Quote:
Originally Posted by persian54
Why do you expect the E9x M3 to have an upgrade now? It's an older generation. They stopped giving a damn about it already.... if they made something available for it, then less people would sell their e9x's and go out to buy F30s. The whole point of offering something new and better in their incoming model is to make it sell and sell, nothing more.
Also, for those who don't have M3s, you may not know this, but the stock E9x M3 brakes are complete crap unfortunately. I do agree that an upgrade should have been available, but they weren't doing these type of upgrades... We're lucky they even developed the M perf exhaust.
Furthermore, don't compare brembos that are designed to work on a Hyundai to the brembos that are aftermarket and designed to work on the M3.
If you truly think that the e9x m3 brembos that retail for $8k (who pays retail anyways?) are identical to the brembos that are put on the Hyundai, you are mistaken.
I'm not saying the Hyundai ones are bad, nononono. But they're designed for that car's weight and specs etc etc.
Do you really think it "degrades" the brembo brand by having it put on a Hyundai? If so...then.... wow...
a BBK will not necessary make a car stop that much better; you need to match it with a graet pad compound along with some great tires.
Take a E9x M3 with stock calipers, rotors, and lines, put a set of race pads on their with RS3s or SS/RE11/AD08s...all up to temp of course
Compare it to an E9x M3 with a Brembo 380mm 6/4 system with stock Brembo pads and cheap tires (like Hankook v12s, Conti DWs, heck even the stock PS2s).
Which car do you think will stop faster?
Now, the stock system will produce more fade, get hotter etc etc... but I'm sure you get my point that just having bigger brakes isn't going to do it all.. it's the package really.... a BBK set up with great pads and tires, now you're getting some where.
I upgraded to StopTech pads, lines, and fluid in my stock system first; then got a Stoptech Trophy BBk with the StopTech pads (same compound that was on my stock system), and now changed the pads to Endless pads. It wasn't until I changed the pads that I truly noticed an improvement in stopping power.
Does this mean that since my BBK retails (again who pays retail..) for close to $8k with pads that retail for about $1k... means my car is better and thus mean I'm better than those who don't have such an awesome brake system? I didn't know I upgraded parts to be better than people... I just wanted to make sure I could make consistent high speed stops with a little less worry.
I agree with the poster who mentioned he'd rather have boring looking brakes that performed better than shiny ones that didn't... function over form... but if you want form over function, then simply go paint your stock calipers, it'll make the more noticeable.
Anyways, if I misunderstood you James, than my apologies for that; but to my understanding... you feel that, as a $75k M3 owner, you're, more-or-less, "better" than the person who bought the "child" 328i....
Again, if I misunderstood, than I apologize for it in advance.
/small rant
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Well I can agree with your first post. Why would BMW offer an upgrade for a product that has stopped production.
But I think you are missing the point of "flashy" brakes. For one, Brembo is brembo. There is 6 piston, 4 piston, 2 piston. Depending on the car for which Brembo was chosen as the stock brakes from the factory, each one performs great and they look nice. I own a beautiful 335XI that sees 19's in the summer, I have big brakes that perform well, but they look like shit. It's an ugly piece of hunky aluminum. Same would go for the M3. Why would you produce a high end car with such shitty looking brakes?
I owned a highly modified STi before. Most were like the people here, wanting to throw out the stock Brembo brakes for "new" ones. As you mentioned in your posts, there is a lot that you can do to increase the potential for any braking system. For me, I swapped the pads with Ultimate Axxis Pads, Goodridge steel brake lines, DBR4000 slotted rotors, and ATE Super Blue High Performance Brake Fluid. My car would stop on a dime, you wouldn't believe the difference. And I didn't have to spend $4,000.00 on a new and better braking system when I had one. The benefit to that car is that I had Brembos that already looked great and completed the look of the vehicle.
I can do what I did to the STi on the 335XI. I'm going to start with the rotors, lines, and new fluid. But once I get that up to par I still have shitty looking brakes. I personally prefer the beautiful teal blue ProjectMU calipers, but they don't make them for BMW evidently. Bottom line is to complete the look of my vehicle and what I want, I'm going to have to go out and buy some new calipers. Yeah, the current system is great, can be upgraded to achieve a brake system that is track worthy, but it'll still look shitty. Most high end braking systems will out perform the stock system. I'm not sure what $2,500+ braking system would look great and not function. As I explained above, and as you did in your post, it's the whole package and what you piece together that will give you one of the best peforming brake systems.
And I agree with you, just because someone owns a $9,000.00 braking system doesn't mean they are better than anyone. I guess if you got the cash to blow go for it. Even if I had the cash I would never pay $9,000.00 for brakes. That's a little steep.