How do BMW M3 brakes compare with Brembo brakes?

[quickbmw]

I test drove an IS-F and was VERY IMPRESSED with its Brembo brakes. The feel and stopping power are really out of this world. Do the m3s brakes feel as good and stop as well as the brembos? Thanks

[Nawaaz]

I feel the M3's brakes are very good, but I've heard that they may suffer from brake-fade after intense track time..

You can't argue with the IS F's Brembos though.

[SUB-ZERO]

Originally Posted by quickbmw

I test drove an IS-F and was VERY IMPRESSED with its Brembo brakes. The feel and stopping power are really out of this world. Do the m3s brakes feel as good and stop as well as the brembos? Thanks

According to Motortrend tests, 60-0mph on an ISF is 108ft; the e92 M3 does it in 104ft. Not sure about fading with heavy track use.

-EZ

[SoreHead]

I never actually got to try out the IS-F in anger but I've been super impressed with the M3 brake in testing. They are stunningly effective. I don't know what they're like in track conditions however.

[niqui]

the m3 has amazing brakes for street use, amazing.
but, the complaints come from track use- they fade quickly.

[aus]

You have to be a pretty good driver to fade the brakes at the track.
BMW obviously skimped on the brakes on most of their cars, but it seems they've finally started to see the light. I just wish they would provide better ducting, which seems to solve the fading for most people.

[M3twins]

Speaking as a previous ISF owner and now an M3 owner, I thought the Brembos in the ISF felt just a bit better when being pushed really hard... I can honestly say that the overall drive quality, especially handling, in the M3 trumps the Lexus by a mile.. Just upgrade the stock M3 brakes to a nice set of Brembos and you'll have the best of both worlds!! Even with stock brakes, I'm still much more satisfied with the ///M.

[Sephiroth]

Just get some better pads for the track?

[SoreHead]

Just do track days that provide cars.
I did one in Thruxton for my 40th that started with Cayman S then on to F430 spyder (fuck me the noise is loud) and then finished with an LP640.

[Splinter4784]

Straight up, the m3 brakes are great but only for street use, they cant take much abuse, and after a canyon run or track day, those brakes are fried

[FrenchBoy]

The brake architecture, although it is a single piston design, is very good. The stock pads tend to fade at the track. I use Carbotech XP10 for my track days and I could not be happier with the braking. Strong and fade free after 30+ mins sessions.

If all you do is street driving even spirited, the stock setup is more than adequate.

[ScottyGams]

agreed... of my complaints, stopping distance is not one of them

[JCtx]

Originally Posted by SUB-ZERO

According to Motortrend tests, 60-0mph on an ISF is 108ft; the e92 M3 does it in 104ft.

That's good info, but not exactly an apples to apples brake system comparison, as tires and weight of the car have a lot to do with braking distances. If the ISF is heavier (I believe it is) and has less grippy tires (I believe that's the case as well), the 108ft figure would be more impressive than the M3's 104 IMO. Just being fair here. But one thing is for sure: for their size (and pad's size), the M3 brakes are phenomenal, but wish they were 6-piston (and 4 in the rear) brembos too .

[MysticBlue]

"Stopping power" of brakes at this level is pretty much irrelevent. Once you have brakes that can lock up the front wheels at speed (taking ABS out of the equation), stopping power of the brakes is not the determining factor for braking ability. Tire compound and size and car weight are. These brakes definitely have sufficient stopping power.
As far as track use and being fried after "canyon carving" as someone above said, well, that's a little over the top. I had no brake fade after four 20 minute sessions at PIR on an 85 degree day. And I was pushing it. If you are pushing it to a level where you get brake fade on a public road, I think you might need to rethink your priorities.
I have come to the conclussion (so far) that, considering the expense, you would have to be a pretty dedicated, and talented track rat (or have a lot of disposable money) to justify a brake kit. I could still change my mind with a few more track days under my belt in this car, and I could definetly see just changing pads and/or fluid for track days if you're really into that. I was prepared for brake fade, but never got any. In fact, as the day got warmer, the tires and pavement got hot enough that I could feel the difference in grip. Late in the day, I was having to adjust my braking points farther and farther back, but that definitely was not due to brake fade, it was grip.

[330CIZHP]

I think it would be apples to oranges comparison with your previous IS-F since you now have the Vert M3. The Vert M3 weighs 4000 lbs, which is a tad more than the IS-F (3850 lbs).

