[PinkNinja400Guy]

Does anyone know:

1) The thickness of new, unused OEM brake pads

2) The remaining thickness at which BMW considers the pad to be consumed (and eligible for replacement under the paid BMW maintenance plan)

Thanks for the help

[streborx]

My '22 M50i's MSport pads measure 12mm after 3K miles (mostly highway), which I consider still new. I think 12mm is fairly standard across all cars and pads.

If you're out of warranty, a dealer will likely tell you that you need new pads and rotors at 6mm. If you're still in warranty, you'll be told the rotors are fine and there's still plenty of life left in the 2mm pads (unless the wear sensors have triggered an alert).

You can find one of these brake pad gauges at Harbor Freight or from Amazon for about $12 -- well worth the money.

[Tinbad]

Based on my CPO inspection sheet, BMW considers 3mm and under to be needing replacement. I remember reading somewhere that they are 12mm when new.

And true, they will only replace pads if it’s on their dime while if you go in for an out of pocket brake job they will tell you to do both pads and rotors.

[PinkNinja400Guy]

Thanks for the replies. The dealer measured mine as part of their inspection with my first oil change (@ 9200 miles). I'm at 10mm fronts and 9mm rears. Looks like my rears may go out before I hit 3yrs/36k... maybe also the fronts depending on how I drive.

[streborx]

Originally Posted by PinkNinja400Guy

Thanks for the replies. The dealer measured mine as part of their inspection with my first oil change (@ 9200 miles). I'm at 10mm fronts and 9mm rears. Looks like my rears may go out before I hit 3yrs/36k... maybe also the fronts depending on how I drive.

On a MB forum, a G63 owner reported he was due for a $13,000 brake job after 28K miles. I replied that meant it had cost him 29 cents per mile to make his car go and 46 cents per mile to make it stop.

[Tr4ckD4ys]

I'm at 7mm front and back after 22k miles on my '22 X7 M50i. I'm actually okay with how the brake wear is evolving, considering the size and weight of this thing + towing jobs I've done.

[Ex_Stig]

Originally Posted by Tinbad

And true, they will only replace pads if it’s on their dime while if you go in for an out of pocket brake job they will tell you to do both pads and rotors.

My experience has been different. For my wife’s 2020 X7 M50i I had the extended maintenance plan and they replaced both pads and rotors when the pads wore out.

[MPower10s]

Originally Posted by Tinbad

Based on my CPO inspection sheet, BMW considers 3mm and under to be needing replacement. I remember reading somewhere that they are 12mm when new. And true, they will only replace pads if it’s on their dime while if you go in for an out of pocket brake job they will tell you to do both pads and rotors.

Agree here. I was told by an indie shop that I needed all new pads and rotors at 36k miles, which I think is believable due to weight and mileage, front pad sensor was going off. Take it to bmw, they say full brake job will be 3.5k, so I buy the maintenance plan for $3.6k and they only replace the front pads. No rear pad sensor yet, hoping that goes off soon and will drive as much as possible before maintainance plan runs out in April ‘25 so I can get full brakes replaced. Kinda annoyed.

[beemerb0y]

Originally Posted by streborx

My '22 M50i's MSport pads measure 12mm after 3K miles (mostly highway), which I consider still new. I think 12mm is fairly standard across all cars and pads.

If you're out of warranty, a dealer will likely tell you that you need new pads and rotors at 6mm. If you're still in warranty, you'll be told the rotors are fine and there's still plenty of life left in the 2mm pads (unless the wear sensors have triggered an alert).

You can find one of these brake pad gauges at Harbor Freight or from Amazon for about $12 -- well worth the money.

This.

On their dime, 4mm is out of spec and will change the pads, MAYBE turn the rotors

On your dime, at 6-8mm they'll tell you to get pads, rotors, fart filter change, etc

[Orient330iNYC]

Originally Posted by beemerb0y

This.

On their dime, 4mm is out of spec and will change the pads, MAYBE turn the rotors

On your dime, at 6-8mm they'll tell you to get pads, rotors, far filter change, etc

you forgot the fuel system cleaning, trans flush, muffler bearing replacement, and blinker fluid flush