So I Have A Feeling That I Will Be Going To The Dark Side =/

[BMW4LIFE]

okay so as most of you guys know...i have a couple problems with my bimmer and I think its time for me to find the new battle axe per say ;)

well after a lot of research and many late nice conversations with my father and uncles and cousin I have narrowed it down to two possible candidates....

First we have the 2004 Acura TL...I will look for a 5 speed man but they are hard to find so its most likely going to be a 5 speed auto/man

this candidate is leading with 12 votes

Then we have the 2004 Lexus IS 300...I will be looking for the 5 speed manual as well is this but they are rare =(

this candidate has replaced the 2004 Honda Accord and now has 4 votes....



okay that was all cheezy and all but I really need your advice....I have done a lot of research but they all say the same ****!


I will post a poll in a bit....any info will help!!!

THANKS GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bad_manners_god]

You have to see which one suits your needs per say. I voted for the TL, The styling is very modern looking. Even though I love BMW's left and right, I always stare at a TL when I see one. I've driven a 3.5RL and it was pretty quick except for the fact I lost to a man. mx-6 in a straight line....started catching up around 110.

The IS 300 is well, nothing wrong with it, just doesn't give me a lasting impression of it like the TL does.

Either way your buying a Honda or Toyota, so, if looks are your deciding factor, then you should look at gas mileage, wear and tear parts and cost to repair/replace, storage capacity, safety and INSURANCE cost.

Hope it helps.

[RockJock]

you're also going to have to change your handle.....BMW4LIFE?? ;)

[BMW4LIFE]

Either way your buying a Honda or Toyota,

hence the dark side!!! hahaha

i love BMWs it was my first car and it wont be my last...but i might be leaving the state for school and need a reliable car so i decided to turn to the Japanese for a change but i wasn't ready to sacrifice the luxury part yet...i don't want to sound like a spoiled brat because im not and i will be paying for this but i drove my sisters accord after my e34 and was about to puke!


sooooo noisy, bumpy, powerless, soulless, it has nothing!!!!

well your comment totally helped and i will look into that when i go on spring break but for the next few weeks i want to see if i can get EVERYONES opinion!!!

=)

[BMW4LIFE]

you're also going to have to change your handle.....BMW4LIFE?? ;)


hahahahaha soooo true!!!!

but i WILL always be BMW4LIFE!!!!!!!!

once i get into dental school and make the big bucks....M5 here I come!!! =)

well thats what i dream about but we'll just have to wait and see....DATs suck my balls!!! they are soooooooooo hard!!! =(

[RockJock]

hahahahaha soooo true!!!!

but i WILL always be BMW4LIFE!!!!!!!!

once i get into dental school and make the big bucks....M5 here I come!!! =)


once you get that DDS go back for another 4 years of school to become an oral surgeon and you'll be pulling in more than $10,000/day...

[Ross]

The lexus is at least rear drive, isn't it?
As soon as the newness of either wears off you will realize it has all the soul of a refrigerator.
This is a really, really awful choice you are asking me to make here.

[BMW4LIFE]

once you get that DDS go back for another 4 years of school to become an oral surgeon and you'll be pulling in more than $10,000/day...


DUDE YOU TOTALLY READ MY MIND!!!!!!!!!!!!1

NO JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

THATS TOTALLY WHAT I WANT TO DO!!!!!!!!!!

THATS MY DREAM!!!!!!!!!!!

**** THE MONEY I LOVE TO CUT!!!!!!!! =)

JUST FOR THAT IF AND WHEN I BECOME AN ORAL SURGEON...YOU GET A FREE CLEANING FROM MY BOMBSHELL NURSE!!!! =)

HAHAHAHA

[BMW4LIFE]

The lexus is at least rear drive, isn't it?
As soon as the newness of either wears off you will realize it has all the soul of a refrigerator.
This is a really, really awful choice you are asking me to make here.


hahahahahaha

thats some funny stuff!!!!

I know thats why i am considering the lexus....rear wheel drive is sooooooooooo much better....but it is a tighter fit being that i am 6 2 200lbs =(

if your were forced to go to sears and buy a fridge...what brand would you buy....lexus or acura?

