Just joined this forum to find out what's up with my 2008 Mini Cooper S needing new front brakes at only 17000 miles! As you can see by my low miles, I only drive my Mini for pleasure. I live in Denver CO. and I usually only take my Mini out to drive the mountains and on the highways (very little stop and go city driving. I don't drive my Mini hard at all. The brake sensor came on and I have had it checked and it does need new brakes. Is it normal for the front brakes to wear out this fast? Do I automatically need to change the rotors too?
Welcome to M/A! Sounds like you are indeed using your brakes more than you think. Especially on those mountain drives. I would replace the rotors also if you went down to sensors.
Brakes are usually covered under the free maintenance period, right? You should be able to bring the car into the dealer and get new pads and a checkup.
The free maintence is only good for 3 years 30,000 Isn't it? Unless you or original owner bought an extended maintance warranty... Sounds like someone is riding the brakes more than they think they are. I got about 38,000 miles out of my original front brakes.
:cornut: My Margi's(08 BRG R56 MCS/JCWm) front pads were changed at~20kmi. MINI of Dallas(great trustworthy dealership with great people) said that MINI pads are organic(tree hugger pads?:lol and as such don't last as long as most non organic pads. So I changed to after market pads and they're lasting considerably longer. Jason
If you are doing a bunch of canyon carving the cycling of the DSC will also cause excessive pad wear. Replaced the CMS brakes at 13k and 28k under maintenance warranty.
Driving in the mountains can be very hard on brakes. Is your car a Manual or an automatic? Automatics typically go through brakes faster than manuals do.. Welcome to M/A....
If you ride the brakes they will wear out fast. If you drive your Mini fast it will run out of gas faster.
:wink::wink::wink: If you do The Dragon high speed hard braking with RedStuff pads when they should have been changed to YellowStuff pads, they'll wear out in minutes to hours.:cornut: Jason PS Welcome to MA!
Hahahahahaha the funny thing is both sets failed before I went to the Dragon. I only swapped out the last set when I got to the Dragon.
I can't say I've done very much "canyon carving". My drives have been mostly up and down I-70 to Glenwood and straight highway to Estes. I've went over a few passes but not much. I'm always very conservative on brakes usually getting the maximum life out of them. I never ride the brakes. I lived off I-70 in the mountains for 10 years and know where to coast where everyone else is applying the brakes. I used the paddle shifts to slow down (it's an automatic). Just went to 66k on my 08 Honda CRV's front brakes and that's my everyday driver that is in stop and go traffic everyday. I've had a Porsche, two RX-7s and a couple of Audis that I drove way harder than this car and got the maximum brake life out of them. That's why I'm so perplexed. Could it be that the DSC is malfunctioning somehow and applying the brakes too much? The dealer and two indi service shops both told me that it's not unusual to see this but every other Mini owner I know has gotten around 35 to 40k or more out of their first front brakes and many of them are real canyon carvers.
That is kind of perplexing seeing as you are an experienced mountain driver who knows how to downshift. Since you need new brakes I'd recommend going with a higher quality aftermarket pad. Ten people will chime in soon with their recommendations.
:cornut: The aftermarket pads that I use on Margi(08 BRG R56 MCS/JCWm) are EBC RedStuff. They last much longer than OEM pads, they bite better, stop quicker and are low dust. Now to be fare, DaveO. recently had problems with 2 different sets of RedStuff @ the Dragon and has gone on to a different brand. He'll be along shortly and tell you what that brand is. Me, I'm staying with RedStuff. Great pads and I've never had a problem with them. Jason
OK. So I got new front brakes and rotors for $393. Is that a good price? They used Akebono pads. It was the cheapest I could find from a good shop. New wrinkle, they say that I need back brakes as well! sensor is just cutting into rotor. They told me I would just need to replace the pads, not the rotors for $211. Does that sound right?
Eli, you got a good price on the akebono pads, rotors and labor, they are sold by a few resellers of MINI items here and the other MINI forums. For a low cost pad, they do the job. I suspect you will go through them in 18-25K again, what rotors did you put on the 08, rotors and pads vary in quality, the lower quality will wear faster in my opinion. If you don't mind, what shop did you use? I can point you to a couple of local shops that are MINI experienced for your next visit for brakes or other MINI work. Yes, if your rear sensor is worn and the pads are cutting into the rear rotors, you should replace rotors and pads. What is the total mileage on your MINI, you mentioned 17K, is that the total miles since 2008? Don
I went to what used to be called the 5601 Garage. Since they moved they are now called the Arvada German Garage. Had several Mini and BMW owners recommend them to me. Front brake sensor went off at about 16k with 3mm pad left. Schomp (the Mini dealer) said my back brakes still had 40% left. Took it to a independent shop (Paddock) and they said I could drive another 2k before I needed to put fronts on. Said backs looked OK. I've driven it about 2k so I have a little over 18k on it now. It's a 2008 so I haven't driven it that much. I don't drive it hard and drive it mostly on highways in good weather. Today after fronts were put on, they couldn't clear the service light. They looked at rears and said although they look OK from front angle, if you look with a mirror you can see sensor just cutting into rotor. Said if I change them now, I won't need rotors, just brake pads.
Akebono makes great pads for DD cars. I used to run them before EBC Reds and Carbotech 1521's. The Akebono's don't chew up rotors like race pads but the also do not stop and dust like race pads. Akebono is low dust and stops like an OEM pad.
I've used Akebono pads on our Subaru's & have a set on my MINI now. It is a very good pad, but not a track or Dave O. pad. :smilewinkgrin: