Brake pads OEM BMW or DIXCEL

My local dealer has the “value service” pricing on BMW USA’s website, front rotors/pads/sensors on an 18 330 x drive for $419.95 front and $435.95 rear.

I installed R56 front brakes.

Dixcel ES pads are a “fast street” pad with low noise and dust that out perform oem pads and can be used for light track application also with effective heat range of 0-600 degrees Celsius. I think they’re the best “bang for buck” pad you can get.

M3 stock brakes are better, the GTI gets a little tail-happy under hard braking above 110-130mph.

Seems like there would be room in the market for a slightly detuned S55 base model without the fancy seats, brakes and wheels for about $5-8k less like the M3/M4: M3/M4 Competition.

I really love driving it though, particularly the brakes and the handling.

Have yet to find a better street pad than BMW's OE compound. Ceramics dust less but feel terrible.

The way the brakes begin to grumble during heavy braking is less impressive, but they work well enough.

The brakes. Looks all OE. The dust is unbelievable awful.

And jesus christ. $600 for rear pads and rotors? the the parts are like $250 and labor shouldn't be over $200...