;)

hahahaha

[Ross]

Ford

[BMW4LIFE]

Ford


hahahahha...might as well drive a freakin John Dear....more reliable and stylish!

ahahahahhaha


I didnt mean that to be mean if you own a ford!!!!

=/

but yea NO!!

hahaha

[Paul in NZ]

hang on a minute i think i have missed smething here.
You cannot be serious.Last week you were bemoaning the fact that lemforder arms were hideously expensive,now you are talking about spending thousands and thousands on a newer car.I dont know what an acura is (and i dont care)and I think your poll is absolutely meaningless,given the questions you were asking last week.If you like BMWs so much yu dont need to buy an M5.Why dont you buy a 528 or 530 e 39 or a similar e46....

[Bimmerman]

Who's winfred?

[E34N]

I voted for the TL, The styling is very modern looking. Even though I love BMW's left and right, I always stare at a TL when I see one.

+1

[repenttokyo]

FWD = no soul, so remove that option from your list.

[repenttokyo]

where the hell are you paying 120/hour for labour?

[BMW4LIFE]

hang on a minute i think i have missed smething here.
You cannot be serious.Last week you were bemoaning the fact that lemforder arms were hideously expensive,now you are talking about spending thousands and thousands on a newer car.I dont know what an acura is (and i dont care)and I think your poll is absolutely meaningless,given the questions you were asking last week.If you like BMWs so much yu dont need to buy an M5.Why dont you buy a 528 or 530 e 39 or a similar e46....


no i totally see what your saying but i ended up calculating that i will need 1000 dollars in parts...my car is worth like 4000....then i showed the car to a bmw mechanic and he said your at the stage of have all these little problems being that your car like 160k....

dont get me wrong i want a bmw for my next car worst than anything...but being a student and going to a professional school i will not have the time to fix my car as i will be taking 22 units or so a quarter!

as far as the m5 goes...thats a dream car....the 528 and all that stuff i would otally be happy with but the fact of the matter is that i will run into the same problems and would have to work on the car cause im not gonna pay a higschool drop out 120 buck/hr to fix it

im looking at the big picture...this is a transition in my life and i need a reliable car to get me from point a to point b....but i am willing to pay a little more to have a little style with it as this will be the car that i will own for the next 6 years or so

i talked to my dad and he is willing to co sign for me as so i can get a better rate too =)

i think i answered it all


so its basically this.....i love the look of the acura and i drove it and it is sooooo much faster than my 525i but it is FWD.... =(

but the lexus is RWD and manuals are easier to find...but they have less power and worst MPG LAME! they are smaller too (i think)

the poll is totally helping me out so i thank all you guys that have gave me your inputs!!!!

keep them coming and i will research some more!!!

[skr]

if u want to go jap get a supra.

[BMW4LIFE]

if u want to go jap get a supra.


i was thinking about that but its a little hard to bump uglies in such a small car =(

i didnt know that the is 300 had such poor ratings....i have been researching and im wowed....

=/

[Dr_Snooz]

Toyota's are so BORING!!!! *Gag*

[hatched91]

the lexus is by far the coolest. if you're coming from a bmw, i don't think an acura or honda is the best option. hondas and acuras are both a lot cheaper to fix than bmw's and they aren't very complicated (until you have wiring issues) but man....you can't pass up that 2JZ! and having a rear wheel drive car, you can never go back to front wheel drive!

[hatched91]

also, being a college student myself, i know what it's like. you can't be taking out college hotties in a stock ass honda, then you're no better than those spoiled ass frat boys. that's wrong. keep the automotive side of you alive. the TL is luxurious, looks great, and is totally reliable. but man, i'd have to say the lexus. it's a toyota product, = reliability. also, it's RWD, it looks great, it has plenty of luxurious features, and as many others have said....come on, hondas have no soul.

[BMW4LIFE]

also, being a college student myself, i know what it's like. you can't be taking out college hotties in a stock ass honda, then you're no better than those spoiled ass frat boys. that's wrong. keep the automotive side of you alive. the TL is luxurious, looks great, and is totally reliable. but man, i'd have to say the lexus. it's a toyota product, = reliability. also, it's RWD, it looks great, it has plenty of luxurious features, and as many others have said....come on, hondas have no soul.


hahahahaha...so true....they compare the is 300 to a 3 series which im not sure if ill be super comfy in cause im 62 200 lbs...i still have to drive it but once i do ill give a full report

the only thing bad about the is 300 is that i talked to my friend and he said that its slower than poop coming out of an bulimic chick!

hahaha

k that was gay but you get the idea

i really want a bimmer again but i think the Japanese people have won the battle of reliability a lont time ago!

WHAT TO DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


I started getting crazy and started looking at the 2002 530i but then i was like im a square 1 again!

**** THIS IM GETTING A BIANCHI BICYCLE!

[hatched91]

okay, here's my situation. i'm in college and i work part time. i drive a 2000 540i. i have to pay for everything. food, cable, insurance, car payment, gas, cell phone, etc etc etc. you get the idea. anyways, what money i do have left, this car eats away. is my car reliable? yes, for 200k miles, it is very reliable.

bmws are just as reliable as hondas or toyotas, they just cost more to maintain. ex: brakes for my car, $150/pair or rotors. brakes for my old honda, $50/ pair for rotors. so, going away for school and not being able to have a job paying over minimum wage, well, i'd say get a toyota camry if you're concerned with reliability and maintenance cost. but being a kid myself, i wouldn't be caught dead buying a camry. logic says camry, my vote says e36 or e46 325i, 5spd manual. reliable, cheapER bmw to fix, and you're not risking your reputation by driving a mommy mobile camry LOL

[repenttokyo]

all 2003 540's have the M package.

[BMW4LIFE]

okay, here's my situation. I'm in college and i work part time. i drive a 2000 540i. i have to pay for everything. food, cable, insurance, car payment, gas, cell phone, etc etc etc. you get the idea. anyways, what money i do have left, this car eats away. is my car reliable? yes, for 200k miles, it is very reliable.

bmws are just as reliable as Honda's or Toyota's, they just cost more to maintain. ex: brakes for my car, $150/pair or rotors. brakes for my old Honda, $50/ pair for rotors. so, going away for school and not being able to have a job paying over minimum wage, well, i'd say get a Toyota Camry if you're concerned with reliability and maintenance cost. but being a kid myself, i wouldn't be caught dead buying a camry. logic says camry, my vote says e36 or e46 325i, 5spd manual. reliable, cheapER bmw to fix, and you're not risking your reputation by driving a mommy mobile camry LOL







you know what i totally agree with you and at the same time i dont....

I agree that BMW's are reliable, they are nice to drive, they look good, they are WAY better than any Japanese car out there...I hope people understand that I will always be "BMW4LIFE" but the fact of the matter is that they are not the MOST reliable cars out there....

example...my uncle had a Tacoma and drove that bitch for 380 k miles before he was like I think the car has had enough donated the car...even though it was still running like a champ...I mean breaking 200 - 250 miles is nothing for a jap car and i would say the same for German cars too but they are pricey...

my girlfriend has a 1998 BMW 528i with 121k miles and everything mechanically is perfect on her car but nothing electrical works in her car!!! WTF





This is how I see it

BMW = a fine ass bitch, she looks good and bumps uglies ever better but shes a gold digger

Honda/Toyota = a homely looking girl but doesn't demand much and does her job...


hahahahaha


so basically i guess its what you want in a girl / car (well they are basically the same!)

they take your money, your time, your life, you ride them, go inside of them, have to pay for their maintenance, and buy them things to make them look nicer!

hahaha



ANYWAYS!!!!!!!!!!

after a loonnnnnnngggggggggggggggg night of doing some calculations and thinking i have decided that


I AM GOING TO KEEP MY CAR AND FIX IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YEEEPEEEEE

being that the economy is shitty right now and income is low....i see it fit to spend the extra 1g to get the car up and running for the next 2 years or so...i can only get like 3-4 g for it now and thats nothing towards the purchase of a newer car soooooooooooooo its back to the websites and me trying to figure out who has the cheaper parts!!!!

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

the poll is now closed...or maybe still open and i will add a box for keeping my car =)

anyways...i appreciate all the help and advice everyone on this board has supplied for me and i will be back very shortly looking for some more

so again I thank you all and have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[healtoeit]

new battle axe per say ;)
You are getting chop sticks (per say :p )!

