BMW M Performance Pads - review

[rhm_SIIM4]

Hi All,

I personally found it very difficult to find any information on the OEM M Performance brake pads so thought I’d write some thoughts having had them on my car for street and track driving for the last few weeks.

I was looking for a pad that would survive a reasonably intense track day - I tend to run reasonably long stints and push quite hard so stock pads just melt into the disc. On my previous M4 I experimented with the EBC Yellow Stuff pad with mixed results. They are borderline okay for track use but I found the feel was poor and they seem to fall apart a bit too easily.

So instead of going for Pagid RS29 (everyone seems to rave about these), I thought I’d try the MP pads - as I could get them at a good price in the UK. The internet doesn’t seem to know whether these are in fact rebranded RS(29) or RSL(1) Pagid parts but they are made by the same parent company Textar. They come branded Textar and with a M logo also.

The good:
1. Cold bite and general stopping ability on the road is absolutely fine - probably better than stock pads.
2. On track they don’t seem to get close to overheating and survived about 30-40 laps (across 4 sessions) without any issues at all. Durability seems very good.
3. Feel was really good - much better than the EBC - could feel the lock up point very easily and very natural to modulate pressure.
4. Brake dust was good - no issues really - alloys are in a good shape after - again probably less than stock street pads I’d say

The bad:
1. Noise pre-trackday - on street they are borderline embarrassing - my kids don’t want me to take them anywhere due to the shame
2. Noise during trackday - noisier than stock or EBC - some squealing and grinding. No issues with stopping time after time but not the quietest.
3. Noise after trackday - still noisy after a few hundred miles of gentle road driving - was hoping a full session would settle them down but no.

So as a pure track pad they are the best I’ve used - for road they work very well in the cold/wet/whatever from a pure braking point of view - however I think most will find them unusable from a noise perspective. I think I probably used about 20% of the front pads and about 10% of the rear pads so durability not too bad either.

Anyway - I’ll be changing back to my stock pads when I get the chance - noise reasons only - other than that awesome pads from my experience.

Richard.

[petrolhead.]

Thanks for the review - I've purchased a set for a trackday in May and will see how well they work on track. But I plan to put back the stock pads due to the noise and increased wear on the break discs anyways after the event.

[Gio72]

Oh my... I’ve just started a new 3d on the same subject just yesterday: I put on the MP Pads 200km ago and, as I could experience, the noise is very loud during the last meters before stopping the car! Quite embarassing during parking or similar... I’ll go for a track session within a month, but I think I’ll come back to the stock ones, only due to noise.
I’m still in the break-in period, but, ad far as I could see, I confirm your sensations: excellent bite and feeling.
So sad...

[rhm_SIIM4]

So I got mine fitted by a garage so don’t know if they come with shims. If they don’t then maybe this might help. My EBCs came with shims and they were very quiet.

[Gio72]

Originally Posted by rhm_SIIM4

So I got mine fitted by a garage so don’t know if they come with shims. If they don’t then maybe this might help. My EBCs came with shims and they were very quiet.

Now are they silent?
I’m going crazy with mine! I drove for 500km, so the break-in period has ended, but the noise is even more louder!
Terrible, impossible to stand it in daily driving
Don’t know what to do, but I’ll try to resist til a track session and then I’ll come back to the stock pads...

[Gio72]

Please, tell me what kind of pad shims your garage put on if they used any.
I want to try something before throwing them away...

[rhm_SIIM4]

Originally Posted by Gio72

Please, tell me what kind of pad shims your garage put on if they used any.
I want to try something before throwing them away...

Hi, I haven’t had the chance to get shims fitted ... am still struggling with the noise but torn as braking performance and pedal feel is much better. I don’t see why you couldn’t fit the stock pad shims to the MP pads but not tried it. It might reduce pedal firmness though which would be fine for the road but might be an issue on track. I am thinking this is why the EBC pads were poor on track.

[Gio72]

Originally Posted by rhm_SIIM4

Hi, I haven’t had the chance to get shims fitted ... am still struggling with the noise but torn as braking performance and pedal feel is much better. I don’t see why you couldn’t fit the stock pad shims to the MP pads but not tried it. It might reduce pedal firmness though which would be fine for the road but might be an issue on track. I am thinking this is why the EBC pads were poor on track.

Hi!
We didn’t try to fit the stock pads shims to the MP pads, even if they sema differenti in the shape.
I found this kind of titanium shims that fit our front brake system, but I’m not sure they’ll solve the noise problem:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-M3-M2-M...EAAOSw1Ndakzos

[Gio72]

BTW, I’m waiting for the bed-in period, because the previous stock front pads had different shape... Let’s hope in less squealing!

Anyway, today I tried my first 4-5 heavy, very heavy, brakes, from 200kmh to 50/60kmh: EXTRAORDINARY!!
Brake power and feeling are incredible and it seemed to me to have changed the entire brake system, not only pads!
But when you arrive to a stop... Embarassing! But less then a couple of days ago... Mmmh!
Next 30th april I’ll go for a track-session and will check

[5mall5nail5]

Also consider that ISTA recommends Plastilube applied on the pad backing plate/caliper pistons to help w/ noise

[Alchemis]

anyone had gotten the part number for this textar brake pads ?