akfirepro

My rotors need to be replaced badly and I am planning on doing this myself. I found a great DYI post on this site and am confident that I will be able to get the job done. I found some Zimmerman Coat Z rotors online for pretty cheap and was thinking about ordering them. Does anyone have any experience with these? Will they be ok? Unfortunately I am just not in the position right now to spend a ton of money on this project. Any info is appreciated. Will also be replacing the pads while I'm at it.

skeeter

Doing the brakes are very easy...If you've ever done brakes before its the same as any car...As far as which ones to buy, it's up to you...I know Trinity and Acute performance can get you some pretty good deals on brakes...You should hit them up!

healthservices

If you are looking for a stock replacement the Zimmermans are good rotors.

jgt

Just make sure you have the right tools and you should be fine. A torque wrench and a hex bit socket set are necessary. Good luck.

txag_530i

I just changed my pads and rotors- front and back. I used Zimmerman Z-Coats for all four wheels. I used Axxis ceramic brake pads which I've never done before, but I bought them cheap from a forum member who had sold his car. I also installed Zimmerman rotors on my wife's XC90 and they are still rust-free after 18 months.

In the past I've used Mintex, Ate (BMW OEM), Textar and Akkebono pads. I've installed Zimmerman, Ate, and Balo rotors for the various cars that I've owned over the past 20-odd years. There isn't any reason to install slotted and drilled rotors unless you plan on racing the car. Ceramic pads are great for low dust but the initial brake "bite" is less then the standard pads.

Try these sites for great prices and customer service:

http://www.fcpgroton.com/ (10% sale using the code pasted on the front of the web page, free shipping for orders $99+)

http://www.rmeuropean.com/ (free shipping for orders $75+)

http://www.autohausaz.com/ (free shipping for orders $50+)

http://www.pelicanparts.com/bmw/index.htm (free shipping for orders $75+)

Don't forget to buy the brake wear sensors (one front + one rear). I wouldn't recommend using the "Pex" brand of wear sensors as I found that they did not have the correct mounting grommets, etc. for properly installing them to the car. I don't know anything about the other commonly used brand of sensors, Bowa. The next time around I'm going to use the genuine BMW part. You'll also need to get the brake disc set screws and some brake grease, anti-squeel paste, and some anti-seize. The caliper pins require a 7mm hex driver which is not standard in most hex bit socket sets. It's a pain to have everything disassembled and then realize that you need some other stuff- ask me how I know!

You should be able to do all four wheels for less then $500. Good luck and let us know if you have any questions.