Our family had Acuras for over 10 years, great cars, NOTHING like a BMW though!

[BMW4LIFE]

You are getting chop sticks (per say :p )!

Our family had Acuras for over 10 years, great cars, NOTHING like a BMW though!


hahahahaha

i know man i totally agree with you....i decided that i am going to keep my car and the next one will be a e39 530i

i would love the 2003 540i M but i have to be a little practical too! =)

hey i notice you basically have the same car as i do....have you changed your subframe bushings yet? i think mine are blown! =(

[healtoeit]

i would love the 2003 540i M but i have to be a little practical too! =)

Dads got a 2000 w/ auto authority gear in it (it's way FAST!)

hey i notice you basically have the same car as i do....have you changed your subframe bushings yet? i think mine are blown! =(
new ones are sitting in the garage :( I'm going to put them in in two weeks over my spring break.

[BMW4LIFE]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/03-540i-6-SPEED-SPORT-PREMIUM-COLD-WTHR-BMW-CERTIFIED_W0QQitemZ260216750636QQcmdZViewItem?hash =item260216750636

i cant handle the beauty! :( :D

[Paul in NZ]

i you keep on top of maintenance they are reliable...if you compare like with like you may find that japanese cars dont last as well as a BMW...they will cost a lot less in the lon run,but how many nearly twenty year old lexus and Hondas do you see?

[hatched91]

you know what i totally agree with you and at the same time i dont....

I agree that BMW's are reliable, they are nice to drive, they look good, they are WAY better than any Japanese car out there...I hope people understand that I will always be "BMW4LIFE" but the fact of the matter is that they are not the MOST reliable cars out there....

example...my uncle had a Tacoma and drove that bitch for 380 k miles before he was like I think the car has had enough donated the car...even though it was still running like a champ...I mean breaking 200 - 250 miles is nothing for a jap car and i would say the same for German cars too but they are pricey...

my girlfriend has a 1998 BMW 528i with 121k miles and everything mechanically is perfect on her car but nothing electrical works in her car!!! WTF





This is how I see it

BMW = a fine ass bitch, she looks good and bumps uglies ever better but shes a gold digger

Honda/Toyota = a homely looking girl but doesn't demand much and does her job...


hahahahaha


so basically i guess its what you want in a girl / car (well they are basically the same!)

they take your money, your time, your life, you ride them, go inside of them, have to pay for their maintenance, and buy them things to make them look nicer!

hahaha



ANYWAYS!!!!!!!!!!

after a loonnnnnnngggggggggggggggg night of doing some calculations and thinking i have decided that


I AM GOING TO KEEP MY CAR AND FIX IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

YEEEPEEEEE

being that the economy is shitty right now and income is low....i see it fit to spend the extra 1g to get the car up and running for the next 2 years or so...i can only get like 3-4 g for it now and thats nothing towards the purchase of a newer car soooooooooooooo its back to the websites and me trying to figure out who has the cheaper parts!!!!

SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

the poll is now closed...or maybe still open and i will add a box for keeping my car =)

anyways...i appreciate all the help and advice everyone on this board has supplied for me and i will be back very shortly looking for some more

so again I thank you all and have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


so yeah, you're right, most women who drive bmw's don't understand the value of a dollar. and toyota trucks are most definitely extremely reliable. i'm thinking of getting a 4runner after I sell my car. i've put $2000 into my car within 4 months. it's getting old fast. i will always be a bmw nut for the rest of my life, even if i'm not driving one. there is no other car that can perform, handle, and downright feel like a bmw.

[healtoeit]

Ya there nice looking, watch out for the clutch. BMW used the same clutch for the 540i as they did on the 525i and the 530i. Small clutch + big engine = o no!
another thing is, have you driven one?
They have those stupid lock valves that "smooth out" your clutch engagement.... aka makes your shifts slower.
Plus this is the time when BMW started making cars different for the us! A US e39 has about 2 1/2 in of more insulation in the dash to compensate for people not wearing seat belts (look at where the passanger side dash meets the door). I would look into a euro dash unless you want you passengers making out with your dash board.
MOREOVER, the e39 is much more isolated in terms of chassis response to the driver. My dad always complains about this all the time when going from his car to mine.
Another downside (one that is REALLY dumb) is the DSC. This is great when it is wet, not great 90% of the time. When pulling out into traffic, lets say the situation calls for hard acceleration. What does dsc do? hits the rear breaks to stop wheel spin and slows engine revs! leaving you stuck there with you foot to the floor and nothing happening! (true story, has happened more then once)
Those can be easily fixed,
but You do not have rack and pinion steering in the 540i.
The thing will not rev like an inline 6.
BUT! it is a BMW... meaning...YOU CANNOT GO WRONG!

