pricing of the parts, then add add the approximate labour cost. That will give you a rough estimate if he is being fair. Or you could always buy the parts your self and just pay to have them installed.

On a 2008 your probably getting close to needing the rotors replaced if their still original, but you would notice a slight increase in force required to stop the car. If you don't notice a difference in stopping power then your breaks are probably fine, but ask him to show you your old pads just to make sure.
 
#7 ·
yeah i thought the cost would be like $723 because i spoke with someone about it but i was quoted $988 so im not sure what would be a fair price and also someone told me that i may not really need to have the rear brakes changed yet but i dont know just to be safe i will be buying all the parts for both front and rear brakes (pads rotors and sensors) and just have someone install it and yeah i dont notice a difference in the force needed to brake well thanks for your help it has been super handy since i know nothing about this and i just dont want to get riped off
 
#8 ·
Your a lot more likely to need to replace the fronts long before the rears. When I did my brakes my front pads were needing to be replaced but my tears had over 50% left. The front is what does the majority of the stopping.

BavAuto.com has some excellent DIY videos on changing your own brake pads. Quite educational and would give you a better insite into what is done.

DIY Video – BMW and MINI Brake Pad and Rotor Change – Brake Job | Bavarian Autosport Blog

On BMW parts and BMW OEM auto parts online it lists the following:
"Genuine BMW" pads: $151 (front)
Jurid pads: $116
Textar pads: $76

"Genuine BMW" pads rear: $87
Jurid: $65
Textar: $60

Now, here's the funny part. Both Jurid and Textar are the OEM suppliers of brake pads for BMW. Those $151 brake pads are just re branded Jurid pads.

It then lists Genuine BMW front And rear rotors at $99. ATE rotors are listed at $82 front and $77 for the rear. I'll let you do the rest of the math :)
 
#9 ·
ok now i feel like the guy was trying to rip me off because he said the rear brakes were the ones that needed to be replaced and my front brakes were still ok for a bit but still needed to be replaced as well so hmmmmm he sounds not to reliable now and oh wow thanks for all the help i go ahead and order the parts i need to save money since its obviously cheaper to buy the parts myself :)
 
#10 ·
It really is cheaper to do it yourself. The cost of the tools required can be offset within a year. Or in the case of my three vehicles (E36, truck, wife's van) I can offset the costs in months. On just my E36 I have saved $1,500 in labour costs alone.

The rears are usually cheaper because they do less braking. So if he's telling you that and wanting to charge that much I would go seek out a second opinion.
 
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