Thank god I drive a BMW!

codex57

codex57

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#1
Nearly got in an accident today. Was on the 91 and taking the onramp to the 605 N. All of a sudden, traffic started slowing down unexpectedly. I had to brake fairly hard, but not emergency brake or anything. I guess the red Volvo behind me wasn't paying as much attention cuz I noticed him brake late so he really had to slam on the brakes. I could tell he was gonna tap into me unless I did something. Luckily, I still had about a foot in front of me from the car in front. Thanks to the great brakes on the BMW, I was able to lessen the pressure on the brake pedal slightly and scoot up several more inches. No way in hell I could have done that with the retarded computer controlled brakes on the E320.

I was able to avoid an accident (don't have time to deal with one) but the Volvo wasn't so lucky. I think there was at least a 3 car pileup behind me. Dealing with insurance companies from that accident would have been a real pain.
 
MrElussive

MrElussive

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Nice moves!

But I think the E-Class would have done just fine also. The computer controlled brakes on the E-Class just bring the pads closer to the rotors once you let go of the accelerator. This way, when you do press the brakes you get instantaneous response (the system assumes that when you let go of the accelerator, you're going to use the brakes). The brakes are also electronically controlled, but you still get proper brake pedal modulation. A lot of new cars are drive-by-wire throttle as is my Coupe (so was my Jetta) and it works extremely well, even when blipping the throttle real fast for a quick donwshift. If drive-by-wire was not a listed feature of the car, I wouldn't even know it was there.

You trash the E-Class a lot but it's actually an amazing car. I would take it over the 5-series in a heartbeat.
 
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epj3

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#4
Elussive You Know Your Pads Are Touching The Rotor If Your Foot Is Touching The Pedal Right? There Is Not Much Of A Pressure Release -- In Fact Most Likely The Pads Are Touching The Rotor Almost Constantly.

The Problem With The Electronically Controlled Brakes Is That There Is No Way A Master Cylinder That Is Electronically Controlled Can React In A Negative Motion As Fast As A Master Cylinder That Is Physically Attached To Your Pedal With The Springs And Such.
 
D

deutsch100

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My previous car before the 330cic was the new E-class. The new brake system and accelerator were so horrible...I have never driven a car in my whole life with less driver/car connection/feeling..it was disgusting. Any E-class bashing is totally deserved. I agree that the E-class styling is drop dead beautiful,,,,but the 5 series drives and handles a 100% better.

Glad you avoided that accident....besides dealing with the insurance companies....your baby would have been damaged. Good driving!!

P.S.

A pic of my E that I traded for my 330.
 
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epj3

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#6
Oh Yea Has Anyone Noticed How Big The Pistons In Bmw's Calipers Are In Relationship To The Pad? The Single Piston On My Calipers Are A Few Mm Narrower Than The Width (not Thickness) Of The Pad Itself -- And Nearly As Long. I Would Assume The Ne Ones Would Be Like That Too.
 
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epj3

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BEFORE MR ELUSSIVE reposts SAYING THAT I WAS WRONG -- WHAT I REALLY MEANT IS YOU CAN NOT IN ANY WAY BE AS ACCURATE WITH THE ELECTRONIC BRAKING. WHY? BECUASE, WHEN A NORMAL BRAKE PEDAL, YOU FEEL EVERYTHING THE BRAKES ARE DOING - WHICH IS WHY A WARPED ROTOR IS SO ANNOYING.
 
MrElussive

MrElussive

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This is taken from the E-Class section of the mbusa.com web site:

"Predictive brake priming sets the brake pads near to the discs when the driver quickly releases the accelerator, for faster brake response."

ARGUE THAT AS MUCH AS YOU WANT BITCH, THAT IS ON THEIR WEB SITE AND IF THEY ARE LYING TO ME, I'LL SUE MBUSA FOR FALSE ADVERTISING AND GETS LOTS OF $$$
 
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epj3

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wood_e said:
I think BMW uses dual piston calipers IIRC...
Click to expand...
NOPE!! Even the E46 M3 uses single pistons up front (check the ETK!!) It surprises me too BUT the reason bmw can do that and still have absolutely amazing brakes is that the calipers themselves are HUGE.
 
