Choosing new brake pads...
 

Just looking for a good OE replacement. Front ones are starting to go, figured I'd just do all four. Any recommendations? Don't need anything crazy performance wise, just a good solid, reliable set, maybe a little better than stock. Should I just go with the EBC red stuff, as I've read most people are going with?

Sorry, let me be more precise since this topic has been beaten to death. I have a 3.0 (unfortunately). Getting front and rear pads. Drive aggressively, but not enough that I need out-of-this-world stopping power. Also don't want to chew threw my rotors anytime soon.

Its between EBC redstuff, and the axxiss XBG's/Metal Masters.

Shoot.

A good, solid, reliable set of pads, no damage to the rotors, decent performance.....that is the definition of the OE pads. Go stock IMO. Any pad design represents a series of trade-offs. If you want a little better performance, think about what you are willing to give up to get it.

Very good point thank you. Sticking to OE then. Any suggestions on where to find them, or the closest thing to OE

Dealer, or ECS Tuning, or Pelican Parts.

Pad Brands
 

Anybody hear of or use NPN pads? Says they are made in North America. Also are Pagid pads any good?

I use ATEs on both Xs, they dust a lot but no complaints about the stopping power. They used to be (one of the) OEs for BMWs at some points in the past but no idea if that is still the case......

Went with OEM.... stick to what you know if your not sure I guess

oem FTW

Good call on OEM. I read that you will or should, only get two sets of pads per disk anyway.

Pagid I believe are the manufacturers for BMW.

Nothing wrong with the 3.0. It is near bullet proof :thumbup:

OEM...nasty dust. I've always gone with Axxis/PBR Metal Masters...same performance, less cost, and better feel than OEM. I've never used EBC's, but I've been using MM's for as long as I've started owning BMW's and never once had issues with them.

...that dust is annoying as hell!

BMW is switching to dust-less pads from 2010 and on.
It's not because of complaint from owners, which have been going on for years, it's JD-power low rating by some new "convert" that finally wakeup BMW. These converts are ole Lexus, Benz owners who are not used to see that much dust on BMW wheels.

My 2011 335 virtually has no dust after 4 weeks. So it's possible for BMW to chose the correct OEM, I just hope there will be new part number for my 2008 535i, I need to change these soon and not wanting to play musical chair on brake pads anymore.

So glad they decided to make that change, in 2010.......

I've seen brake dust catchers..... now I've never seen them, so i have no idea if they are "rice" or not, or if they just look flat out dumb.

I too am having to change the brakes on my 05 X3 3.0l. Has anybody tried the Akebono's? I had installed them on my last vehicle and they lasted 60k before I sold the vehicle for the BMW.

Also, any recommendations for rotors?

Thanks in advance!

If you search for Akebono you'll see the concensus that they are good pads but less bite compare to Hawk or OEM, especially the initial bite.

This is from my own experience among these three pads, as far as rotors I am using vented Brembo rotor with Akebono on my X5, they are fine for my application.

The brake pads, rotors, etc are the same between the 3.0 and 4.4. OEM may finally be making the switch, but MM's and other brands are still cheaper and will still probably be a better pad all around.

Can someone chime in, I had these pads before from previous owner and he gave me these boxes, Im not sure which ones they are... I would like to get another set cause the OEM fronts making my wheels look black... sorry for the big pic..

Im I still ok to switch them out, brakes where done two weeks ago, but I havent driven it much.

Thanks
http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/3545/pbr2.jpg
http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/3372/pbrw.jpg

^ PBR and Axxis are basically the same company, so I would say those are probably the equivalent to the Axxis Delux pads which typically get good reviews here.

You can also search online stores for the differences between pad types. I installed a set of those on my mother's 328ci and they work well also. I just avoid stock pads since they're so dust heavy and sometimes pricing.

I went with Textar, which is a german mfg and rated as OEM quality by Autohaus. No idea if that is true, but I didn't feel like paying the BMW mark-up for brake pads which seemed to be close to 100%. I picked up Brembo Rotors to go with them, which were 1/3 of the cost of the OEM rotors for the 4.6is even via wholesale mail order.

I just wanted to know which ones match the previous ones i had. Are they Deluxe Advanced pads (formerly called Axxis Deluxe Plus)?

Yeah, I am pretty sure they are the same as the Axxis Delux Advanced pads.

AXXIS BRAKES - Deluxe Advanced Ceramic

Yes (as FSETH said above).

PBR (Patton Brake Replacement) was an Australian company. It is an OE supplier to Ford, GM, VW, and many others. It has partnership agreements with companies such as Bosch, Bendix, Delco/Delphi, Girlock, and so on. For their aftermarket business in the US, they appear to be restricted from using the PBR name, due to those partnership agreements. So, they invented Axxis as a trading name for aftermarket parts, only in the US. They are called PBR/Repco in many other countries.

I used PBR/Repco brake pads successfully for years in Canada, but the supply here is limited now, and it is easier to get the Axxis brand from the US. Same thing.

The PBR Deluxe Plus was the same as the Axxis Deluxe Plus. Axxis states that the Deluxe Plus has been renamed Deluxe Advanced.

I got mine at www.zeckhausenracing.com.

Thank you guys :)