E28 Brakes

["Chao, Harvey" <harvey.chao@xxxxxxxx>]

About half way into the trip down to San Diego from San Jose, on short
notice, the brake lining warning light started to flicker.  So, yesterday
evening, back home again, I pulled the front wheels figuring new pads were
in order. 

Well, the front pads still have about 0.25" or so of material and the sensor
does not appear to be worn to contact yet.  I did the rear pads about 8-10K
miles ago and they are fine (had a sticking caliper back there and one pad
was prematurely very worn, so I replaced all rear axle pads.  Thinking back
about it I recall the following:

1) light flickers when ambient temperatures are above 85 degrees or so and
if/when I hit bumps/irregularities in the road
2)  light does not come on or flicker when I apply brakes

Taken in connection with the inspection of the pads (I checked both left
front and right rear) that showed plenty of pad left and no wear on the
sensors, I am thinking of a cold solder joint somewhere in the instrument
cluster.  

My conclusion is that if I keep an eye on actual pad wear, I can probably
ignore this problem until I have to go into the instrument cluster to
replace the NiCad batteries for the SI board and will try to find and repair
the problem then.

However, when I had the left front wheel off, although there is still
significant pad left, I was prepared to replace the pads anyway (Axxis
Deluxe, I am told they were formerly Repco Deluxe which is what I requested)
until I noticed a pretty significant ridge around the circumference of the
disk.  Not having replacement rotors on hand at this time, I decided to
postpone the job a bit.  To measure the actual rotor thickness I'd have to
have pulled the caliper, and so I haven't actually measured the thickness,
but I'd estimate that the ridge of unworn rotor at the outer circumference
of the rotor is probably around 1/16".  

This then finally leads me to my question for the digest -- Replacement
rotor sources, what's recommended for a car that is a commuter car and
doesn't get driven hard or raced - 98+% of use is as a commute car (so
brakes HAVE to work in an emergency due the fools rushing around in the
daily commute with the possibility of a panic stop).  There are no
indications that the current rotors are warped, just worn.  I am planning on
stock rotors, not special, modified, heat treated, slotted, cross drilled
etc.  Sources appear to be:

*  Dealer parts dept. for BMW rotors (I understand these are warranted
against warping)
*  Mail order (Hendrick Imports of NC) for BMW rotors
*  Other rotors (mail order or not) from  - 
	"OEM German Rotors"
	Brembo
	ATE
	BMP (BMW/OE/???)
	Imparts "original equipment rotors"
	US sources ( Wagner or equivalent)

Would appreciate constructive inputs on experiences you folk may have had.
Thanks
Harvey

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