My Cooper S is going to need new breaks in about 2000 miles, which the way I drive will be sooner rather then later. I'm wondering if anyone has experience with having your breaks down at pep boys or one of the national tire/break places? Any advise?

 

Are you mechanically inclined? If yes do it yourself and save the money. http://r56mini.com/cooper/diydiscsandpads/

 

I can only say watch out.
While mini brakes are pretty standard, many of the chain places advertise low price specials, then charger VERY high prices for the rotors, which are needed 99% of the time, then for the low price deal, use pretty crappy pads....leading you to pay extra for an upgrade from "basic" to good or better....
Ask were you friends have gone in you local area, and see if they were happy...
or in philly, maybe go see helix, a mini shop and sponsor!!

 

i would not let pep boys tune up my lawnmower

scott

 

I wish I was mechanically inclined to do them myself!

Yeah I normally take my Cooper to Helix but was toying with the idea of break specials at the chain places, in any case to Helix it is!

 

+1 for Helix. Good choice. Now that you have had a break to discuss this, you can now have them do your brakes. LOL

 

If your counter says 2000 miles you more than like have 2-3x as many left. From experience we've found these R56 cars count down too fast on the brake warning and commonly you have alot more time left than the counter will say.
When you do get brakes go with the EBC pads they are great.

When you go to those discount places like Pep boys and that you get what you pay for. Some guy that this may be his first MINI working on? Many times you get a hack that is just in a hurry to get the next job in? And you know your going to get whatever parts they could make the most profit on or sell you at the cheapest price. Meaning you'll get low quality rotors, and really hard metalic pads that will just eat rotors.

 

Sounds like OEM.

+1 on a MINI shop, or if you're strapped for cash, find a local MINI club and a wrench. Just did my friend's R53 for parts and a nice sushi dinner for me and the wife.
I wouldn't let a chain touch it for anything.

 

I just did my R56 S brakes with Zimmerman Rotors and EBC yellows from WayMotorWorks.... A mini is a very easy car on whch to perform a brake job. You only need a few hand tools, a torque wrench, 4 jack stands and a way to bleed the brakes if needed. I flush my system with an air operated vacumn tool replacing the fluid with fresh Motoul DOT 4.... literally hands off and mess free one person job... but there are other ways to bleed that require very little expense. My EBC Yellows are still breaking in but I must say I am very impressed at last weeks autocross with the stopping power and ease of modulation. Good luck... and get good parts wherever you go... not cheap stuff. Many good independent shops will install what you either buy or specify!

 

I would NEVER go to a chain for any work. Period. End of story. Find a reputable local shop who knows what they're doing.

Don't buy factory parts. It's totally unecessary and will cost you an arm and a leg. Centric makes top notch replacement parts. I'd go with their Powerslot rotors. They can be had on-line for significantly under 100 dollars each if you shop around. Hawk Performance and EBC both make good street pads. Depending upon what you buy, parts for the front should be in the 200 to 250 range. Labor to install shouldn't be much as it's an easy job.

The rears are likely fine.

If you replace the brakes before the sensor starts to rub on the rotor, you won't need new sensors and can simply reuse the old ones.

FYI, I'l be replacing my front rotors and pads with Centric Powerslot rotors (no need for the cryo treated ones) and Hawk HPS pads. Then I'll be doing a track day at Thunderhill raceway.