Well, I finally did the un-imagineable..

TrevorM3 · 05-17-2015, 06:49 PM

i like the color, but i feel like this only looks good with 6 pots up front.

bmw really slcked off with the brakes on the e9x.

wildwestm3 · 05-17-2015, 08:42 PM

I thought about painting mine, but opted for a clean up and decal. I think it looks good without drawing too much attention to them...

JoePcone · 05-17-2015, 09:45 PM

The black really looks solid.

X5-User · 05-18-2015, 06:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildwestm3

I thought about painting mine, but opted for a clean up and decal. I think it looks good without drawing too much attention to them...

What kind of decal did you use? How strong is it holding so far and/or expecting it to last?

wildwestm3 · 05-18-2015, 08:19 AM

Believe it or not, the best detailing cleaner I've found for engine/brakes is WD40. I know, you'll laugh, but that's what I used to clean-up my brakes and use it all the time for my engine details. Look up the uses for WD40 on the net, you'll be amazed!

I bought the decals off of the Bay and they are holding up well. I've even autocrossed with them, so the heat doesn't seem to bother them. Fact is, the decals are actually on a cover of sorts and not the cast metal of the calipers. I did move them down below the "hole" in said cover, but other than that they are working great. I figure if I do a hard track day and they burn up, I'll just put another set on. They were like $15 delivered...

anom3 · 05-18-2015, 08:31 AM

That looks great!

Did you "just" clean them? Or did you clear coat as well? They look quite clean thats why I'm asking.

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildwestm3

I thought about painting mine, but opted for a clean up and decal. I think it looks good without drawing too much attention to them...

///WeissBisBlau · 05-18-2015, 09:52 AM

Hey man, good for you! It's your car, you decided you wanted to do something about those VERY pedestrian OEM brake calipers, and you did it! I have thought about it, myself. But again, hey, nice job! I am sure that this is a "you are your own worst enemy" kind of thing, but to me it looks like you did a nice job. Congrats!

Rat3d ///M · 05-18-2015, 11:18 AM

Thanks for all the compliments. I wasn't sure how I feel about it yesterday when I did it, but today it is growing on me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by buddalun

Honestly, it reminds me of the civics putting around with fart cans and ground effects.

In the end, it will be this that makes me grow tired of the yellow and paint them a nice gloss black. They are bright, and definitely scream "look at me". Problem is there is nothing to look at

Quote:

Originally Posted by wildwestm3

I thought about painting mine, but opted for a clean up and decal. I think it looks good without drawing too much attention to them...

Two questions:

What size decals did you use, and how did you cover the hole in the front caliper cover? Did you just place the decal over it, or did you do something to cover it before you placed the decal? I do want to go with decals on mine. They look good in yellow, but they also look incomplete and I think a nice black ///M decal would make them look nicer.

Edward · 05-18-2015, 11:28 AM

manufacturers are doing this to single piston sliding caliper brakes right from the factory..

Even the M5 with the ceramic brake option has this type of tiny caliper on the rear and it is simply painted that champagne gold color designated for ceramic brakes on BMW.

I still can't wrap my head around it though. I don't think it's the color that makes me want to warrant attention to a caliper. More the overall look and hint at performance of a huge 6 piston monobloc caliper.

w0ady · 05-18-2015, 09:12 PM

I powdercoated my OEM calipers green and don't regret it one bit.

Ryan00085 · 05-18-2015, 10:14 PM

Helmsman · 05-19-2015, 03:13 AM

Ryan, Wildwest, thanks for sharing. Really like the lighter decal way to go. Ebay decals no fuzz? And the clear coat, specifically for heat applications I assume?

Cheers

Ryan00085 · 05-19-2015, 04:08 AM

Yea just a deep clean, silver eBay decal then a high temp clear coat on the top. Seems like its holding up very well, I wanted to cover the hole in the center but was worried about what to use and how it would hold up. Anybody have any advice if I re do it in the future?

GRUESOM3 · 05-19-2015, 10:23 AM

OP great job nice to see people doing their own work and no you don't need 6k brakes on this car.

I've used that duplicolor for about 10 years now, not on m3 but on my VW.

The thing about that paint is it needs multiple layers of paint to really come out decent and you can never paint the calipers good without full disassembly. Because the paint comes out rough brake dust sticks on to the calipers easier and makes a mess and hard to get off. So you pretty much will be repainting them often if you want them to look fresh. After about painting them 2-3 times, you have to strip the paint if you want to keep going this way. Again nothing wrong if you live in a place where you cant use spray paint and cant have the car down for a couple days.

Last year I rebuilt 2 sets of brembo Porsche boxster calipers on my VW with VHT caliper paint and they came out much better, I took it a step further full dissambly of caliper, primer, basecoat, sticker, clear coat and then baked them too. I think I spent about 60-70$ on paint supply but the results were much better and are holding up great.

you could check out more pics here

http://s680.photobucket.com/user/bas...rsche%20brakes

I will probably be doing the same thing on the M3 when I get to it.

