Finally got the brake replacement warning in my 2012 MCS. Sooooo ideally, I want a big brake kit. I can't afford that jazz new, so I'm looking at alternatives or just turning my rotors and replacing the pads (cheapest option). What I've seen are JCW swaps, but buying those new is ungodly expensive and it seems more worth it to just buy the Brembo BBK. Wilwood is the same way, pretty expensive. My third option is what I'd like to see if you guys have heard of or done personally: are there other cars that have a larger rotor/caliper that can be retrofitted to the R56? I'm thinking of junkyard BBK, and if they work that's a hell of a cheap way to go. Might still have to turn rotors and obviously get new pads, but if I'm planning on upgrading anyway I'd like to do so now instead of later. I'll keep looking too, and if I find anything else I'll update this post.

 

Couple options:
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...-kit-mean.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...56-brakes.html

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...y-brembos.html

 

I can suggest a good middle-ground before you go with a full caliper replacement: Centric High Carbon Plain 125 Series rotors and EBC Redstuff ceramic pads. This combo gained some popularity with the Mini crowd because it is a great bang-for-the-buck, provides really excellent stopping power for spirited driving, and it lasts way longer than the stock rotors/pads.

Of note: If your OEM rotors are made from the same garbage material as my 2009, then it has been highly suggested that you do not get them turned. Whether this is because of how soft they are or how little extra material there is I cannot say. But you might be severely compromising your braking power or shortening the lifespan of any new pads. Replace rotors and pads at the same time.

 

I only just got a chance to check out my pads yesterday. Somehow when I was resetting maintenance intervals on my dash, I think I triggered the brake sensor error. I figure this because when I took off the rear wheel and shined a light in there so I could see well, the brake pads look like they're not even halfway through their life-span.

As far as buying a legit made BBK for this car, it's not even an option for the cost. They run 1/3 or more of the value of my car and I saw a video showing a retrofit/swap from an Acura Integra that has to be modified slightly, but all parts in is around $5-700 (youtube milanmastracci). I'd still do a bit more research before going this route, but the company he uses to get the custom bracket is Fast Brakes and when I'm ready for this step I'll be talking to them for more advice.

Jacobarber, when my brakes finally are in need of replacement I'll likely go the route you're suggesting and I really appreciate the advice. Given the state of rust on my rotors, these are more than likely OEM so I'll take your advice and swap out with the ones you suggested. As far as the Redstuff, from what I understand about ceramic pads, they're not as good at stopping as other compounds. From your experience, have you tried other pad compounds that aren't ceramic on the same rotors? I know they have less dust, and that would be a plus but a minor one for me as far as stopping power and fade on the occasional track day. If they're almost the same in regards to those aspects I'll opt for them.

I also found PowerStop's brakepad/rotor combo to be a hell of a good deal, but I saw one video online showing the pad just crumbling apart and I've read they used to be good, but now they're not. I'd prefer not to have drilled or slotted rotors, so that would be one of the major downsides to the kit. Do any of you guys have any experience with them lately?

 

I got lucky and bought a JCW front brake setup someone was selling here pretty cheap. Definitely a big difference as far as stopping power and brake fade over time during hard driving. If you wait around long enough they do pop up, or you find a JCW that was wrecked someone is parting out.

Now, someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the 6 piston front calipers off the JCW GP are extremely similar if not the same as BMW 135i front calipers from the same year. I heard someone that had retrofitted them and just needed to file out the mounting holes to make them sit right.

The rears you don't really need to worry about. The JCW rear calipers are identical to the S calipers, just with a bigger disc and longer caliper carrier.

 

I've had PowerStop drilled & slotted rotors & ceramic pads (purchased on eBay) on my Jag for a couple of years now. No issues whatsoever and I love the fact that there's practically no brake dust. The ceramic pads provide every bit as good a stopping power as the original semi-metallic versions. Compared to what you're considering spending, they're a heckova deal. Now I will admit I don't drive the Jag the way I drive my MINI (spirited) but I don't baby it either.

 

Info above and more info here on those gp2 brakes vs the 135i ones.
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...in-here-3.html

 

Cooper48, thanks for the input - the age and usage don't help too much for my situation though. I'll definitely be working these brakes pretty solidly, and I think the complaints about Power Stop are from more recent than a couple of years ago. From other reviews around the time you got yours, they were apparently really good.

thebombardier, I have seen some JCW kits on marketplace, but they're still a little expensive; I don't remember how much, but if they're comparable to that $5-700 range when I'm in the market for them, I may go that route. When you say the GP brakes are the same as the 135i, are you talking about the original GP or the GP2? I saw the "retrofit upgrade kit" for GP2 brakes runs around $4k which is absurd for what I want to spend. Used versions of them are probably still in the new Wilwood price range, but I haven't come across any of those. I'll look into the 135i brakes or something similar too, because that sounds like it might be a good setup for (potentially) cheap.

ECS, I haven't gotten to read that far, but I appreciate the link so I can read into it more.

 

The 135i brakes and the GP2 brakes are effectively the same. The link ECS posted was to someone putting 135i brakes on an R53 I think, and they needed new dust shields and wheel spacers to make them fit, as well as filing the mounting holes on the caliper ~2mm. Skimming it it seemed they got the calipers for $600, but new rotors and pads put them well near $2k for the whole thing.

FWIW, I paid $400 or $450 shipped for my JCWs. Like I said those were just the front calipers and the guy threw in the stock lines, and pretty well worn rotors and pads.

 

 

Skimmed through to get a rough idea of what was there and I see a couple of good options and holy **** you weren't kidding at how long it is! I'll read through more thoroughly later. Thank you.

 

 

I use SP Performance Rotors on all my cars. The quality of the brakes and the customer service are second to none. I would highly suggest looking into them.

 

Oops, my bad. My Jag has been running PowerSport rotors/ceramic pads, not PowerStop.

 

I noticed that Autopart Stores have raised the prices of remanufactured Cobalt SS Brembos. When I did the thread above, and if you could find them, you could get a pair for $160 that included the core charge.

Have done a couple of Mountain Twistie runs with them and no issues. The rotors are so big that it does not take allot of peddle force to slow down in a hurry.

 

Good catch, that's a completely different company lol

 

Supply/demand. . . sucks for us trying to make things work in a tight budget, but it still might be cheaper than alternatives. Does the pedal pressure still feel linear? That's one thing I love about my current brakes is that they're extremely predictable. I get in other people's cars to drive and the brakes feel overly stiff or overly mushy and the pressure just doesn't feel right.

 

Goldilocks likes the Cobalt Brembos.

The big thing with Brembos is bleeding them and then bleed them again. I did mine three times and while doing so would rap them with a rubber mallet. Unlike the 135/GP2 caliper, the Cobalt does not require a machine shop to remove material from the bracket. The only thing required is the grinding out of the 1/16" so the 5 3/4 centers will work that you also have to do with the 135/GP2s as well. In the 135/GP2 thread here on NAM I do not remember where anybody made shims that I did. Those shims may be over kill as I cannot visualize the hub or the caliper deforming enough for movement but with the shim it removes the question.



O'Reilly's appears to have some rebuilt in stock and with a core included you can pick up a set for around $200.