[BMW4LIFE]

so i got a quote today from a mechanic that said he could change my

rear struts
thrust arms
and sub fram bushings

for $325

is that a good deal


i have no idea how to do those....i can pretty much do the rest!

hahha


oh another quick question


break pad brands.....which one?!

Rotors? Which brand? (balo, zimmerman, brembo, ATE, etc?)

thanks!

[healtoeit]

so i got a quote today from a mechanic that said he could change my

rear struts
thrust arms
and sub fram bushings

for $325

is that a good deal

i have no idea how to do those....i can pretty much do the rest!


If that is including all parts and all labor I would say it's good.



break pad brands.....which one?!

Rotors? Which brand? (balo, zimmerman, brembo, ATE, etc?)

I run EBC red stuff break pads, used them at the track and had no fade (saying alot about a 3,600lb car) on the Summit Point Shenandoah circuit (highly technical course, LOTS of heavy breaking), a lot of people say hawk pads are good, but I don't know them from personal experiance.
I also run EBC semi-slotted and dimpled rotors. They are amazing! Only problem with getting slotted and/or drilled is you may get a slight shim at 10-15 mph when breaking. On some cars you cannot notice it on other it is horrible.I was going to put ate rotors on, but went w/ EBC.
One thing to consider is, if you get slotted or drilled their is a greater (yet still slim) change of the rotor cracking. Brembo is a safe bet and I have heard good things about zimmerman (but again no experience with them on my car).
Another thing to consider is the kind of break fluid you run. It can help your breaking as well.
If what you are looking for is improved pedal feel, stainless steel break lines are what you should go for! I just did mine and there sweet!

[BMW4LIFE]

no the 325 is just the labor! =(

kind of expensive i know but the rear subframe bushings are est at 4 hrs labor!

as far as the rotors go...i have balos with some pbr pads...(friend recmd)

they were awesome in the beggining but it seems like they have lost their bit

i changed the brake fluid with ATE super blue racing fluid (which i first tried on my rc51) and they MADE A HUGEEEEEEEEE CHANGE!

i recmnd that everyone try that...im going to flush my brake fluid again after i fix the suspension to see if there is a change if not i will consider new brake pads and or rotors!


as far as ebc goes they are awesome but expensive

im not going to race my car but i rather have a better braking car than a faster car anyday of the week!!!

[bad_manners_god]

no the 325 is just the labor! =(

kind of expensive i know but the rear subframe bushings are est at 4 hrs labor!

as far as the rotors go...i have balos with some pbr pads...(friend recmd)

they were awesome in the beggining but it seems like they have lost their bit

i changed the brake fluid with ATE super blue racing fluid (which i first tried on my rc51) and they MADE A HUGEEEEEEEEE CHANGE!

i recmnd that everyone try that...im going to flush my brake fluid again after i fix the suspension to see if there is a change if not i will consider new brake pads and or rotors!


as far as ebc goes they are awesome but expensive

im not going to race my car but i rather have a better braking car than a faster car anyday of the week!!!

I use Magnum Drilled Rotors....Bought the 4 for 140 with shipping INCLUDED!
And for Pads I use PBR Full Organic Pads 4 Corners for 125.

The pads almost never lose their bite, even from repeated high speed braking.

EDIT: That ATE Super Blue Brake Fluid. How many litres did you need? If I'm going to upgraded my brake lines, might as well flush the fluid.

[BMW4LIFE]

EDIT: That ATE Super Blue Brake Fluid. How many litres did you need? If I'm going to upgraded my brake lines, might as well flush the fluid.


