[cfm56d7b]

Originally Posted by AlexFL

It's in the same range as for all the other Brembo GT brake sets for M cars.

These brakes are worth every penny.

[BOEING 777]

Originally Posted by AlexFL

Absolutely, guys. Once all this madness is over, we should all meet at the PBIR. If we get enough people together, we can do private half day rental. Maybe Max Well SWOT1 will want to join.

I am in

[TTR]

I am on st1 now on my x3m and i am struggling a lot with the brakes, even on stock one brakes not so good

[gallagher]

Originally Posted by BOEING 777

Alex I just love what you are doing with your car Bro and really want to see it on the track let me know when next you are going down there I am 45 mins away and dying to take mine up there too.Lets have some fun when they open.
Also I know a couple of guys here in the Ft Lauderdale/WPB and MIA area want to do the same.

X3MC owner in WPB. Also down to meet up with this crew and watch Alex shred the nar at PBIS.

[MRichmond]

Folks -- The main limiting factor in the stock car's stopping power is not the stock brake calipers, and not even the pads. It is the tires. Anyone who plans to track the car enough to merit maximizing performance will want to invest in R-comp tires (mounted on a spare set of wheels). The braking performance will skyrocket. Track-oriented pads are useful for preventing fade and overheating. But remember the stock set up is already a "big brake" set up. Will the Brembos be better? Maybe/probably, but most likely the benefit from the Brembo calipers themselves will be marginal at best compared to R-comp tires. (Now, if the pads are significantly easier to swap with the Brembos, that may be reason enough to switch for someone who will be tracking the car enough that pad swaps in the paddock will be common.)

[Aaaaaaaaa]

Maybe it's the 4600 lb curb weight that's the problem.

[AlexFL]

Originally Posted by MRichmond

Folks -- The main limiting factor in the stock car's stopping power is not the stock brake calipers, and not even the pads. It is the tires. Anyone who plans to track the car enough to merit maximizing performance will want to invest in R-comp tires (mounted on a spare set of wheels). The braking performance will skyrocket. Track-oriented pads are useful for preventing fade and overheating. But remember the stock set up is already a "big brake" set up. Will the Brembos be better? Maybe/probably, but most likely the benefit from the Brembo calipers themselves will be marginal at best compared to R-comp tires. (Now, if the pads are significantly easier to swap with the Brembos, that may be reason enough to switch for someone who will be tracking the car enough that pad swaps in the paddock will be common.)

Originally Posted by InTheseUncertainTimes

Maybe it's the 4600 lb curb weight that's the problem.

I agree that R-compound tires would be a great improvement on the track, but I just don't spend enough time on the track (by far) to justify a second set of tires. Further, my Stage 2 car now makes close to 700 bhp which is a lot considering the curb weight and my somewhat reckless driving style. So I think a brakes upgrade was absolutely needed.

[MRichmond]

Originally Posted by AlexFL

I agree that R-compound tires would be a great improvement on the track, but I just don't spend enough time on the track (by far) to justify a second set of tires. Further, my Stage 2 car now makes close to 700 bhp which is a lot considering the curb weight and my somewhat reckless driving style. So I think a brakes upgrade was absolutely needed.

Your call because it's your money and car. You may want to reach out to Dave Zeckhausen at Zeckhausen Racing for braking questions. He is a true guru and was very helpful to me when I was investigating this. https://www.zeckhausen.com/

[AlexFL]

Originally Posted by MRichmond

Your call because it's your money and car. You may want to reach out to Dave Zeckhausen at Zeckhausen Racing for braking questions. He is a true guru and was very helpful to me when I was investigating this. https://www.zeckhausen.com/

Thank you, MRichmond! I'm already working with my local motorsport team/shop, https://www.extremevelocitymotorsports.com/. They do all the performance work on my car(s) and they will also install the new brakes.

[MrItaly]

Originally Posted by AlexFL

I agree that R-compound tires would be a great improvement on the track, but I just don't spend enough time on the track (by far) to justify a second set of tires. Further, my Stage 2 car now makes close to 700 bhp which is a lot considering the curb weight and my somewhat reckless driving style. So I think a brakes upgrade was absolutely needed.

I feel so kindred to your driving style.

[AlexFL]

Originally Posted by MrItaly

I feel so kindred to your driving style.

I’ll tell you some stories when we meet 😉🙈

[MrItaly]

Originally Posted by AlexFL

I’ll tell you some stories when we meet 😉🙈

I'm so looking forward to that day.

[BrockDM]

Originally Posted by knepsterd

I have a personal question Alex FL
If you use the suv for racing...
Why didn't you get a F90 and FBO it and get a raptor on the side. For all the $$$ you are plowing into a a basic suv 3 series with a hoot engine I think you would have more satisfaction. That would be my steps.

I'm a year or two away for a gt3 rs last kid out of college and retired.

