do i really have to change the rotors if i change the front brake pads on my 05 m3?

Thanks dude! Guess im buying rotors, lol

No problem. Look at performance aftermarket. Most times it works out more affordable than dealer. Dinan is a wonderful company with great parts. they are pricey though. Good luck

Check out Pelicanparts.com or Rockauto.com, great prices on bmw parts.

would recommend replacing the rotors.... BMW uses all ceramic pads from the factory, which are hard as rocks.

Do also realise that the M3 runs a duel material disk, Steel friction area with an Alloy center for heat dispersion and unsprung weight, ensure your aftermaket units will keep to this if you drive hard, also they are left and right directional disks on the M3 for further cooling and efficiency. just FYI.

thanks all. it's my 1st m3. coming from mustangs and volkswagens all these little facts about the m3 are new to me. thanks again. shopping for parts as we speak.

Front minimum is 26.4mm Rear minimum 18.4mm If you have the 19" wheels and the ZHP package with floating rotors you either need to replace them, or find somewhere that can turn rotors on the car or has the equipment to turn them off-car. Otherwise there is no reason you can't just have the rotors turned as long as they are above minimum thickness. And the minimum specs are stamped on the rotor (for OEM).

really? i knew there had to me a way!

BMW says not to machine M car brakes, and most brake shops wont machine drilled disks because they destroy the grinding pin on the brake lathe. (not a cheap tool)

Stock M brakes aren't drilled on the 05. The ZHP package brakes are, but they are also floating so they are a different beast entirely.

They aren't drilled, but BMW will tell you not to have them cut/turned because of the steel they are made of. You can read up on people having problems with them after the cutting, ether lots of noise or not the same stopping power they had, it has nothing to do with the pads being ceramic, you may get more then one use out of them as long as they are with in spec, but if i was you i could go on ECS and get a rotor pad combo from them and save some money.

I am yet to see an M3 e46 or E90 that doesnt have cross drilled disks. (approx my2000 - present)

http://www.bmwpartsweb.com/Part-Number/Product- Detail__34112229529-OEM-ID-A177134.aspx without Competition Package they are blanks, if you get the comp package they will come Cross drilled, thats on that body. And its the same way for each M3 you have to order the car with cross drilled, but you dont need to keep them.

i guess my local market (Australia) gets the Euro spec because this is the disks we use - http://www.bmwpartsweb.com/Part- Number/Product-Detail__34112282801_O-prd-E_6BB4EABD.aspx

O ok i see ya the Euro spec ones are a bit diff

so i have a 07 335i hard top twin turbo ok its got studs now an lug nuts an i put ported disc rotors on it an stronger bolts now heres my ????? do i have 2 put more stronger caliber bracets on it or no it all bolted up fine???