Re: E36 M3 Rotors

["Ron Buchalski" <rbuchals@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Sam,

Your mechanic is full of s**t.  My M3 is only driven on weekends, and it may 
go several weeks without driving.  In the winter, it has spent in excess of 
one month without being driven.

I have no problems with rusting rotors.  In fact, the only time I've seen 
rusting rotors is after the car has been washed.  Surface rust will form on 
the rotors within a matter of hours.  As soon as the car has been driven 
(and stopped a few times), the rust is worn off.

You didn't say anything about recent events that may have contributed to 
your "brake shimmy" problem.  Did your car just start to do this one day?  
Did it gradually increase over time?  Did it happen after a driver's school 
weekend?  How many miles are on the brakes?

I "cooked" my stock brake pads after a weekend at Summit Point, and 
encountered a vibrating brake pedal.  The problem went away after a few 
weeks of driving, but the brake pads never grabbed as well as they did prior 
to being "cooked".  I now run the Euro floating rotors and PF-90 brake pads 
at the track, and have no problems.

- -rb
'95 M3



>
>Date: Fri, 23 Jun 2000 12:06:03 -0400
>From: Sam Choi <choi.192@domain.elided>
>Subject: E36 M3 Rotors
>
>Hi,
>
>My brakes now shimmy.  I took my car to the dealer and the tech asked
>me a few questions about my driving habits, and suggested that the
>problem could be rust (he didn't ask about any track time).
>
>According to him, if you don't drive your M3 everyday, and if you
>don't drive it pretty hard, the rotors can rust.  My M3 is not a
>daily driver . . . it usually sits during the week and I take it out
>perhaps once a week -- sometime less often.
>
>I have noticed some rust on the rotors.  He says that the rust can
>make the surface uneven.
>
>Their solution is to replace the rotors.  According to them this is
>*not* covered under warranty!
>
>So the questions I have are,
>
>1)  Does this sound right?  Do the rotors rust if you don't drive everyday?
>
>2)  Shouldn't a problem like this be covered under warranty?  Infrequent 
>use
>      is hardly a misuse of the car!
>
>3)  Should I get 3rd party brake rotors?  I'm sure they will perform better 
>on
>      the track.  But what about this crazy rusting problem?
>
>4)  Any other advice?
>
>Cheers,
>Sam
>97 M3

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