Now to make it a fair comparison, since IS-F is a sedan, it would be with the sedan or coupe. Both of which weigh 3600 lbs and undercut the IS-F weight by over 200 lbs. I am sure the braking efficiency must be better in the coupe and sedan.

Originally Posted by M3twins

Speaking as a previous ISF owner and now an M3 owner, I thought the Brembos in the ISF felt just a bit better when being pushed really hard... I can honestly say that the overall drive quality, especially handling, in the M3 trumps the Lexus by a mile.. Just upgrade the stock M3 brakes to a nice set of Brembos and you'll have the best of both worlds!! Even with stock brakes, I'm still much more satisfied with the ///M.

[swamp2]

Don't forget the Brembos on the IS-F are no at all close to the Brembos you would purchase as a BBK for any 300-400 hp sporty sedan. Just for example magazine testd have documented and shown the Brembos on the 350z are significantly worse in fade than no name OEM brakes on similar vehicles. I suspect the Brembos on the IS-F are of about the same grade.

[330CIZHP]

Definitely true. Actually, according to Nissan themselves, the 2nd generation G35 sedan standard factory brakes were significantly superior to the G35 Coupe equipped with the Brembo package.

Originally Posted by swamp2

Don't forget the Brembos on the IS-F are no at all close to the Brembos you would purchase as a BBK for any 300-400 hp sporty sedan. Just for example magazine testd have documented and shown the Brembos on the 350z are significantly worse in fade than no name OEM brakes on similar vehicles. I suspect the Brembos on the IS-F are of about the same grade.

[AZ-BMW]

Originally Posted by Splinter4784

Straight up, the m3 brakes are great but only for street use, they cant take much abuse, and after a canyon run or track day, those brakes are fried

By "fried" do you mean warped rotors?

[Lemans_Blue_M]

Originally Posted by AZ-BMW

By "fried" do you mean warped rotors?

He probably means the OE street pads we get are toast.

[gr8000]

Originally Posted by MysticBlue

...In fact, as the day got warmer, the tires and pavement got hot enough that I could feel the difference in grip. Late in the day, I was having to adjust my braking points farther and farther back, but that definitely was not due to brake fade, it was grip.

I was wondering about this. Why does grip get worst with increasing pavement & tyre temperatures? I know this is indeed the case (as I have observed this many times), but why is that so?

[Lemans_Blue_M]

Originally Posted by gr8000

I was wondering about this. Why does grip get worst with increasing pavement & tyre temperatures? I know this is indeed the case (as I have observed this many times), but why is that so?

Well, if you're talking about the PS2's (on occasional track days), you have to remember they have a very soft sidewall and tread compound as compared to other tires.

If you watch professional racing much, you'll notice that the softer tire compounds tat are used offer excellent grip in the beginning of a particular stint.

But after a while, the softer tread compound starts to heat up and it becomes less grippy the longer you push it to it's limits. (very greasy and slippery)

I assume that's what is happening with our street PS2's, and to a lesser degree the soft R-compound tires that are typically advertised as street/track duty hybrids.

[jml]

Originally Posted by MysticBlue

"Stopping power" of brakes at this level is pretty much irrelevent. Once you have brakes that can lock up the front wheels at speed (taking ABS out of the equation), stopping power of the brakes is not the determining factor for braking ability. Tire compound and size and car weight are. These brakes definitely have sufficient stopping power.
As far as track use and being fried after "canyon carving" as someone above said, well, that's a little over the top. I had no brake fade after four 20 minute sessions at PIR on an 85 degree day. And I was pushing it. If you are pushing it to a level where you get brake fade on a public road, I think you might need to rethink your priorities.
I have come to the conclussion (so far) that, considering the expense, you would have to be a pretty dedicated, and talented track rat (or have a lot of disposable money) to justify a brake kit. I could still change my mind with a few more track days under my belt in this car, and I could definetly see just changing pads and/or fluid for track days if you're really into that. I was prepared for brake fade, but never got any. In fact, as the day got warmer, the tires and pavement got hot enough that I could feel the difference in grip. Late in the day, I was having to adjust my braking points farther and farther back, but that definitely was not due to brake fade, it was grip.

Pads and fluid are all that's needed. There are a confluence of factors on the E90 that give it phenomenal stopping power at the track. I haven't experienced the consistency and pedal feel issues that I did on the E46 when it got hot (race pads & rcomps).