Hi,

I have a 2008 Mini Cooper S with the sport package. My milage is around 22,000 miles. I've done vehicle check recently. The mini dealer suggested me to replace my two back pads, so I'd save my back rotors until the new pads wear out. They gave me a quote around $340.

Then I have another two local workshops check my brakes. Shop A suggested me to replace all four pads and rotors after they done the brakes inspection and measurement (quote $1000)! Shop B suggested me to wait until the sensor light on after they done visual check. But both shops thought my back pads should be good for a while.

Since I went to three places and got three answers, I wonder if anyone could give me an advice.

Thanks,

CC

 

Why not just check them for yourself? Easy enough. All that is required to check is to jack it up and pull the wheels, use a flashlight or drop light and look in the top of each caliper and see how much pad is left.

Since two of the three shops thought the rear pads were fine, I'd accept that. Waiting until the wear sensors tell you anything will mean that you will not only have to replace the pads but also the sensors for about $30 each (one front, one rear).

In general, since the front brakes do most of the work, you will go through front pads faster than rears. If the rears are wearing faster you might want to check to see that the rear calipers are moving freely and not hanging up.

 

btw the seat of the pants metric for pad wear is

when the pad material is thinner than the back plate, it is time to start thinking about replacement. You still have time but . . .

here's a nearly new pad with some white highlight on the backing plate


and here's a worn pad


Note also on these MINI pads, that the new pad has a visible bevel at the edge. If you can still see the bevel the thickness is more than the backing plate . . .

 

I check my brakes every time I rotate my tires (approx. every 5k miles) but if you don't want to get dirty, there are usually LOTS of places that do brakes and many of them offer free brake inspections. They can tell you how many millimeters of pad are left and you can compare that to the minimum pad thickness in a service manual.

 

Not knowing where you live (flat or hilly) or how you drive (fast or slow), but I'm betting all your brakes and rotors are just fine. You'd really have to abuse 'em to wear out pads and rotors after only 22k mi. and as stated earlier, the fronts should wear much faster than the rears.

 

For your time, you can replace all four pads for less than $300. Rears run under $100. Fronts run just over $100 ...

But, if your rotors are in good shape and still have life left, just replace the pads (front or rear depending on which is at or past the useful safe limit) and be sure to bed them in properly (there's a different pattern in matching new pads with used rotors vs. new pads and new rotors). Pad manufactures provide the bed in procedures for you to follow. It's (relatively) easy to do. You will need to borrow/buy/rent a brake spreader kit (rears don't push apart like the front, they twist back). For example: http://www.autozone.com/autozone/acc...ier=94798_0_0_