Brakes Pads

[Jrf786]

Hey guys, I need new brake pads. I was wondering if any of you knew which type of brake pads to go with? I dont know whether to go with OEM, or somethign aftermarket. I was looking at Bav Auto and they have C-Tech and Pagid brakes. I've also heard somethign about Axxis brakes somewhere on this forum.. anyway, I was wondering what do you guys recommend. Do I go OEM or do you guys know of something better?

EDIT: Can a mod fix the title fo me? I dont wanna seem like a COMPLETE dumbass :P

[Eric S.]

Originally posted by Jrf786@Jun 11 2005, 06:56 PM
Hey guys, I need new brake pads. I was wondering if any of you knew which type of brake pads to go with? I dont know whether to go with OEM, or somethign aftermarket. I was looking at Bav Auto and they have C-Tech and Pagid brakes. I've also heard somethign about Axxis brakes somewhere on this forum.. anyway, I was wondering what do you guys recommend. Do I go OEM or do you guys know of something better?

EDIT: Can a mod fix the title fo me? I dont wanna seem like a COMPLETE dumbass :P

[snapback]352733[/snapback]

There are many differing opinions, but here's mine:
1) I liked OEM brake performance OK, but I hated the almost instantaneous dust build-up on my rims.
2) I did my research and bought a set of Axxis "Deluxe Plus" pads. I am VERY happy with them. By my seat-of-the-pants they perform almost identically to OEM pads, yet create about 90% less dust! My wheels are cleaner after 2 weeks with these things than they were after 2 days with the OEM pads!
3) You probably ought to replace your brake rotors when replacing pads. The bad news is that the good old days of "lifetime" rotors are gone, particularly with state-of-the-art brakes like BMW's. The good news is that E39 rotors are relatively cheap. I got a set of all 4 OEM-type (non-drilled) genuine Brembo rotors from getcoolparts.com, for a mere $194, shipped to my door.
4) If cosmetics matter, you'll need to spend more (over $200/set for just the front rotors to start) to get plated rotors that don't rust. Mine looked good for a couple of weeks at the hubs, but then started to oxidize (just like the OEM rotors had done). Some hi-temp black paint fixed that, but permanently shiny hubs would've been cool too.

PS - THE source for the brake pads is Zeckhausen Racing at www.zeckhausen.com. Dave Zeckhausen is an absolute wiz and will personally handle your order. Further, he is very open with advice and experienced opinions. To me, he is truly an example of buying more than just the parts, but also "smarts" when you buy from him.

I hope this helps!