Ok I know there are tons of opinions on brakes as well as other topics but I need to be swayed in one direction or another. I am due for rear brakes on my 2009 MCSa and am looking at going with slightly better than stock for similar costs.

The wife drives it mainly now in city traffic but she drives spirited. When I drive it, I like to go fast and stop fast, hence the look for aftermarket and not just OEM replacement. I do not track the car so that is not an option but one day I might do an AutoX, but not counting on it. I know the rears do not do the majority of braking and I am likely not going to feel a huge difference but why not make it better if I can at similar cost right?

PADS:
I think I am going with EBC Redstuff pads...unless I have a better reason to try something different (convince me, don't just tell me what you have and you like it, logical reasoning if you have it would be helpful). They are $82 so not cheap but if they don't dust as bad and work I am ok with that cost.

ROTORS:
Here is where I need help. Zimmerman is $110 a set from Way

TSW slotted is $110 from Way


Centric cross drilled and slotted are $64.79ea ($129.58 a set) from RockAuto.



What other choices do I have for OEM or better, possible slotted (not too sold on the drilled aspect as you hear of horror stories of cracking)?

Also, I have a local MINI only shop that carries EBC and stoptech stuff and he is looking into Centric rotors, particularly the slotted only (126.34094) and the crossdrilled and slotted rotors (127.34094).





So advice, I welcome it. Experience with these products is even more helpful. So thanks in advance guys and gals. I need rear brakes, what do I get?

PS I know I need a sesnor, so no worries there.

 

I can only comment on the brake pads. I presently have Hawk HPS pads on my wife's Mini and like you, I'm the terror of Colorado Blvd with her car (I've got Hawks also on my Challenger). The Hawks are awesome for their cost (rears are <70 fr the Mini). But if you want to go by numbers, I would go with the redstuff. I've read a number of reviews (and their numbers) and the EBCs always come out on top -- Popular Mechanics (or maybe it was MotorTrend) recently reviewed these. You can't go wrong with EBC and with it only being ~12 difference. That and I think the EBC may have slightly less dust value.

 

MINI brakes are pretty 'over engineered' and unless you plan to push well beyond street use a normal solid rotor is fine. What your local part store can provide is OK IMO - all disks are big chunks of smoothed steel so unless you need the cooling factor of drilled / slotted - which lessens the strength and surface area - stay solid. I usually just seek out a good price for plain Brembo's, but you can look for fancier ones where the edges won't rust and things like that.

For pads: I started running EBC green on my 02-S at the first needed pad change. I've liked 'em well enuf to continue on my 07-S where I pulled the OEM's as soon as I verified the EBC's fit. I've 38,000 on EBC greens on the 07 now, and I still see at least 30% pad left.

p.s. here's a front brake on the Ferrari 458 I was driving in Tahoe a few weeks ago . . . what do you see?



I see a 200+ mph car with very small holes in large disks but no slots

curious .... are you needing rear brakes b4 fronts?

 

If you can get redstuff for 82 dollars you are getting a good deal they are normally around 100. Do all 4 at the same time just because.

 

I figured if I was going to go for something "better" I would rather just slots and no holes.

Well the pads are 82 but shipping is 8 so $90 OTD. The local MINI shop said he could meet or match anything online.

To answer both of these, the fronts were covered under maintenance but I am at 40k miles now.

 

I would change them together with the same type of pads so that you don't get different braking forces front and rear. Could possibly cause undesired effects.

 

Regular Powerstop blanks are about $52 and the pads are $90 locally. I think this might be the route I am going, no need for "better" rotors on the rear if the fronts are stock crap. When I do the fronts, I will go with a "better" style and pads I think.

 

Another vote for the lowest cost rotors from a quality source without holes or slots. The holes and slots are for gases that you will not have to deal with on the street. Most rotors "are big chunks of smoothed steel" (very good point from Capt_bj).
NAPA rotors are good and low cost.
However, check your current rotors and make sure it needs to be replaced. Why spend money you don't need to.

Pads, I have been using Hawk ceramic. I don't see much good said about them on this site but I think they feel very much like stock and don't dust hardly at all. YMMV

 

Watch the if the rotors still look good thing. Just cause they look good doesn't mean they are. Resurfacing them is not advised as they are a little on the thin side. Plus it is better to do rotors and pads at the same time so that the pads can form to the rotors better and not wear out faster on the old rotors. But hey its not my MINI you take the risk if you want.

 

It definitely needs rotors too. I will be replacing those at the same time.

 

I agree on the 'looks good' standard is not at all good.
I also agree resurfacing is not a good option any more because of how cheep the rotors are.
However, if you measure many times the rotors are still good. I have helped with more than one brake change when the owner expected to change rotors and did not need to. Just my $.02

 

I have personally seen my rotors glow red before, it's worth changing them in my mind.

 

I got Zimmerman rotors and EBC Green pads from autopartswarehouse.com for a great price and shipping was quick but strange. I live in VA. The rotors arrived 2 days later from a Maryland warehouse. The pads a week later from California.

Brake Disc Zimmermann Coated Brake Disc Cooper|S Zimmermann Coated
Price: $ 41.95 Qty: 2.00 Part #: W0133-1781695

Brake Pad Set EBC Brake Pad Set Cooper|S EBC
Price: $ 73.27 Qty: 1.00 Part #: E35DP21931

 

Got all four Zimmerman cross drilled rotors and EBC redstuff brake pads from WMW. $617 about a month and half ago. Thought that was reasonable.
Oh, really love 'em as well. My MA sad that was an excellent upgrade from the stock S rotors and pads.
They will definitely stop ya.

 

Thanks all. I will get my order in next week.