[BOSSBMW]

Granted the X3 is larger than my last vehicle, the only complaint I have about my new-to-me 2013 is that the brakes leave something to be desired.

Anyone else share that feeling? 30k on the clock...

[Portimao318]

I also feel that my just 1 year old X3 does not brake as good as my old (also 1700kg) Renault Koleos 4x4 , which was also better offroad...



When I brake, the car feels heavy and it takes some effort to come to a full stop. Not bad, not great. My old Koleos was like throwing out an ancre....
The Koleos was slower, so you would think that a faster car like the X3 would have even better brakes....

[plymjack]

Hardly suck.... seem fine to us. we had from new but done 30k with no issues, always stops solidly for us, in all conditions. Will be interesting to see what others say.

[Peter_R]

Originally Posted by plymjack

Will be interesting to see what others say.

My 63 plate X3 xDrive 30d M Sport was an ex BMW Manager's car and demonstrator and when I first got it, I found the brakes were nowhere as good as my previous 2 year old 320d Sport.

I put it down to the heavier vehicle not being driven aggressively, so for the first few months I kept hitting the brakes hard, and eventually I found they improved and worked more efficiently. Still not as good as the 320d, but nevertheless there was a marked improvement.

[jman103099]

After I bought my 2011 X3 I posted (on another forum) that the brakes seemed weak compared to my last X3 (2006). They also seem weaker than the 2011 328i my wife drives.

If I remember right most people agreed.

[BOSSBMW]

So what can we do to improve the brakes other than a whole new brake system?

[pokerface]

the tires make a difference. I noticed improvements after moving up to summer tires.

[The X Men]

The X3 28i brakes from 60-0 mph in 127' while the X3 35i does it in 123'. In comparison, the Toyota RAV4 brakes from 60-0 in 127', I would expected better brakes from a BMW.

[joyceb401]

Yeah. The brakes suck. But they generally suck in this category. Tires do help with stopping but the brakes are still noticeably crappy. Definitely not worth the expense of replacing them though...

[Tjalle]

Brake feeling is subjective and depending on force needed to get a certain deceleration - not necessarily same as performance. Performance is primarily stopping distance at full braking, when ABS is utilised.

My experience from My-14 X4 35i is that rear brakes are "overutilised" i.e. I have as much brake dust on rear rims as front. Brake pedal feel is good.

I have no problem to get ABS to work - meaning brakes are OK. If they are good or very good I don`t know. I need to perform standardised brake test to find out.

Stopping distance depends - if working ABS - not only of ABS/brake performance but also tires.

[BOSSBMW]

Originally Posted by Tjalle

Brake feeling is subjective and depending on force needed to get a certain deceleration - not necessarily same as performance. Performance is primarily stopping distance at full braking, when ABS is utilised.

My experience from My-14 X4 35i is that rear brakes are "overutilised" i.e. I have as much brake dust on rear rims as front. Brake pedal feel is good.

I have no problem to get ABS to work - meaning brakes are OK. If they are good or very good I don`t know. I need to perform standardised brake test to find out.

Stopping distance depends - if working ABS - not only of ABS/brake performance but also tires.

I think this discussion in centered around the overall performance of day-to-day driving. This type of driving does not typically include the activation of the ABS system.

[xdriv3]

I don't like the brakes either. There's too much travel in the pedal before you feel the brakes kick in.

[Pinewood]

Let's remember this is a 4x4 and it's not designed to rival a low slung sporty BMW. I find the brakes are good, no issues having come from a 530d

[The X Men]

Originally Posted by Pinewood

Let's remember this is a 4x4 and it's not designed to rival a low slung sporty BMW. I find the brakes are good, no issues having come from a 530d

Lets look at the competition shall we:

Audi Q5 3.0T, 60-0 MPH 105'
Mercedes GLK350, 60-0 MPH 119'
Cadillac SRX, 60-0 MPH 118'
Lexus RX350, 60-0 MPH 115'


BMW X3 28i, 60-0 MPG 127'

[Peter_R]

Originally Posted by The X Men

Lets look at the competition shall we:

Audi Q5 3.0T, 60-0 MPH 105'
Mercedes GLK350, 60-0 MPH 119'
Cadillac SRX, 60-0 MPH 118'
Lexus RX350, 60-0 MPH 115'


BMW X3 28i, 60-0 MPG 127'

Why?

Did each one quote the tyres they were on?

[Tjalle]

I believe beneliezer is right: people are confusing brake performance (stopping distance) with brakepedal feel. The complaints I have seen are about brakepedal feel, which in my car - according to my preference -is very good.

I am brought up with old fashioned cars with much higher pedalforce needed, so - if anything - brake pedal is a bit sensitive - but OK.

[Roundown]

Originally Posted by pokerface

the tires make a difference. I noticed improvements after moving up to summer tires.

This. LS2s have materially poorer stopping distances than competing tires.

[BOSSBMW]

Originally Posted by The X Men

Lets look at the competition shall we:

Audi Q5 3.0T, 60-0 MPH 105'
Mercedes GLK350, 60-0 MPH 119'
Cadillac SRX, 60-0 MPH 118'
Lexus RX350, 60-0 MPH 115'


BMW X3 28i, 60-0 MPG 127'

Wow, thats quite a big difference.
I imagine the 35i takes even longer to stop.

[The X Men]

Originally Posted by beneliezer

Wow, thats quite a big difference.
I imagine the 35i takes even longer to stop.

Surprisingly, the X3 35i stop 4 feet shorter than the 28i, I am not sure why, are the brakes different?

[///Mposter]

Originally Posted by beneliezer

Wow, thats quite a big difference.
I imagine the 35i takes even longer to stop.

The Xmen quoted 123' for the 35i.
My personal experience was that I almost rear-ended a car trying to stop a loaner 28i the same way I drive my 35i. I was like holy shit this isn't stopping. I did notice the brake calipers looked smaller . I thought to myself " I don't know why they would change them for the same model".
As for changing the front pads now, the initial bite is gone but after they are warm they seem to feel about the same if not better but without dust.
Also remember if you are driving another SUV they do not have the rear brake bias as the X3 does. There is no anchor feel as the rear brakes first as to mitigate the front end dipping .

[Peter_R]

If you are a little slower to react to someone stopping abruptly in front of you then a lot of road space is used as thinking distance, and then when you brake hard you are at the mercy of the ABS. In my experience the ABS works flawlessly every time.

In the final analysis any one nearly rear ending someone was not leaving enough space. Putting it bluntly I would say they were driving too close given the prevailing conditions.

[martin mustang]

More shocking when compared to the my 5 Series F10 same year as our X3, 2011! In fact when on the X3 for family trips often I am caught by surprise and my wife freaking our beside me thinking I am not going to break/stop on time. I am very surprised as it is also our first 4x4 me thinking they should be far better at breaking in comparison to RWD.