[Anton_RU]

Hey everyone!
I am looking into upgrading stock brakes on my 435i. Unfortunately, I didn't order the M sport brakes option when ordering the car and I regret it ever since. I am not planning to track the car, but the reason I want more powerful brakes is that I often drive in Germany and with high speeds over 200km/h the stock brakes don't do their job good enough.
So I first started looking at aftermarket brakes (Brembo and StopTech) but their price here in Europe is so high that I am now inclining towards M Performance brakes. However, I have few doubts about them:
1) Are they a lot better than the stock 435i brakes? Is it worth it?
2) I read a lot of threads where people complain about unpleasant noise from the brakes. Most probably it's happening because the rotors are only partly holed, so the air doesn't circulate through the rotors. The question is - is it inevitable?
3) Finally just a cosmetic issue - my car is Saphire black with OEM 19" wheels. I am not really a fan of colored calipers, but with the M Performance they are either orange, yellow or red. I am inclining more towards red. What do you guys think? Also another option is to paint the calipers gloss black (the color of the car) - I never saw anyone doing that, but in my opinion it might look pretty good, without attracting too much attention to the calipers.
I would really appreciate your opinions and advices as well as sharing experience of using M Performance brakes!
I am attaching a picture of the car with the stock brakes for now.

[435iFanatiker]

I think the red would look good with the black car.

I've regretted not getting the M Sport brake kit on my 435i as well, and am also considering the M Performance brake kit. I'll probably go with the yellow on my silver car.

[Zahl0s]

Red will be perfect. I also want to install the M performance brakes and I'm going to buy the red one for a minerlagrey 4.

[oceanview]

Originally Posted by Anton_RU

1) Are they a lot better than the stock 435i brakes? Is it worth it?
2) I read a lot of threads where people complain about unpleasant noise from the brakes. Most probably it's happening because the rotors are only partly holed, so the air doesn't circulate through the rotors. The question is - is it inevitable?
3) Finally just a cosmetic issue - my car is Saphire black with OEM 19" wheels. I am not really a fan of colored calipers, but with the M Performance they are either orange, yellow or red. I am inclining more towards red. What do you guys think? Also another option is to paint the calipers gloss black (the color of the car) - I never saw anyone doing that, but in my opinion it might look pretty good, without attracting too much attention to the calipers.

1) Better. Especially in wet braking conditions!
At the front, you can use either the M Performance Brake Pads or the one which are currently originally installed. The M Performance Pads have a soft bite when touching the brakes. I like that, because it allows soft stopp at low speed (city stop and go). The original pads have a more agressive initial bite (As I read in this forum)
Is it worth it? About 4K is quite an investment. If you keep the car just for a short time, probably not. I personally LOVE them! I just don't like the brake dust.

2) You only hear that, while driving with a window down and in a tunnel or where the noise gets reflected from a wall. It never annoyed me. It's a soft "tz tz tz tz tz" sound. It's in no kind noisy for the other people outside on the street.

3) Red on Black? Like VW, Skoda, Audi, Honda Civic
Well it's your car! But they all do red!
I can offer you a view on orange on saphire black:
http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/alb...ictureid=47192

[Anton_RU]

Originally Posted by 435iFanatiker

I think the red would look good with the black car.

I've regretted not getting the M Sport brake kit on my 435i as well, and am also considering the M Performance brake kit. I'll probably go with the yellow on my silver car.

Thanks for the opinion!
Yeah I think on your silver car the yellow brakes will match perfectly!

[Anton_RU]

Originally Posted by Zahl0s

Red will be perfect. I also want to install the M performance brakes and I'm going to buy the red one for a minerlagrey 4.

Don't you think it's a bit overused to put red brakes? In my opinion it has become too popular, everyone does it.. But of course it depends on each person's taste!

[Anton_RU]

Originally Posted by oceanview

1) Better. Especially in wet braking conditions!
At the front, you can use either the M Performance Brake Pads or the one which are currently originally installed. The M Performance Pads have a soft bite when touching the brakes. I like that, because it allows soft stopp at low speed (city stop and go). The original pads have a more agressive initial bite (As I read in this forum)
Is it worth it? About 4K is quite an investment. If you keep the car just for a short time, probably not. I personally LOVE them! I just don't like the brake dust.

2) You only hear that, while driving with a window down and in a tunnel or where the noise gets reflected from a wall. It never annoyed me. It's a soft "tz tz tz tz tz" sound. It's in no kind noisy for the other people outside on the street.

3) Red on Black? Like VW, Skoda, Audi, Honda Civic
Well it's your car! But they all do red!
I can offer you a view on orange on saphire black:
http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/alb...ictureid=47192

Thank you for your detailed reply!
Exactly, I also think that red brakes have become overused, every model that pretends to be "sporty" paints the brakes in red.
What do you think about painting them gloss black while keeping the logo? I have never seen it but in my mind it should look quite good.
P.S. Your orange brakes look really good with those 20" wheels!

[Dang3r]

I'd considered also to change to performance brakes but the 4K are big beef to swallow. But I would choose blue and not because I have a blue car. Consider Foliatec paint if you couldnt find a proper color, as long as the calippers are not mounted you're be able to paint them any color you want.
Hence Im not a speed tourist like you I could drive every time as fast as I would because I live here :P

[kemiksiz]

3-) I'd definitely avoid from RED Go for orange if y ll keep em oem.
Otherwise some tones of gray or navy would not be a bad idea imo

And I'd not go for black coz you will pay a fortune and you want them standed out there!

