2001 300Ci: Rotors shot after 53k miles?

Howdy,

Recently, my 2001 330Ci's brake lining indicator came on after
about 53k miles of happy driving.

I thought to myself, "no problem: the car needs new brake pads."

When I took the car to the dealer, they told me the front
rotors were "below spec" and had to be replaced. They said it
was "normal" for the rotors and pads to wear out at the same
time. $550 later, I had new front rotors and pads along with
a very uneasy feeling about the whole situation. Either
BMW brake hardware just sucks rocks, or this dealer had taken
me for a ride

I've never heard of rotors wearing down so quickly, and
needless to say I was shocked that my "Ultimate Driving
Machine" was tearing through rotors in just 50k miles of
driving. I've driven other cars much more agressively
(autocrossing regularly) for over 120k miles before the
brake rotors were in need of any care.

Is my experience typical? Do BMW brake rotors wear out
twice as fast as other auto brands? Or did my BMW dealer
pull a fast one?

Chris

> wrote
> Recently, my 2001 330Ci's brake lining indicator came on after
> about 53k miles of happy driving.
>
> I thought to myself, "no problem: the car needs new brake pads."
>
> When I took the car to the dealer, they told me the front
> rotors were "below spec" and had to be replaced. They said it
> was "normal" for the rotors and pads to wear out at the same
> time. $550 later, I had new front rotors and pads along with
> a very uneasy feeling about the whole situation. Either
> BMW brake hardware just sucks rocks, or this dealer had taken
> me for a ride
>
> I've never heard of rotors wearing down so quickly, and
> needless to say I was shocked that my "Ultimate Driving
> Machine" was tearing through rotors in just 50k miles of
> driving. I've driven other cars much more agressively
> (autocrossing regularly) for over 120k miles before the
> brake rotors were in need of any care.
>
> Is my experience typical? Do BMW brake rotors wear out
> twice as fast as other auto brands? Or did my BMW dealer
> pull a fast one?

Very typical wear - I replaced the pads/rotors on my '01 at about
50K or so, too. BMW specifies thin rotors to reduce unsprung
weight - that's just the way it is. Also the price is typical of what
BMW dealers charge. You should be aware that it's an easy
do-it-yourself job that the parts cost about $200 for.

Floyd

You've been had mate.


> wrote in message
...
> Howdy,
>
> Recently, my 2001 330Ci's brake lining indicator came on after
> about 53k miles of happy driving.
>
> I thought to myself, "no problem: the car needs new brake pads."
>
> When I took the car to the dealer, they told me the front
> rotors were "below spec" and had to be replaced. They said it
> was "normal" for the rotors and pads to wear out at the same
> time. $550 later, I had new front rotors and pads along with
> a very uneasy feeling about the whole situation. Either
> BMW brake hardware just sucks rocks, or this dealer had taken
> me for a ride
>
> I've never heard of rotors wearing down so quickly, and
> needless to say I was shocked that my "Ultimate Driving
> Machine" was tearing through rotors in just 50k miles of
> driving. I've driven other cars much more agressively
> (autocrossing regularly) for over 120k miles before the
> brake rotors were in need of any care.
>
> Is my experience typical? Do BMW brake rotors wear out
> twice as fast as other auto brands? Or did my BMW dealer
> pull a fast one?
>
> Chris

> wrote in message
...
> Howdy,
>
> Recently, my 2001 330Ci's brake lining indicator came on after
> about 53k miles of happy driving.
>
> I thought to myself, "no problem: the car needs new brake pads."
>
> When I took the car to the dealer, they told me the front
> rotors were "below spec" and had to be replaced. They said it
> was "normal" for the rotors and pads to wear out at the same
> time. $550 later, I had new front rotors and pads along with
> a very uneasy feeling about the whole situation. Either
> BMW brake hardware just sucks rocks, or this dealer had taken
> me for a ride
>
> I've never heard of rotors wearing down so quickly, and
> needless to say I was shocked that my "Ultimate Driving
> Machine" was tearing through rotors in just 50k miles of
> driving. I've driven other cars much more agressively
> (autocrossing regularly) for over 120k miles before the
> brake rotors were in need of any care.
>
> Is my experience typical? Do BMW brake rotors wear out
> twice as fast as other auto brands? Or did my BMW dealer
> pull a fast one?
>
> Chris

Dealer labour rates are horrendous, hence the big bill. Your dealer may have
been extracting the michael a bit with the labour charges though. My 2001
330dSE needed front discs (rotors) and pads at 50,000ish miles on the clock.
The parts cost UK£150, around US$275, and I fitted them myself in under an
hour.
They were almost in need of replacement, I might (if lucky and only gentle
use!) have got another 5 or 10 thousand miles from them but I was about to
go away on business for 3 weeks and do at least 2000 miles in that time so I
just replaced them.
Badger.

