The BMW 335i was first released in 2010, making it 11 years old as of the writing of this article. Regardless of that fact, people continue to purchase and patronize it. If you’re one of those people, and you find yourself looking up how much BMW 335i brake pads and rotors cost, then maybe you should first figure out if you’re getting drilled or slotted rotors.
Diving Deep Into Brake Systems
Technology as we know it continues to be affected by innovation throughout the years, and the technology found in the automotive industry is no different. We continue to innovate and make our cars safer, more efficient, and more reliable. However, if you’re not heavily inducted into the car scene, these innovations would most likely be unknown to you.
Such is usually the case with brake systems. Nowadays, there are different types of brake rotors available for the common car enthusiast. We’ll be talking about the two main types: Drilled rotors and Slotted rotors. Both of these types give you different advantages, and deciding which one to get between the two of them can be tricky, but we’re here to help.
What Are Drilled Rotors?
Drilled rotors are brake rotors with holes drilled onto them. These holes act as an escape route for water and other liquids that may find themselves on or inside your brake rotors. They allow the water to evaporate and thus help your brake systems perform better overall in wet environments.
The same holes, however, usually end up becoming the weakest spot of the rotors, as continuous exposure to high temperatures may cause cracks to form there. These cracks will ultimately end up breaking your rotors, and you wouldn’t want that in the track.
Due to the facts mentioned above, drilled rotors are more popular with people who live in wetter environments. People who constantly find themselves on the track, however, will tell you to avoid them.
What Are Slotted Rotors?
Slotted rotors, on the other hand, are rotors with slotted grooves on them. These grooves shave away at the brake dust and other tiny particles that may come in between the brake pad and the rotor. These particles act detrimental to the performance of your brake, as they lessen the contact points between the rotor and the pad.
However, the slots don’t discriminate. Most of the time, aside from shaving away at the brake dust, they also shave the brake pads. This means that you’ll find yourself having to constantly replace your brake pads when you utilize slotted rotors.
To a racer, having to replace your brake pads is a necessary cost in order to enjoy maximum performance of your brakes. However, for people who use their vehicles daily, the marginal improvement of the brake systems may not matter as much as the money they’d save on replacement pads.
Which One Should I Get for My BMW 335i?
The BMW 335i is a coupe that was designed to look good in showrooms and feel good when driven. It’s not usually a car that people might use in racetracks, but some people still do. The BMW 335i specs don’t boast incredible power or performance, but the BMW brand guarantees your comfort.
Your choice of brake rotors will depend heavily on how you decide to use them. If you find yourself using it as a daily driver, then you might find drilled brake rotors to be better for you overall. However, if you find yourself racing with your BMW 335i, then slotted rotors might be a better fit.
Overall, what kind of driver you are will heavily affect your decision. There is no completely correct answer on which type you should get, as people drive differently from one another.