[Anton_RU]

Originally Posted by kemiksiz

3-) I'd definitely avoid from RED Go for orange if y ll keep em oem.
Otherwise some tones of gray or navy would not be a bad idea imo

And I'd not go for black coz you will pay a fortune and you want them standed out there!

Thanks for the advice!
I agree, red is old fashioned a bit
Maybe black is not such a bad idea? I am sure they will stand out, thanks to the slotted/dotted brake discs, bigger rotors themselves and also the logo that I plan on keeping will do its job

[kemiksiz]

I'd love to see it any way if its not RED!

What about ur OEM wheel specs & tyre specs? Any idea?
Cheers

[Anton_RU]

Originally Posted by Dang3r

I'd considered also to change to performance brakes but the 4K are big beef to swallow. But I would choose blue and not because I have a blue car. Consider Foliatec paint if you couldnt find a proper color, as long as the calippers are not mounted you're be able to paint them any color you want.
Hence Im not a speed tourist like you I could drive every time as fast as I would because I live here :P

Yeah, if choosing from all the available colors - I would go for blue as well. But it doesn't exist in blue for M Performance.. Therefore if they are to be painted - I guess I would go with black color!
Yeah 4K is too much, I agree. Got a nice deal, as a friend work at Bmw, the total price would be 2800 CHF (2600 Euros). Still need to negotiate about the installation cost though

[Anton_RU]

Originally Posted by kemiksiz

I'd love to see it any way if its not RED!

What about ur OEM wheel specs & tyre specs? Any idea?
Cheers

Understood

The OEM wheels are 19 inches 442M 8.0 front and 8.5 rear. Tyres are 225/40/19 and 255/35/19.

Planning to install wheel spacers 10/12 mm next month!

[kemiksiz]

Yap, would be much more better, because thye are narrow one which can not fill the fenders well!
Great car, drive safe!

[Anton_RU]

Originally Posted by kemiksiz

Yap, would be much more better, because thye are narrow one which can not fill the fenders well!
Great car, drive safe!

Thanks! I just read your built thread, you car looks really great! Do you mind if I ask something about taillight? You wrote that one of the hidden codes was unrevieled, like DRL taillights. Does it mean that now your taillights are on even when it's in Automatic mode? Because when mine is in Automatic - the taillights are always off and I noticed it's the same on all F-models. This is a bit annoying, I was looking everywhere how to change it to make the taillights be always turned on. Is that what you have now?

[kemiksiz]

Yap Its easy job, I did not do it by myself but I'm sure people here will help u

[Dang3r]

Originally Posted by Anton_RU

Got a nice deal, as a friend work at Bmw, the total price would be 2800 CHF (2600 Euros). Still need to negotiate about the installation cost though

Yes, the pure buying costs are only 2600,-, but add the labour costs and on top in Germany the change of papers after major modification, there you would reach 4K within a blink of an eye

[Anton_RU]

Originally Posted by Dang3r

Yes, the pure buying costs are only 2600,-, but add the labour costs and on top in Germany the change of papers after major modification, there you would reach 4K within a blink of an eye

Wow crazy! no need to change papers here in Switzerland in case of upgrading to M performance brakes. Yeah, the cost of installation could be high as well, thanks god I have a friend who is a mechanic at BMW, hope we can do it outside of working hours or something

[Anton_RU]

Originally Posted by kemiksiz

Yap Its easy job, I did not do it by myself but I'm sure people here will help u

Yeah, I hope so! I'm new to the forum, so just learning how it all functions here..

[oceanview]

Originally Posted by Dang3r

I'd considered also to change to performance brakes but the 4K are big beef to swallow. :P

Probably the best *price* source to get them in our area:
http://www.leebmann24.de/bmw-m-perfo...r-f30-f31.html (I can recommend them as an online shop)
€1'600.-
plus 330.- for the rear rotor
plus install? Assuming around €600.- to €1'000.-

So you could be in below 3'000.-

[oceanview]

Originally Posted by Anton_RU

Thank you for your detailed reply!
Exactly, I also think that red brakes have become overused, every model that pretends to be "sporty" paints the brakes in red.
What do you think about painting them gloss black while keeping the logo? I have never seen it but in my mind it should look quite good.
P.S. Your orange brakes look really good with those 20" wheels!

See my post above:
you can get them for about € 2'000.- (including 19% German VAT, which you get back from them when they ship to Switzerland. Naturally you pay shipping and Swiss VAT. So finally you look at the same cost, but delivered to your house.)
http://f30.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...5&postcount=20

Black is a fair option, but I would ask a paint shop if the can repaint them so it will last for long. (best is you wont see the nasty brake dust on the caliper )

Thanks for the flowers on my setup. Yellow/Gold was also in my mind, but finally decided to get the orange as real eye catcher. They perfectly fit with the bi-color 405M rims. However on my winter setup with 18" plain silver rims the yellow/gold would also look great.

[techwhiz]

Originally Posted by Anton_RU

Don't you think it's a bit overused to put red brakes? In my opinion it has become too popular, everyone does it.. But of course it depends on each person's taste!

Here is a not so silver (Arctic Metallic) with the yellow.