My brake pad warning cable tripped this morning, and I was just wondering how much pad I have left. Basically, do I rush out now and replace them or make an appointment when convienent?

 

What is a brake pad warning cable? Is it something other then the standard warning metal piece that squeels when the pads hit a certain wear point?

 

The Cooper has a small sensor that is worn away when the pad hits replacement thickness - it must be renewed when replacing the pads.

To answer the original question - as long as it's convenient within a month or so you should be fine. Given that BMW recommends replacing the rotors along with the pads, you don't risk ruining anything, but then again, stopping power would be compromised if you were braking with metal on metal.

 

I was hoping to just get the rotors resurfaced, as they've only got 50k highway miles on them. Any advice on aftermarket pads?

 

You may have about 1 week of brake left if it is the front pad, and several weeks if it is the rear.

I'd replace to rotors rather than resurface them. It is not hard to do, and they aren't that expensive if you go with unslotted ones (I got Brembos for around $35-$40 per wheel. Then you reduce the risk of warping.

Definitely do a search on the aftermarket pads questions. There have been several threads over on the Tires and Brakes forum that address this.