Reckon I've saved myself about £600 today!
Discussion
I knew it when I bought it a couple of weeks ago as the seller told me he was advised by the BMW Maindealership who had just carried out an Insp II about 4 weeks before that the brake linings were getting low.
Sure enough the other day the "Check Brake Linings" warning came on.
I didn't want to compromise on quality but didn't want to end up spending a fortune either...I only do 'normal' driving. So I didn't buy the 'cheapest' I could but decided, after a bit of reading, to go for Jurid all round .
I decided to get the parts (front and rear discs, pads and sensor) and to do the job myself.
I did a bit of research and went with an Ebay seller who was selling genuine Jurid rear discs and pads and after speaking to him on the phone he informed me that he could also supply fronts competitively. The difficulty was my March 2000 540i Touring build date falls right on the cusp of a change in the front brake discs...and it's not clear from realoem.com which is correct for my car. He couldn't have been more helpful in contacting his local BMW dealer himself to ascertain the correct ones yet also indicated if they turned out to be wrong he'd pay the DHL delivery back for the exchange.
The parts arrived within less than 24 hours.
I fitted them today...took me most of the day as I'm a 'slow' mechanic plus I always paint the hubs, edges and vanes with VHT to help them to stop rusting...and had a bit of a delay in trying to get the rear discs off as I had to wind back the handbrake shoes as even with it off the discs were still catching.
Anyway...job done, the parts were perfect including the correct front discs! Took it for a small drive to start bedding them in and the car is braking perfectly!
I then tried to tot-up what this would have cost me if I'd gone Main-Dealer route...and used the meticulously kept records of the previous owner. Even based on some of the bills being some years ago I've calculated I've done the same job with the same parts...and saved myself at approx £600!!!
If anyone is approaching that point where they might need these parts drop me a line via my website and I'll give you the chap's details on Ebay. I have no vested interest but sometimes I think these days especially when there are so many 'wasters' around that when someone is trying hard to make an honest living and does make a bit of "an effort" they should be commended and helped.
Derin
http://www.bmwclassics.co.uk
Sure enough the other day the "Check Brake Linings" warning came on.
I didn't want to compromise on quality but didn't want to end up spending a fortune either...I only do 'normal' driving. So I didn't buy the 'cheapest' I could but decided, after a bit of reading, to go for Jurid all round .
I decided to get the parts (front and rear discs, pads and sensor) and to do the job myself.
I did a bit of research and went with an Ebay seller who was selling genuine Jurid rear discs and pads and after speaking to him on the phone he informed me that he could also supply fronts competitively. The difficulty was my March 2000 540i Touring build date falls right on the cusp of a change in the front brake discs...and it's not clear from realoem.com which is correct for my car. He couldn't have been more helpful in contacting his local BMW dealer himself to ascertain the correct ones yet also indicated if they turned out to be wrong he'd pay the DHL delivery back for the exchange.
The parts arrived within less than 24 hours.
I fitted them today...took me most of the day as I'm a 'slow' mechanic plus I always paint the hubs, edges and vanes with VHT to help them to stop rusting...and had a bit of a delay in trying to get the rear discs off as I had to wind back the handbrake shoes as even with it off the discs were still catching.
Anyway...job done, the parts were perfect including the correct front discs! Took it for a small drive to start bedding them in and the car is braking perfectly!
I then tried to tot-up what this would have cost me if I'd gone Main-Dealer route...and used the meticulously kept records of the previous owner. Even based on some of the bills being some years ago I've calculated I've done the same job with the same parts...and saved myself at approx £600!!!
If anyone is approaching that point where they might need these parts drop me a line via my website and I'll give you the chap's details on Ebay. I have no vested interest but sometimes I think these days especially when there are so many 'wasters' around that when someone is trying hard to make an honest living and does make a bit of "an effort" they should be commended and helped.
Derin
http://www.bmwclassics.co.uk
Every little helps, especially when you're spending as much on cars as you are Derin 
By the way, I am hopeful for a delivery a week on Monday at the latest ... put it this way, the 525 goes onto storage insurance only then so fingers crossed that Michael has a good week and manages to finish the 8
By the way, I am hopeful for a delivery a week on Monday at the latest ... put it this way, the 525 goes onto storage insurance only then so fingers crossed that Michael has a good week and manages to finish the 8
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