I really like the black painted calipers on M3, its a nice touch with the m decal

05-17-2015, 06:49 PM	#23
TrevorM3 Banned 3322 Rep 8,083 Posts Drives: 6.3 AMG Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Florida iTrader: (0)	i like the color, but i feel like this only looks good with 6 pots up front. bmw really slcked off with the brakes on the e9x.
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05-17-2015, 08:42 PM	#24
wildwestm3 Captain 215 Rep 692 Posts Drives: 2008 M3 Convertible Join Date: May 2014 Location: Springboro OH iTrader: (2)	I thought about painting mine, but opted for a clean up and decal. I think it looks good without drawing too much attention to them... __________________ Thanks, Dave [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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05-17-2015, 09:45 PM	#25
JoePcone Lieutenant 145 Rep 468 Posts Drives: 2015 BMW M3 Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Chicago, IL iTrader: (0)	The black really looks solid. __________________ 2015 F80 M3 - Yas Blue, Silverstone Full., Bilstein B6 shocks, Eibach Springs, Full M Performance Carbon Add-ons, Titan 7 Wheels. (past) 2012 E92 M3 - Melbourne Red - Eibach Springs/AG M359/ performance spoiler/ performance splitters/10mm spacers, Macht Schnell Test Pipes, Alpine Stage 2 Tune.
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05-18-2015, 08:19 AM	#27
wildwestm3 Captain 215 Rep 692 Posts Drives: 2008 M3 Convertible Join Date: May 2014 Location: Springboro OH iTrader: (2)	Believe it or not, the best detailing cleaner I've found for engine/brakes is WD40. I know, you'll laugh, but that's what I used to clean-up my brakes and use it all the time for my engine details. Look up the uses for WD40 on the net, you'll be amazed! I bought the decals off of the Bay and they are holding up well. I've even autocrossed with them, so the heat doesn't seem to bother them. Fact is, the decals are actually on a cover of sorts and not the cast metal of the calipers. I did move them down below the "hole" in said cover, but other than that they are working great. I figure if I do a hard track day and they burn up, I'll just put another set on. They were like $15 delivered... __________________ Thanks, Dave [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-18-2015, 09:52 AM	#29
///WeissBisBlau Captain 265 Rep 720 Posts Drives: ‘21 M5C Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: AL iTrader: (0)	Hey man, good for you! It's your car, you decided you wanted to do something about those VERY pedestrian OEM brake calipers, and you did it! I have thought about it, myself. But again, hey, nice job! I am sure that this is a "you are your own worst enemy" kind of thing, but to me it looks like you did a nice job. Congrats!
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-18-2015, 11:28 AM	#31
Edward Colonel 377 Rep 2,982 Posts Drives: 2013.9999 E92 Jerez ZCP Join Date: May 2010 Location: Los Angeles iTrader: (2)	manufacturers are doing this to single piston sliding caliper brakes right from the factory.. Even the M5 with the ceramic brake option has this type of tiny caliper on the rear and it is simply painted that champagne gold color designated for ceramic brakes on BMW. I still can't wrap my head around it though. I don't think it's the color that makes me want to warrant attention to a caliper. More the overall look and hint at performance of a huge 6 piston monobloc caliper.
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05-18-2015, 09:12 PM	#32
w0ady Lieutenant 78 Rep 456 Posts Drives: 2008 E92 M3 Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Jacksonville, FL iTrader: (0) Garage List 2008 BMW M3 [0.00]	I powdercoated my OEM calipers green and don't regret it one bit. __________________ 2008 Sparkling Graphite E92 M3 DCT SOLD www.flatoutmotorsports.us (We host track events in the Southeast)
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05-18-2015, 10:14 PM	#33
Ryan00085 New Member 0 Rep 21 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Riverside CA iTrader: (0)
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05-19-2015, 03:13 AM	#34
Helmsman Major General 4465 Rep 7,110 Posts Drives: 2011 AW E90 M3 ZCP Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Stockholm, Sweden iTrader: (0)	Ryan, Wildwest, thanks for sharing. Really like the lighter decal way to go. Ebay decals no fuzz? And the clear coat, specifically for heat applications I assume? Cheers
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05-19-2015, 04:08 AM	#35
Ryan00085 New Member 0 Rep 21 Posts Drives: E92 M3 Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Riverside CA iTrader: (0)	Yea just a deep clean, silver eBay decal then a high temp clear coat on the top. Seems like its holding up very well, I wanted to cover the hole in the center but was worried about what to use and how it would hold up. Anybody have any advice if I re do it in the future?
	Appreciate 0 Quote

05-19-2015, 10:23 AM	#36
GRUESOM3 Major 1092 Rep 1,318 Posts Drives: 3 NA cars and 1 Turbo car Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: NJ iTrader: (4)	OP great job nice to see people doing their own work and no you don't need 6k brakes on this car. I've used that duplicolor for about 10 years now, not on m3 but on my VW. The thing about that paint is it needs multiple layers of paint to really come out decent and you can never paint the calipers good without full disassembly. Because the paint comes out rough brake dust sticks on to the calipers easier and makes a mess and hard to get off. So you pretty much will be repainting them often if you want them to look fresh. After about painting them 2-3 times, you have to strip the paint if you want to keep going this way. Again nothing wrong if you live in a place where you cant use spray paint and cant have the car down for a couple days. Last year I rebuilt 2 sets of brembo Porsche boxster calipers on my VW with VHT caliper paint and they came out much better, I took it a step further full dissambly of caliper, primer, basecoat, sticker, clear coat and then baked them too. I think I spent about 60-70$ on paint supply but the results were much better and are holding up great. you could check out more pics here http://s680.photobucket.com/user/bas...rsche%20brakes I will probably be doing the same thing on the M3 when I get to it. I really like the black painted calipers on M3, its a nice touch with the m decal
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