Finally installed the Porterfield R4S pads today.
 

I have to say, installing the front pads on this car is a breeze. The hardest part was removing and reinstalling the wheels.

Shorted the brake sensor wires, so no dash light.

Car has exactly 20k miles today, and the OEM pads were just getting down close to the wear sensors...about 8mm thickness including the backing plates.

I have a set of Porterfield rear pads, but didn't install those. The OEM rears appear to have a few thousand miles left on them.

After bedding the pads, the Porterfields feel very similar to the OEM pads...I did notice a bit more bite towards the end of the bedding runs. No squealing at all...so far. Looking forward to less dust.

That is all.

With having to change pads.... how much life is left in your rotors?
 

did you happen to take a thickness measurement?

didn't measure them...in hindsight, I should have.
 

not that it's a big deal to take a wheel off again and measure the rotor, but I should have done it when I did the pads...just didn't think about it.

considering my OEM pads lasted 20k miles (and they still had another 1000 or so left in them), I think it's safe to say i'm pretty easy on the brakes. Most of my miles are freeway.

Are you planning on keeping the car Bob?

possibly.
 

There isn't anything currently available that I would take instead of this car, and the payoff at the end of my lease is really low...like $30k or something....so I may end up keeping it. Sure would save me a bundle in lease payments.

How's the M5 treating you?

I had over 100K on my 2000 S4 brakes and rotors but I don't see that happening on the RS4.
 

The S4 was chipped, lowered and sway bared out .... and to boot I drove it like I stole it. With all that the brakes held up very well.

the difference is the S4 rotors can be turned....the RS4's can't.

there wasn't a lip on the rotors?

So it is confirmed that the pads have wear sensors but they do not work then.
 

Are there any aftermarket ones with senors?

Sort of feeling the same...now.
 

I really like/love the M5. Its fast, comfortable and loaded with the gee-wiz toys that keep me interested.

I have finished with the mods I wanted and refrained from body-kit type of things that seems to infest most BMW's on the M side.

Like the RS4 the payoff on this is less than buying a new M3 which was/is my intention. The thing is would I give up all the comforts /toys of the M5 for the more nimble but far more basic M3? at this point I am telling myself no.

Since my company provides a car allowance that is more than this car's payment I am keen to just enjoy it and see what happens in 16 months.

Funny thing, ever since I sold my RS4 I have seen them many times while driving the M5...go figure as I never did when I owned mine.

Be well and enjoy that RS4.