Best brake pads for track use on E30 325i

Sun Jan 04, 2009 8:38 pm

I have heard that Pagid are pretty much the best if money is no object!

Thu Jan 08, 2009 8:51 am

DawieM3 wrote:
May also want to consider Ferodo DS2500...

Got some new 2500's off ebay very cheap but haven't had the chance to try them out yet!

Thu Jan 08, 2009 9:57 am

N00b wrote:^
At the two guys above me and anyone else really.
I'm still undecided on pads, although considering the advice I greatly appreciated in my previous thread I've decided to go for OEM BMW discs.

I need something that will serve me well for road use, but also something I won't be able to cook on the 'ring. I'm not concerned about disc wear, and noise isn't vital although the quieter the better.
The road use for my car will be pretty much typical road driving, so basically as long as the pads hit their operating temp without the need to me to drive like a loon AND they'll take a lap or two of the ring without overheating then I'll be more than happy.

Should I discount the Mintex/Ferrodo suggestions above?

i've not tried the pagids but they sound very good. before you dismiss Mintex 1155's are good enough for your road use and as i've done in the past 20 laps of the ring in a weekend and drive home no problems. About half worn they were this particilar set lasted around 10k on the roads afterwards. This was with drilled and grooved discs (black diamond) which ate them a bit! Plenty of the guys have done the same with ferrodo DS 2500. If you go with too aggressive pads they will never be hot enough on the road which isn't good as they sqweek alot in traffic and genrally a standard pad is much better!

Fri Jan 09, 2009 11:49 am

I used EBC yellows in the past then switched to Pagid RS29's on my IS track / occasional road car. Long story short the Pagid is more expensive but stops better and lasts longer with less fade in my experience. Pagid is the only pad I'll use now. Only down side is they can be a bit squealy if you are using them on the road. If you really need to save a bit of money you can compromise a bit on the rears as most of the stopping is done on the fronts.

Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:04 pm

Simon13 wrote:
N00b wrote:^
At the two guys above me and anyone else really.
I'm still undecided on pads, although considering the advice I greatly appreciated in my previous thread I've decided to go for OEM BMW discs.

I need something that will serve me well for road use, but also something I won't be able to cook on the 'ring. I'm not concerned about disc wear, and noise isn't vital although the quieter the better.
The road use for my car will be pretty much typical road driving, so basically as long as the pads hit their operating temp without the need to me to drive like a loon AND they'll take a lap or two of the ring without overheating then I'll be more than happy.

Should I discount the Mintex/Ferrodo suggestions above?
i've not tried the pagids but they sound very good. before you dismiss Mintex 1155's are good enough for your road use and as i've done in the past 20 laps of the ring in a weekend and drive home no problems. About half worn they were this particilar set lasted around 10k on the roads afterwards. This was with drilled and grooved discs (black diamond) which ate them a bit! Plenty of the guys have done the same with ferrodo DS 2500. If you go with too aggressive pads they will never be hot enough on the road which isn't good as they sqweek alot in traffic and genrally a standard pad is much better!

Nice reply, thanks.
I'll be fitting brand new OEM disks and whatever pads I decide to go for just before commencing my trip, so by the time I get to the ring the brakes will only have circa 2000 miles on them. I'm looking at around half a dozen laps of the ring then the drive home.
I'm probably worrying about nothing I just don't want to experience fade while at the 'ring.
I'm still undecided as there are so many options, although I'm going to rule the Pagids out purely due to cost.
That leaves me the choce between the Ferodo's, Mintex's and "reds" (these are the fast road pads, right?)

Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:21 pm

N00b wrote:..... "reds" (these are the fast road pads, right?)

Yeah, EBC Reds ("Redstuff" technically) are listed as "very fast road/trackday" or "over 200bhp". Me and both my brothers run them on our road cars with no trouble at all.

Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:42 pm

keri-WMS wrote:
N00b wrote:..... "reds" (these are the fast road pads, right?)
Yeah, EBC Reds ("Redstuff" technically) are listed as "very fast road/trackday" or "over 200bhp". Me and both my brothers run them on our road cars with no trouble at all.

How do these "reds" handle regular driving, or is their temp range too high for anything less than "keen" driving?
I ask because I will be driving across europe at nothing more than a steady pace, and will only be going bananas when I get to the ring. I'd rather not have to take a second set of pads to change and use on the ring, so it's as best an all rounder as I can get that I'm looking for.

Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:51 pm

In every car I've used Reds on they work perfectly well from cold, and of course it only gets better as they heat up. But it's gradual, a straight-line graph of bite vs temp I suspect - whereas the Green compound seems lame when cold (oddly) but SUDDENLY works, leaving you locking one wheel when stopping for a 60-0 red light or someone walking into the road!

(and Reds are cheap, these reasons togeither are why we offer them as the "standard" pad for everyone who buys a WMS kit)

Fri Jan 09, 2009 6:58 pm

keri-WMS wrote:In every car I've used them on they work perfectly well from cold, and of course it only gets better as they heat up. But it's gradual, a straight-line graph of bite vs temp I suspect - whereas the Green compound seems lame when cold (oddly) but SUDDENLY works, leaving you locking one wheel when stopping for a 60-0 red light or someone walking into the road!

(and Reds are cheap, these reasons togeither are why we offer them as the "standard" pad for everyone who buys a WMS kit)

Unless the Mintex/Ferodo options offer something not yet mentioned, it looks like "Reds" are the way to go for me.

Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:31 pm

N00b wrote: I'm still undecided as there are so many options, although I'm going to rule the Pagids out purely due to cost.

Seems like a logic failure, you're driving all the way to the 'ring, booking a hotel and paying for laps. What's an extra £70 on pads?

You only need the fronts, I used DS2000s for the rear.

Sun Jan 11, 2009 2:00 pm

caneswell wrote:
N00b wrote: I'm still undecided as there are so many options, although I'm going to rule the Pagids out purely due to cost.
Seems like a logic failure, you're driving all the way to the 'ring, booking a hotel and paying for laps. What's an extra £70 on pads?

You only need the fronts, I used DS2000s for the rear.

I have no problem with <gulp> spending Pagid money, lol, my only concerns are that they may be very noisy (hard to judge when I have no experience of them myself) and that they weill work effectively as a pad for road use as well. I'm looking at a round trip of approximately 4000 miles, and the 'ring time will only account for a couple of hundred.

Sun Jan 11, 2009 4:20 pm

They work fine from cold. A bit noisy but not annoying at all.

Sun Jan 11, 2009 4:40 pm

I have not used Pagid RS29s on the road in my E30 however I had them on my E46 M3 CSL with AP 6 pots and they were never noisey and did'nt ever require warming up... Just my 2Ps worth !

"Pay Cheap ,Buy Twice"

Sun Jan 18, 2009 5:35 pm

MartyMcfly wrote: "Pay Cheap ,Buy Twice"

The phrase is buy cheap, Buy twice. Also, in this instance i totally disagree. I use standard feredo road pads on my track e30. You can lock the wheels and with brake cooling and race fluid they don't fade. What wears brake pads out is heat. The cooler you can keep the brakes the longer they will last. At £13 for a set of rears I'm happy to say they last 3 track days!

Sun Jan 18, 2009 9:07 pm

When you have chosen what brake pads to use, remember to at the very least change your brake fluid or even better upgrade it to get even more benifit from your chosen pad.

Nothing like going round the ring and boiling your brake fluid.

Cheers,

Dave

Sun Jan 18, 2009 9:31 pm

geoffrey wrote:
MartyMcfly wrote: "Pay Cheap ,Buy Twice"
The phrase is buy cheap, Buy twice. Also, in this instance i totally disagree. I use standard feredo road pads on my track e30. You can lock the wheels and with brake cooling and race fluid they don't fade. What wears brake pads out is heat. The cooler you can keep the brakes the longer they will last. At £13 for a set of rears I'm happy to say they last 3 track days!

What cooling set-up do you have? Water injection??

After a few quick 'ring laps the wheels of my car are hot enough to hurt your hand. Standard cheap pads start to smell and fade after some fast road driving. That's with the standard style brake ducts.

Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:04 am

DawieM3 wrote:When you have chosen what brake pads to use, remember to at the very least change your brake fluid or even better upgrade it to get even more benifit from your chosen pad.

Nothing like going round the ring and boiling your brake fluid.

Cheers,

Dave

I've got some 100mm trunking to cool the discs, and I would only use good quality+spec fluid. Genuine BMW discs will be fitted and goodridge hoses throughout as well.
Rear pads aren't much of a concern to me, as long as I fit something decent but it's the front that's got me in a dilemma.
Still making my mind up over the whole thing, and I really appreciate all of the responses/opinions so far.