Brake pads advice for 2003 3.0I
 

It's about time to replace both front/rear pads. Is stoptech better than axxis or they are similar? I'm am looking at to have the Indy to flush the fluid too. What else is worth to replace while he is there?

Dont do aftermarket brake pads. You will regret it. Get original pads from bmw parts department.

Check your pad wear sensors. There are 2, front left and rear right.

I like the feel of the BMW original pads but they produce so much dust. I'm currently running on Axxis Ultimate on E53 and E46 and they seemed to work great. They have excellent bite, good pedal feel, and low duct.

OEM is best. theyre soft and bed really well, no risk of rotor warping. the dust is an aesthetic issue but one id rather live with than faulty braking..

The specialty bmw shop [mostly Ms] in Cincy who sold me my E53 put Akebonos on the back as part of the pre-sale prep. Smooth, quiet, little dust. I expect I will use them when I do the front, probably due late summer .....

Bavarian Autosport has tested BMW pads for over 40 yrs.........


Brand-------------BMW------Mintex-----Brembo-----Pagid R-----Cool Carbon

Low Dust----------Fair-----Excellent---Excellent---Very Good------Good

Low Noise----Very Good--Very Good--Excellent---Excellent----Very Good

High Friction--Very Good----Good-----Very Good--Very Good----Excellent

Fade Resistance-Good------Good------Very Good--Very Good---Excellent


As you can see there ARE better choices then BMW OE pads.

Cool Carbons have lower dust, same chance of noise, Higher co-effecient of friction and higher fade resistance.

I've been running Cool Carbon on my X for almost 6 months now (OE pads prior), they excell in EVERY aspect when compaired to OE. More inital bite, unreal linear response both cold and hot (25% pedal pressure results in 25% brake force, 50% pressure is 50% brake force, 75% pressure is 75% brake force, 100% force is ABS intervention in this example)

Had Akebono Euro on my '05 E46 330i perf pkg 6 speed, less inital bite, non-linear response, could fade them in 7 hard stops from around 100 mph (track days in Sebring, FL) and they squealed when not driven hard in temps below 50 deg F.

Switched the E46 to Cool Carbon, WAY more inital bite, linear response, could NOT get them to fade (was out-late-braking ///M3s at Sebring in 100 deg temps, a few other drivers came over after 2nd session and wanted to know how the hell I was out braking them with OE rotors/calipers, the ///M spec cars were fading)

BavAuto has dozens of testamonials on their site from owners, they SWEAR by Cool Carbon after using almost every pad on the market.

Cool Carbon designs/tests/develops/manufactures in Germany. N'burgring and Autobahn driving. They ONLY produce pads for BMW, Porsche and StopTech.

Even with drilled/slotted rotors they're silent.

On my 2003 3.0, I used Axxis Deluxe Advanced. I prefer them over the Axxis Ultimates. Used the same pads on the 535 from new. I would buy them again. I used the same pads for years prior to the X5, under the Repco/PBR name.

I'd also go with the Axxis Deluxe over the Ultimates. Ultimates wear out the rotors faster. Deluxe is similar to stock pads except less dust.
All pads are going to make similar amounts of dust, the color of the dust is what's different.
I've also heard good things about Cool Carbon. Just be glad you don't have an iS, those are much harder to find a decent selection of pads or rotors.
BMW pads are great for the street if you don't mind the dust. They are horrible on the track, but that's what racing pads are for. Except for the noise, dust, and cold feel, I'd run racing pads all the time...:)

Axxis should be fairly local for you, so maybe your pricing should be best for those anyway.

Yeah, dust color is lighter and less noticable. Cool Carbon uses a hollow caramic (other ceramics use solid ceramic pellets, CC developed a hollow pellet to keep heat in check better), brass and carbon. The dust is a tan/straw color.

These pads MUST be bedded correctly to deposit a "transfer layer" of pad materal onto the rotor, and re-transfer layered every few k miles if not used hard regularly.