Rear brake pads and rotor replacement cost

[Go-Blue]

I live in the Dallas area. I have a 2015 X5 35i. A car repair place wants 580.00 to replace just the rear brakes. Is this a fair price??

Thanks

[Qsilver7]

Did you compare it to BMW Value Services offered by your local BMW dealerships?

If you're unfamiliar with this...BMW has been offering competitive service pricing for BMWs older than 60 months & out of warranty. You can check if any local BMW dealership's at the following link. Just enter your zip code and then select any a dealer and enter your model/model year. If you have more than one dealer, I recommend checking them all because they may offer different pricing and/or different services: https://bmwusaservice.com/valueservice

Comparing your local BMW dealership's pricing to local Indy's pricing should give you an idea...especially if you look up the cost of the parts required to DIY. You'll see the cost of the labor vs just the parts.

[Clifton]

Originally Posted by Go-Blue

I live in the Dallas area. I have a 2015 X5 35i. A car repair place wants 580.00 to replace just the rear brakes. Is this a fair price??

Thanks

Is that using BMW parts or aftermarket?

I'd say the price is fair, but I'm betting that quote is using OEM/aftermarket brake parts. Which you could DIY for easily half of that figure.

Guessing the line items to get to $580:

Labor: 1-2hrs book time @ $120-$150/hr
Rotors: $75-$100/each
Pads: $50-$100/set
Brake Wear Sensor: $15-$30
Shop fees & supplies @10% of total

[Amsterdave]

Seems fair, maybe slightly high for aftermarket parts.
I went with Brembo rotors/brakes last time around, they were a bit cheaper. I had tried Zimmerman first, but they gave me horrible squealing. The Brembos have been good, but perhaps a bit dusty.

The service specials @Qsilver7 mentions above are not that much more expensive than your indy quote, perhaps worth considering with OEM parts.

[Clifton]

Originally Posted by Amsterdave

I had tried Zimmerman first, but they gave me horrible squealing. .

Funny you mentioned that. I just did rotor/pads all 4 corners on an Audi Q5 for a friend. Used Zimmerman w/Textar pads, which is a recommended combo by multiple sources. It was $423 shipped to me from FCP Euro.

My friend complains to me about the brake squeal which had me wondering if it was the pads or rotor, or even the combo of both.

[Amsterdave]

Originally Posted by Clifton

Funny you mentioned that. I just did rotor/pads all 4 corners on an Audi Q5 for a friend. Used Zimmerman w/Textar pads, which is a recommended combo by multiple sources. It was $423 shipped to me from FCP Euro.

My friend complains to me about the brake squeal which had me wondering if it was the pads or rotor, or even the combo of both.

It was so bad, my mechanic ordered a second set, which did the same. Then he ordered the Brembo set and it was completely silent... He ended up having to do my brakes three times, yet only charged me for the one..

EDIT: Here's how bad it was with the brand new Zimmermans: https://streamable.com/n2be5y

[jfandl]

If you're handy (and have somewhere to do the work), I'd consider learning it yourself. Brakes are actually quite easy to do on most cars, including the F15. It's one of the biggest ripoffs or money makers for mechanics for so little work.

You can have the rotors turned (usually only once) by a shop or some of the O'Reily's auto parts have a brake lathe. They cost about $15-$18 per rotor.

If you replace the rotors, it's even easier because you just simply remove the old ones, install the new pads and put it all back together. I can do my rear brakes in about 40 minutes with new rotors.

[suitedcboy]

Brakes have many factors to consider. The manufacturer wants low noise, acceptable wear, and reasonable pedal pressure to stop vehicle with no power assist working to reuce pedal effort. Dust is low on the list or not on the list. Low noise and low dust are readily available but high pedal force w/o working assist is a low score. Rotors figure into this too as soft rotors give lower effort and better stops but rotor wear i greater and distorted rotors is a higher risk. Aluminum rotor hubs reduce unsprung weight for better suspension and steering response and cost more and many do not drive in a way to ever feel the dialed up handling benefit for those rotors. Tracking a vehicle makes for a whole nother level of choices.

[tlow98]

Weird about the Zimmermans. I used them on all four corners with OE BMW pads and they never make a peep.

Never tried the OE knockoff pads on this car yet

[acmurda]

Originally Posted by Amsterdave

It was so bad, my mechanic ordered a second set, which did the same. Then he ordered the Brembo set and it was completely silent... He ended up having to do my brakes three times, yet only charged me for the one..

EDIT: Here's how bad it was with the brand new Zimmermans: https://streamable.com/n2be5y

That is horrible. Will definitely stay away from that set up. Thanks for sharing

[M302_imola]

Originally Posted by tlow98

Weird about the Zimmermans. I used them on all four corners with OE BMW pads and they never make a peep.

Never tried the OE knockoff pads on this car yet

I think OEM brake pads are the key to the no squeal. I got burnt once on my older E46 M3 going with aftermarket pads. Had them on for 2 weeks and that's all the squeal I could take. Installed new OEM pads and no squeal. I've learned my lesson.

[Clifton]

Originally Posted by M302_imola

I think OEM brake pads are the key to the no squeal. I got burnt once on my older E46 M3 going with aftermarket pads. Had them on for 2 weeks and that's all the squeal I could take. Installed new OEM pads and no squeal. I've learned my lesson.

Data point #1 - factory pads: I get low speed brake squeal on cold mornings backing out of the garage. Annoying, but has been there for 40K miles of ownership. My 2014 was the same way - BMW states pads are working as designed. I'm sticking with factory pads on the next round of pads, I just wish they weren't so dusty.

Data Point #2 - aftermarket stuff: I've had bad luck in the past too with aftermarket rotors on an E36 M3. Lots of runout and brake shake until I switch back to factory. BMW rotors, while expensive, give less headaches.

[M302_imola]

Originally Posted by Clifton

Data point #1 - factory pads: I get low speed brake squeal on cold mornings backing out of the garage. Annoying, but has been there for 40K miles of ownership. My 2014 was the same way - BMW states pads are working as designed. I'm sticking with factory pads on the next round of pads, I just wish they weren't so dusty.

Data Point #2 - aftermarket stuff: I've had bad luck in the past too with aftermarket rotors on an E36 M3. Lots of runout and brake shake until I switch back to factory. BMW rotors, while expensive, give less headaches.

I get the same cold squeal. Drives me and my wife crazy. Oh well, at least it's not constant.

[Steeem]

Was quoted $740 from an Indy shop in north east just for rear breaks (pads/rotors/sensors).

[tlow98]

Originally Posted by M302_imola

I get the same cold squeal. Drives me and my wife crazy. Oh well, at least it's not constant.

Had this happen on the e90. BMW pads but with centric rotors.

But going back to bmw or Zimmerman rotors didn’t have an issue.