New pads - new discs too? (Mini) (Warranty?)

blun

blun

blun

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My wife's mini needs new front brake pads shortly (its a 2010 with 44,000 miles). There's a lip around the edge of the discs which feels like its about 1mm. The discs also look very rusty around the edges.

Do I need new discs and pads, or just new pads?

Mini value servicing suggests £259 for new discs and pads and I'm sure they'll say both need both doing.

Wondering if just pads will do the job, I can get some OEM equivalent or better spec pads and get the local VAT registered garage to fit them, so not affecting my Mini extended warranty.

Any advice appreciated
 
if it is just a 1mm lip then just change the pads. if you want to be accurate measure the disc thinkness with digital calipers and check the workshop manual for minimum disc thickness.
 
Teknobry said:
if it is just a 1mm lip then just change the pads. if you want to be accurate measure the disc thinkness with digital calipers and check the workshop manual for minimum disc thickness.
Click to expand...

If it is "Literally" 1mm each side

(IE the Disk is now 2mm below its new thickness)

Then in most cases it is likely to be borderline below minimum recommended thickness.

(And yes, there is a slight difference between recommended minimum absolute thickness and minimum recommended thickness when refaced or when fitted with new pads.)

The main risk with badly worn disks is that if you just fit new pads, then by the time the new pads wear down to the minimum there is a risk that the disks will then be so thin that the brake calliper piston will come so far out of the calliper that it might pop out completely and you lose all your brake fluid. Alternatively excessive travel can damage rear callipers with combined handbrake mechanism or make it difficult to retract the piston because you cannot get the retractor tool into the space.

I have seen all three of the above scenarios.

If you are that close to the minimum thickness I would replace the disks too, but yes, decent branded after-market components should be just fine
 
It looks like the front discs are 22mm and 20.4mm minimum thickness so looks like new discs are probably needed. Just need to decide whether to pay over the top for mini to do it, avoiding any future warranty claim issues.

The mini parts are nearly £200 even from their ebay shop - whereas I expect I can get identical non-mini branded ones for about £60 elsewhere !
 
Psycho Sonny said:
you might need new discs ask the garage. pads are cheap. for £270 i'd be expecting a full upgrade to some mtec's

http://www.mtecbrakes.com/

bare in mind it's probably worth changing the brake fluid too. get some decent stuff it's not that dear unless you buy racing fluid.
Click to expand...

MTEC brake discs are an upgrade?

A) They are cheap non factory drilled discs made for certain people who want to make their old 90s Jap car look sporty.
B) They're not actually that cheap to buy.
C) The only thing they offer over standard discs are increased pad wear and whirring noises when braking.
 
OP, the only way to know if they are worn is by measuring them, or by knowing what 1mm feels like. A lip doesn't mean they're worn, but a significant lip probably means they're getting close.

It depends how hands on you want to get with it. You can either buy quality (Brembo/Textar/ATE) parts and fit them yourself and spend £90 or so (most effort). You can buy quality parts and get a local garage to fit them and spend £150 or so (some effort), or get Mini to do them and spend £260 (low effort).
 
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