Zero Cost Maintenance
 

I swapped out my winters for the OEM's since the X is going back today and noticed the front brake pads are really thick compared to my 07. That prompted me to view the service in the computer for front pads. The computer read 60k miles till front pad replacement. HAHA that is what I call zero maintenance from BMW cost side. As it stands, 3 oil changes, a few sets of wipers and maybe back brakes (if the computer is correct at 30k). So that sets them back like 200-300 bucks... That is too funny.

I think people are all over the board on when the brakes need to be serviced based on their driving conditions, climate, city vs. highway, etc. I know my e53 I think I went through pads every 30K miles and rotors not too much longer than that.

Agree that pad change intervals depend a lot on the driver.

But at the same time, I wouldn't put any stock in the computer reading until it gets closer to the pads being worn out, or at least half worn. The brake pad sensor is a two-stage sensor on the E70, with a trigger for partly worn, and a second trigger for time to replace. Apart from those hard-wired triggers, the computer estimates mileage (for the distances between the trigger points) based on brake usage. I think the default at the start is 60,000 km on my 535. After 3.5 years of driving (with no hard brake use) the computer is still showing 60,000 for the fronts. When it hits the first trigger it will jump to a half-life measurement. My rear sensor is showing around 30,000, even though the rears are worn less than the fronts.

I am not saying the computer is correct and understand that it depends on driving conditions. My wife can burn up a set of break in 1/2 the time i can. My point is that BMW is trying to avoid having to do maintenance on their dime. My 2007 X5 4.8 pads did not look nearly as thick as the ones on the 2011. I have never seen 60k intervals for brakes on any of my last 5 BMW's. I just think that BMW is using thicker pads which will only be small % more expensive at the factory and pushing the replacment beyond the 50k mark. If this is the case, they have more than enough data to figure out that 3mm-5mm thicker pad saves them money on maintenance over the life of every X5 sold.

just got new front pads yesterday and the idrive says I'm at 34k till replacement. 20k miles on odometer and rears say 8k left (fronts had said 14k but had a problem with them hence the replacement).

So what's the avg mileage for pads anyway?