Thoughts on brake pads - BMW 130i

Thoughts on brake pads - BMW 130i

Author
Discussion

narbles

Original Poster:

119 posts

72 months

Sunday 5th April 2020
quotequote all
Looking to track the 130i after lockdown. Never done it before and don't know how many times I'm likely to do it again afterwards.

For first day I'm thinking to spend on following:

The track day
Helmet hire
Insurance

Car is well maintained and will have rbf600 fluid in brake lines.

So is it worth shelling out on something like yellow stuff pads for around 170 ish or will some OEM brembo or similar pads be up to the task for about 100 less?

I've read stories where people burn through oem pads during the day itself and other stories where oem was fine.

Be interesting to here people's thoughts on this.

The track is likely to be mallory park, Bedford or donington.

E-bmw

9,106 posts

151 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
Yellow stuff are not worth 1/100th of the additional cost over OE, they start to crumble apart after even just a few laps & I personally never managed to get a full day out of them.

If it is a one off try out I would say fit fresh new proper OE pads for the start of the day, do short runs of 2 or 3 laps, let your brakes cool down properly for a full lap of cruising with zero braking before coming in, check them at the end of every session and above all take tools & a full fresh set of front pads in case they are looking sad by the time to go home.

Any more than a one off taster get proper pads not Noddy EBC plasticine pads.

pikeyboy

2,349 posts

213 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
EBC pads are ste. Get some mintex 1155 or ferrodo ds2500, these are a proper brand not that boy racer EBC crap. Other brands are available too like carbon lorronne and pagid but will be more expensive.

narbles

Original Poster:

119 posts

72 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
Not a lot of love for EBC Yellowstuff... thought they might be okay for £170 all around over OEMs rather than spending £300+

I've had a quote on some PFC Z Rated pads for not much more than the EBCs. May go for these as some research shows these are held in higher regard?

Most advice seems to suggest OEM pads (and EBC) will disintegrate after the first few laps...

PGNSagaris

2,926 posts

165 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
Avoid ebc

I have DS2500’s on my 130i. As long as you don’t spend more than 25 minutes on track and do a religious cool down lap, you’ll be fine.

Mintex also good, have them on the Caterham and Pagid’s on the race cars. Also recommended.

Have a good time on track. They’re great little cars


narbles

Original Poster:

119 posts

72 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
Thanks and great picture! Where do you go for your pads on the 130i? Finding there are limited options, main place being Demon Tweeks.

Red 5

1,021 posts

179 months

Monday 6th April 2020
quotequote all
I loved the Yellow Stuff on my 130i for road use!
They were OEM like when cold.
When the oem pads would be too hot and failing, the Yellows were just getting into their stride and offered retardation the oem never could. Feel and precision was fine too.

(I know people with other cars, where they were awful from the outset, even on road)

The thing is though, I only tracked them on the ‘Ring, which isn’t hard on brakes like a short UK track for brakes.



E-bmw

9,106 posts

151 months

Tuesday 7th April 2020
quotequote all
narbles said:
main place being Demon Tweeks.
There are 1,000,001 race car suppliers out in t'interweb-land that have more choice than Demon Tweeks.

Just identify your pads, go to the manufacturers web site & find suppliers, they will pretty much all have a "dealer finder" or similar on the web page, although how many are open for business right now may be another issue.

Circuit Supplies & Balance Motorsport being my usual go-to outlets.

Andrew-b90y3

183 posts

67 months

Tuesday 7th April 2020
quotequote all
When I did my first track day OP I had a set of Pagid RS 29 pads fitted in the front (Oem in the rears) and I honestly find that the brake feel with these pads when they are warmed up is amazing.

From what I’ve read they’re expensive and mine squeak a fair bit with gentle road use but they can stand up to a proper bashing and be absolutely fine!

I run them in a 330ci to so similar car OP!


rallycross

12,747 posts

236 months

Saturday 11th April 2020
quotequote all

If its your first track day and your car has decent front pads with more than 50% pad material left on the pads just use what you have and see if you enjoy it before spending money.

If you do change them mintex, brembo, anyhting OE spec should be ok, uprated fluid to dot5-1 or better is a good idea.


I used these guys for pads for track and race over the past few years always do a really good price and wide stock, cheaper than D/T.

https://www.jjcraceandrally.com/

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/EBC-Yellowstuff-Uprated...





narbles

Original Poster:

119 posts

72 months

Sunday 12th April 2020
quotequote all
Thanks all for replies, I bit the bullet and just bought decent pads. Found discounted pagid RS14 for the front and got brembo high performance off ECP for the rear. 150 all in.

Edited by narbles on Sunday 12th April 11:13

DanMateX

15 posts

130 months

Saturday 18th April 2020
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road track and race parts aka George Smee is good for a lot of brake enquiries

C70R

17,596 posts

103 months

Monday 20th April 2020
quotequote all
Red 5 said:
I loved the Yellow Stuff on my 130i for road use!
They were OEM like when cold.
When the oem pads would be too hot and failing, the Yellows were just getting into their stride and offered retardation the oem never could. Feel and precision was fine too.

(I know people with other cars, where they were awful from the outset, even on road)

The thing is though, I only tracked them on the ‘Ring, which isn’t hard on brakes like a short UK track for brakes.
Yellowstuff really seem to draw polarising feedback.

I've read lots of horror stories about them on here and owners' club forums.

I've also read threads, like the one on here where the bloke (very) successfully sprints an RX8 wearing them, that disagrees with that.