1 liter was more than enough....i used the rest left over in my friends bike and he was blown away as well!!!!


http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=3326

use google check out and get it for 3 bucks!!! =)

[bad_manners_god]

1 liter was more than enough....i used the rest left over in my friends bike and he was blown away as well!!!!


http://www.pegasusautoracing.com/productselection.asp?Product=3326

use google check out and get it for 3 bucks!!! =)

I don't know where you see it for 3 bucks. Care to elaborate, plus shipping was 15 UPS ground to quebec. (27.40$ on that site)

About $23 on ebay.

[BMW4LIFE]

I don't know where you see it for 3 bucks. Care to elaborate, plus shipping was 15 UPS ground to quebec. (27.40$ on that site)

About $23 on ebay.


if you use google check out for the first time they give you 10 bucks off

damn the shipping is expensive

uummmm....try amazon...if you but 25 bucks or more so three of them, shipping will be free....

you can always turn around and give the other two to your friends or relatives to try!

[hatched91]

Ya there nice looking, watch out for the clutch. BMW used the same clutch for the 540i as they did on the 525i and the 530i. Small clutch + big engine = o no!
another thing is, have you driven one?
They have those stupid lock valves that "smooth out" your clutch engagement.... aka makes your shifts slower.
Plus this is the time when BMW started making cars different for the us! A US e39 has about 2 1/2 in of more insulation in the dash to compensate for people not wearing seat belts (look at where the passanger side dash meets the door). I would look into a euro dash unless you want you passengers making out with your dash board.
MOREOVER, the e39 is much more isolated in terms of chassis response to the driver. My dad always complains about this all the time when going from his car to mine.
Another downside (one that is REALLY dumb) is the DSC. This is great when it is wet, not great 90% of the time. When pulling out into traffic, lets say the situation calls for hard acceleration. What does dsc do? hits the rear breaks to stop wheel spin and slows engine revs! leaving you stuck there with you foot to the floor and nothing happening! (true story, has happened more then once)
Those can be easily fixed,
but You do not have rack and pinion steering in the 540i.
The thing will not rev like an inline 6.
BUT! it is a BMW... meaning...YOU CANNOT GO WRONG!


i had a e34 535i with eibachs, kyb's, computer software, and triflow exhaust. it was a pretty sweet ride. it handled awesome, was SUPER solid, and was also smooth as well.

really, the e39's the only thing that's better is you have a newer car, more room, more options, and more power. i don't think they were as well engineered as the e34's or as reliable. also, they are way more expensive to fix!

o, and i have a stage 1 upgraded clutch in my 540 so :p

[BMW4LIFE]

i had a e34 535i with eibachs, kyb's, computer software, and triflow exhaust. it was a pretty sweet ride. it handled awesome, was SUPER solid, and was also smooth as well.

really, the e39's the only thing that's better is you have a newer car, more room, more options, and more power. i don't think they were as well engineered as the e34's or as reliable. also, they are way more expensive to fix!

o, and i have a stage 1 upgraded clutch in my 540 so :p


yea its seems that the more electronics they put on these bad boys the more problems occur....i really like the e34 body style...its mean...but i wish i would have got the 95 540i 6 speed instead =(

but i am happy that i am going to keep my car and fix it...but im gonna hate wasting my spring break doing it... =(

[chris_e34]

as far as the m5 goes...thats a dream car....the 528 and all that stuff i would otally be happy with but the fact of the matter is that i will run into the same problems and would have to work on the car cause im not gonna pay a higschool drop out 120 buck/hr to fix it

How do you come to the conclusion that everyone in the automotive field is a high school dropout? Even so 120$ an hour is not bad for not even completing high school, if all of the 120 got to the tech... The high school dropout probably knows a lot more about your car than you do. After all he works on them all day everyday. no hard feelings

325 for the quoted work is not bad at all. I would be sceptical about their knowledge of BMW's, charging such a good price. Then again they might just be desperate for work like a lot of shops are nowadays.

If you want the best possible feel in your brakes for a daily driver, stick with the BMW pad's or equivalent oem. I have heard many stories about people using racing pads on the street. Then switching back to BMW pads because they were rough, or didn't seem to work quite as well on the street. Especially in wet conditions.

[repenttokyo]

i disagree re: brake pads, my Hawk pads are much better than the stock pads, especially from a fade perspective.