So I'm almost at 35k miles and was due for front brakes. Brought it into the dealer for service and since I'm still in the maintenance plan window, had em replaced. After seeing the service write up and inspecting the rotors it looks like they only replaced the pads, not the rotors. The rotors didn't even look resurfaced and nothing on the write up other than that the rotors were measuring 23mm. Is this normal practice with MINI? I haven't heard of any dealer not replacing front rotors when changing pads.

 

Yes this is normal if they are not warped or out of specs. The front rotors minimum wear would be 20.4mm. So yours are still plenty thick and within the specs.
It is common for OEM rotors to have the minimum thickness stamped on the rotor hub, so you could check this out also.

 

Thanks for the reply.

I've certainly heard of keeping the rotors but if they aren't swapped they are usually resurfaced or cut to ensure that the surface is uniform as grooves can develop. Should this have been done?

 

Consider getting new rotors and pads on your next replacement. I would look at something aftermarket and would consider doing the work yourself. MINI charges way way too much for brakes.

 

I had never really even considered the MINI dealer for any work after my free maintenance ends but since the brakes came due and were covered under the plan I obviously took it. Had I known that they wouldn't even have swapped rotors I probably would have not bothered and went with aftermarket anyway. Completely agree about MINI's prices, especially for brakes. At least now I won't feel so guilty if I don't keep these new pads on long and start looking at a bbk or better rotors/pads in the near future.

 

I would be tempted to take my micrometer to the parts department to measure a new rotor as I doubt it would measure 23mm. Of course it would be easy enough to measure yours too.

 

Burn those pads up then look for something new. No point in throwing away perfectly good parts. Also only get a BBK if you really need it. No reason getting one if you are just daily driving though it is nice.

 

Bbk is for track days. Te MINI is currently my dd but since we are getting another car, i will loom to more hpde's. The stock brakes seem fairly strong but I would like some more fade resistance. I might try as lines and ate fluid plus stronger pads, but if I'm spending the money anyway, then figure I might as well go for the bbk at the same time.

 

Edit: brake rotor thickness at the front end actually states 21mm and not 23mm. I mis-stated the 23 mm figure from memory. After reviewing the service write up it actually lists 21. Does this thickness still sound ok to not have been replaced?

The best part is that MINI puts the total cost that I was saved by the boot to bonnet maintenance program on the cover sheet and that shows $719. So $719 for new pads, some brake clean and a new wear sensor plus the labor to change those pads. That's just insane. Glad I know a good MINI specialist that I will be going to from now on after the maintenance program expires.

 

I haven't heard of any dealer not replacing front rotors when changing pads.

some thoughts/observations

* actually we've seen that popping up more and more the last couple of years. very true that in the beginning MINI seemed to always change rotors AND pads but not so any more.

* I've never seen anything from MINI in writing (is it in the Bentley?) but the 'word' has been since the first days that MINI rotors were not to be resurfaced at they were thin to begin with.

* I've done my own pads and rotors since my 02 days, and have done quite a few for other folks. I pretty consistently can get two sets of pads thru one set of rotors if the rotor has normal wear - no resurfacing.

* parts cost example: Way currently has a bundle of Zimmerman rotors and EBC Red pads for all 4 corners $525 shipped. IMO this is a good deal for street use - the rotors look very much like OE and my experience with REDS is a bit better than OE - my opinion.. I taught a guy how to do pads and rotors in a few hours last Friday .... and that included a stop for lunch. He was about 20 minutes a wheel for the last corner. (it was an 02 so no sensors to replace/buy)

 

The front rotors on my 2010 are stamped 20.4. (That's considered the minimum thickness.) When your new pads are ready for replacement, your rotors will probably require replacement. It's not unusual to wear through 2 sets of pads before replacing rotors.

 

+1, but times change. My rotors were done when the pads were, but if they swapped out the pads early, the rotors could still be serviceable.
Can't see the dealer leaving unsafe parts due to liability.

 

I have heard that MINI won't cut rotors as well. Either way, I can find significantly cheaper hardware that will be an upgrade. I'm leaning back toward EBC's if I don't go the bbk route. Stainless steel lines will need to be adde to the mix no matter what.