Brakes - Upgrade or Not?

F

Fred Smith

Active member
 South West Surrey
So, 2006 E86. Front discs need doing so time to think...

Assuming I don't upgrade the calipers, what pads and discs are the ones to go for?

I don't need to upgrade and likely won't, but what is a budget upgrade? I thin I've read about some 1 series (135?) brakes being better and compatible? Anyone got any comments, including on compatibility with different wheels.
 
BMW do the performance disc upgrade. Direct replacement, straight on.
Sometimes found on a deal on eBay via Vertu BMW. I have a set, they look great and are lighter too…
 

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Coming from a guy who installed the 135 monstrous 6 pots, DO IT!

Do I notice any performance difference? NO!
Was it worth the cost, time, and general faffery? NO!

Do they look the absolute nuts? OH BOY YES.!

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@Meds will the 345mm M disc go onto a non M with the standard 3.0si calliper and carrier? Or with an adapter?
 
RMB said:
@Meds will the 345mm M disc go onto a non M with the standard 3.0si calliper and carrier? Or with an adapter?
Click to expand...
I dont think so, to use 345 you'll need a carrier for sure as it's quite a size increase.
I know what's needed for the 135i calipers but unsure what's needed for the Si calipers.
 
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Fred Smith said:
So, 2006 E86. Front discs need doing so time to think...

Assuming I don't upgrade the calipers, what pads and discs are the ones to go for?

I don't need to upgrade and likely won't, but what is a budget upgrade? I thin I've read about some 1 series (135?) brakes being better and compatible? Anyone got any comments, including on compatibility with different wheels.
Click to expand...
Doing any sort of proper upgrade is going to be expensive and the Si brakes are perfectly good for ordinary driving. If it was me, I’d go for some pagids from Halfords and keep the cost down, but I know this won’t satisfy your blingometer.
 
Cheapest blank discs you can find and pad dependent on what you're doing. Worked well for me on track, so will definitely be enough on the street/canyons. I was on 3.0i brakes too, which were smaller than the 3.0si.

If you're doing any sort of track driving, go straight to full race pads. "Trackday" or "aggressive street" pads won't hold up at all.
 
Thanks everyone.

Have to say I am surprised how expensive even the cheaper upgrades are... and I am still in dilemma territory in terms of whether I want to keep my spending down on a cheap high miler (because buying nice things for a cheap car is silly) or whether a cheap high miler is precisely the car to upgrade, as opposed to a nice all original low miler which would be a crime to spoil!

Anyway, for now I think it's just discs and pads... and as I have a set of Brembo Prime pads (P06043 / 101 11 082A) lying around I think I might just get the matching Brembo Prime discs.
 
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