Originally Posted by AlexFL

1) I’m using this suv for daily driving first and foremost.
2) I love my basic suv 3 series with a hoot engine and I will gladly spend all the $$$ on it. Once I’m done spending all the $$$, I’ll sell it and buy an F90 and a Raptor, just like you told me to.
3) I’m happy you are so damn close to buying a gt3 rs. This is great news and we are all happy you shared them with us.

I'm not sure why this guy is even on this forum. All he does is go around dogging everyone's builds saying they aren't M3's or GT3's. He did it to John (JLT) as well.

I think the brakes are going to be a huge improvement Alex, can't wait to hear how they work out for you. Are you sticking with red or plan on painting them?

At the end of the day, an SUV that can check all the boxes, make big power AND handle a track?! What more do you need in a car haha!

[MRichmond]

Also, if the X3M does not already have stainless steel brake lines (unlikely), I would definitely install those, especially for track use, if they are available. They are an inexpensive but important safety measure, and improve brake pedal feel.

[spta97]

Originally Posted by MRichmond

Your call because it's your money and car. You may want to reach out to Dave Zeckhausen at Zeckhausen Racing for braking questions. He is a true guru and was very helpful to me when I was investigating this. https://www.zeckhausen.com/

He really is. I wish he sold more for the X3M. I bought from him for my E46 M3 and spoke to him. It's like the guy invented brakes!

I also just followed his bedding procedure for a pad swap on my Nissan truck.

Originally Posted by MRichmond

Also, if the X3M does not already have stainless steel brake lines (unlikely), I would definitely install those, especially for track use, if they are available. They are an inexpensive but important safety measure, and improve brake pedal feel.

This is an excellent upgrade - again, I did it on my Nissan truck (Goodridge SS Lines). I'm not aware of SS lines for the X3MC but it made a HUGE improvement with minimal cost.

The down side was they did not have a location "pin" in the banjo bolt harness so you have to make sure they are routed properly when on the ground. That resulted in many jack pumps to get it up, then back on the ground and move the wheels side to side and jack back up to adjust.

[spta97]

Originally Posted by AlexFL

Just a heads-up that Brembo now offers 8 piston GT front brakes with a 412x38 mm rotor for X3M/X4M and I just ordered my set from RG Sport. As I am lucky to live in close proximity to PBIR, I occasionally take my cars to the track and I wasn’t super happy with the performance of the OEM 4 piston caliper front brakes on my X3M and the rapid wear of the front brake pads. I had to replace my first set of front pads after only 5k miles. I hope these issues will now be solved with the admittedly expensive Brembo brakes. I will provide more pictures and updates after the brakes are installed and I take the car to the race track.

Awesome! I, for one, love your upgrades and all you are doing for your X3MC.

You live once, if you have the means, by all means go for it

And more importantly, what you do with your money is no one's business but yours.

Two questions pop up though:

1) Are the rear brakes still going to be the ///M blue?

2) If we were to tally up receipts between you and r33_RGSport, who would have spent more?

[AlexFL]

Originally Posted by spta97

Awesome! I, for one, love your upgrades and all you are doing for your X3MC.

You live once, if you have the means, by all means go for it

And more importantly, what you do with your money is no one's business but yours.

Two questions pop up though:

1) Are the rear brakes still going to be the ///M blue?

2) If we were to tally up receipts between you and r33_RGSport, who would have spent more?

It will be r33_RGSport, no doubt. He just covered his X3 in Swarovski Crystals (separate thread coming).

[spta97]

Originally Posted by AlexFL

It will be r33_RGSport, no doubt. He just covered his X3 in Swarovski Crystals (separate thread coming).

[r33_RGSport]

Originally Posted by AlexFL

It will be r33_RGSport, no doubt. He just covered his X3 in Swarovski Crystals (separate thread coming).

Man, why you gotta leak the surprise.
Now I have to change plan.
100LBS of Swarovski Crytals will be on sale soon.

[AlexFL]

Originally Posted by spta97

Awesome! I, for one, love your upgrades and all you are doing for your X3MC.

You live once, if you have the means, by all means go for it

And more importantly, what you do with your money is no one's business but yours.

Two questions pop up though:

1) Are the rear brakes still going to be the ///M blue?

2) If we were to tally up receipts between you and r33_RGSport, who would have spent more?

Second question. Yes, the rear brakes will remain the same OEM one piston brakes. Anyway, the rear brakes are pretty much irrelevant (unless you brake hard while driving backwards). Even the new G80 CS has tiny one piston rear brakes.

[Spoolin55]

Originally Posted by AlexFL

Absolutely, guys. Once all this madness is over, we should all meet at the PBIR. If we get enough people together, we can do private half day rental. Maybe Max Well SWOT1 will want to join.

Let me know I'm down as well. Have some contacts over there at the track as well would be good to shake down the X3 and the CS

[spta97]

Originally Posted by AlexFL

Second question. Yes, the rear brakes will remain the same OEM one piston brakes. Anyway, the rear brakes are pretty much irrelevant (unless you brake hard while driving backwards). Even the new G80 CS has tiny one piston rear brakes.

Any concerns on the color mismatch with red in the front and blue in the rear?