Badger wrote:
> > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Howdy,
>>
>>Recently, my 2001 330Ci's brake lining indicator came on after
>>about 53k miles of happy driving.
>>
>>I thought to myself, "no problem: the car needs new brake pads."
>>
>>When I took the car to the dealer, they told me the front
>>rotors were "below spec" and had to be replaced. They said it
>>was "normal" for the rotors and pads to wear out at the same
>>time. $550 later, I had new front rotors and pads along with
>>a very uneasy feeling about the whole situation. Either
>>BMW brake hardware just sucks rocks, or this dealer had taken
>>me for a ride
>>
>>I've never heard of rotors wearing down so quickly, and
>>needless to say I was shocked that my "Ultimate Driving
>>Machine" was tearing through rotors in just 50k miles of
>>driving. I've driven other cars much more agressively
>>(autocrossing regularly) for over 120k miles before the
>>brake rotors were in need of any care.
>>
>>Is my experience typical? Do BMW brake rotors wear out
>>twice as fast as other auto brands? Or did my BMW dealer
>>pull a fast one?
>>
>>Chris
>
>
> Dealer labour rates are horrendous, hence the big bill. Your dealer may have
> been extracting the michael a bit with the labour charges though. My 2001
> 330dSE needed front discs (rotors) and pads at 50,000ish miles on the clock.
> The parts cost UK£150, around US$275, and I fitted them myself in under an
> hour.
> They were almost in need of replacement, I might (if lucky and only gentle
> use!) have got another 5 or 10 thousand miles from them but I was about to
> go away on business for 3 weeks and do at least 2000 miles in that time so I
> just replaced them.
> Badger.
>
>
I hope this doesn't disturb this thread too much, but I had to ask about
the phrase "extracting the michael". I live in the US and am not
familiar with this phrase. Can you elaborate where it is commonly used
and what it means (although I think I've guessed the second part.)

Badger wrote:
> > wrote in message
> ...
>
>>Howdy,
>>
>>Recently, my 2001 330Ci's brake lining indicator came on after
>>about 53k miles of happy driving.
>>
>>I thought to myself, "no problem: the car needs new brake pads."
>>
>>When I took the car to the dealer, they told me the front
>>rotors were "below spec" and had to be replaced. They said it
>>was "normal" for the rotors and pads to wear out at the same
>>time. $550 later, I had new front rotors and pads along with
>>a very uneasy feeling about the whole situation. Either
>>BMW brake hardware just sucks rocks, or this dealer had taken
>>me for a ride
>>
>>I've never heard of rotors wearing down so quickly, and
>>needless to say I was shocked that my "Ultimate Driving
>>Machine" was tearing through rotors in just 50k miles of
>>driving. I've driven other cars much more agressively
>>(autocrossing regularly) for over 120k miles before the
>>brake rotors were in need of any care.
>>
>>Is my experience typical? Do BMW brake rotors wear out
>>twice as fast as other auto brands? Or did my BMW dealer
>>pull a fast one?
>>
>>Chris
>
>
> Dealer labour rates are horrendous, hence the big bill. Your dealer may have
> been extracting the michael a bit with the labour charges though. My 2001
> 330dSE needed front discs (rotors) and pads at 50,000ish miles on the clock.
> The parts cost UK£150, around US$275, and I fitted them myself in under an
> hour.
> They were almost in need of replacement, I might (if lucky and only gentle
> use!) have got another 5 or 10 thousand miles from them but I was about to
> go away on business for 3 weeks and do at least 2000 miles in that time so I
> just replaced them.
> Badger.
>
>
I hope this doesn't disturb this thread too much, but I had to ask about
the phrase "extracting the michael". I live in the US and am not
familiar with this phrase. Can you elaborate where it is commonly used
and what it means (although I think I've guessed the second part.)

wrote:
> Howdy,
>
> Recently, my 2001 330Ci's brake lining indicator came on after
> about 53k miles of happy driving.
>
> I thought to myself, "no problem: the car needs new brake pads."
>
> When I took the car to the dealer, they told me the front
> rotors were "below spec" and had to be replaced. They said it
> was "normal" for the rotors and pads to wear out at the same
> time. $550 later, I had new front rotors and pads along with
> a very uneasy feeling about the whole situation. Either
> BMW brake hardware just sucks rocks, or this dealer had taken
> me for a ride
>
> I've never heard of rotors wearing down so quickly, and
> needless to say I was shocked that my "Ultimate Driving
> Machine" was tearing through rotors in just 50k miles of
> driving. I've driven other cars much more agressively
> (autocrossing regularly) for over 120k miles before the
> brake rotors were in need of any care.
>
> Is my experience typical? Do BMW brake rotors wear out
> twice as fast as other auto brands? Or did my BMW dealer
> pull a fast one?

I would say the disks were replaced prematurely, but who knows? It is
highly dependant on what type of driving the mileage was (lots of stop
and go or more highway).

Typically, disks last at least 2 sets of pads. You should have asked
for the used parts back, then you could have readily measured the
thickness yourself to either verify the thoroughness of your dealership
in catching the early worn disks, or catch them screwing you by selling
you parts and labor you do not need. That way you could make up your
mind about whether to do business there anymore. As it is now, you will
never know until/if they attempt to screw you again...

-Fred W

"Tom Wright" > wrote in message
...
>>
>> Dealer labour rates are horrendous, hence the big bill. Your dealer may
>> have been extracting the michael a bit with the labour charges though.
> I hope this doesn't disturb this thread too much, but I had to ask about
> the phrase "extracting the michael". I live in the US and am not familiar
> with this phrase. Can you elaborate where it is commonly used and what it
> means (although I think I've guessed the second part.)

"Extracting the michael" = Taking the mickey, or:- taking the ****, having
a laugh at your expense, an attempt (usually successful) to appear serious
whilst spinning a line of bull.
Commonly used in the Uk, and most English speaking parts of the globe.
Badger.

Tom Wright wrote:

> I hope this doesn't disturb this thread too much, but I had to ask about
> the phrase "extracting the michael". I live in the US and am not
> familiar with this phrase. Can you elaborate where it is commonly used
> and what it means (although I think I've guessed the second part.)

Tom, all you neede to do was type "extracting the michael" into google.

http://www.antimoon.com/forum/2004/5522.htm

-Fred W

In article >,
Malt_Hound > wrote:
> I would say the disks were replaced prematurely, but who knows? It is
> highly dependant on what type of driving the mileage was (lots of stop
> and go or more highway).

IMHO, 50,000 miles is a good life for BMW discs. You like (presumably) the
good response so pay for it one way or another.

--
*Consciousness: That annoying time between naps.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.