MrElussive

MrElussive

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epj3 said:
NOPE!! Even the E46 M3 uses single pistons up front (check the ETK!!) It surprises me too BUT the reason bmw can do that and still have absolutely amazing brakes is that the calipers themselves are HUGE.
Click to expand...
Yeah, but multiple pistons allows for more evenly distributed pressure. Most stock brake setups can only handle a lap or two before pedal feel starts to go and the M3's brakes are no exception to this.
 
codex57

codex57

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#13
MrElussive said:
Nice moves!

You trash the E-Class a lot but it's actually an amazing car. I would take it over the 5-series in a heartbeat.
Click to expand...
I trash the E class a lot, but you'll never hear me say it isn't an awesome car. It's just that the few flaws it has simply infuriate the hell out of me. I'm not alone in the complaints too. The brakes are a particular sore point cuz they're used so often and thus have the opportunity to annoy more often. The damn things have a hair trigger. It's like an on/off switch. It's difficult enough in a parking lot, but in an emergency stop like what happened to me as I described above, there is absolutely no brake feel and I'd be talking to the insurance company right now.
 
Gr8WebDesigns

Gr8WebDesigns

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#14
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#14
I agree 100% on "Thank God I drive a BMW!"

Yeah, I agree 100% on "Thank God I drive a BMW!". Exactly 2 weeks ago from tonight-- only 1½ blocks from my house, the weather changed dramatically! When I pulled out of my driveway, it was barely sprinkling. Then, all of a sudden, it started POURING!! I reached down and changed the wiper switch on my 1984 528e from delay to full speed. On the first swipe across in front of me, I saw a parked 1999 Ford F250 pick-up truck about 10 inches off the right front corner of my car. Going about 25 MPH, I had no time to react and was stopped very abruptly as I hit the left rear of the truck. Needless to say, my 528e was a total loss... the front bumper was now verticle instead of horizontal, my engine was transverse instead of inline, my windshield ended up in the middle of the street, my right fender was now non-existent, and my hood was a triangle instead of a square. But.... I was uninjured!! The passenger compartment was untouched!! I always liked that car, but after this, I decided that the replacement car was going to have to be another e28! I found a 1986 535i on eBay and won the auction at $830.00. I had to fly up to Santa Rosa, CA (about 1½ hours above San Fransisco) from the Los Angeles area to pick it up. I caught a plane from Long Beach Airport at 6:50 AM, arrived at Oakland Airport at 8:10 AM, caught a shuttle (AirBART) to the BART station, jumped on BART at 8:50 AM, arrived at the San Francisco Civic Center at 9:18 AM, boarded a Golden Gate Transit System Bus at 9:50 AM and arrived in Santa Rosa at 12:15 PM, transfered to a Santa Rosa City Bus at 12:45 PM and arrived at the seller's location at 1:00 PM. I started my drive back home at 2:00 PM (stopping a friend's house for about 4 hours in Dublin, CA) and arrived back home at 12:30 AM the next morning. But it was well worth the trip! This 535i is like a brand new car!! Much better condition than the 528e was and even after my $500.00 deductible, my insurance covered about $250.00 more than I paid for my replacement vehicle!!


BMWs Rule!!​
 
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Big Daddy

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#17
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#17
This is a living forum...and I too love bimmer brakes. Having been a track junkie I can tell you that most BMW brakes will handle a lap or two with no problems. If your brakes are failing you after a lap or two you are not braking properly.
 
jrt67ss350

jrt67ss350

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I can't even tell you how many times the brakes in my e30 have saved my ass from catastrophe. They are simply incredible, particularly compared to the non-power assisted four wheel drum death trap brakes I was used to on my Camaro before I got my bimmer.
 
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