# Standard Brakes (how many miles of use)



## Jed_1989 (Dec 20, 2015)

Has anyone got a rough idea how many miles of usage you would expect to get from standard brakes on a 2011 on facelift. (Normal driving, no track days)

The car I am looking to buy has 12,000 miles on the clock and is still on the original brakes. I was just wondering how much usage I would get roughly before I would need to replace them. 

I don’t want to buy the car and be hit with a big bill for brakes straight away,

Thanks in advance


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## TREG (May 20, 2004)

This thread may help you.

http://www.gtr.co.uk/forum/343058-100-000-miles.html


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## AndyE14 (Mar 22, 2010)

Jed_1989 said:


> Has anyone got a rough idea how many miles of usage you would expect to get from standard brakes on a 2011 on facelift. (Normal driving, no track days)
> 
> The car I am looking to buy has 12,000 miles on the clock and is still on the original brakes. I was just wondering how much usage I would get roughly before I would need to replace them.
> 
> ...


I found on my standard 2011 that the pads needed replacement at about 16k miles. I chose to replace the front discs at 25k miles because they were squealing and annoying me but I didn't have to change.

The time and how the car is used is perhaps more important than mileage. My original pads started to disintegrate and the discs started to build rust due to relatively light use of the car (which had been garaged up til that point). The pads went at 4 years and the front discs I had replaced at 6. It isn't just a mileage thing.

The brake lines should be replaced at the 5 year service and that is an expensive job (@ circa £1k) too. I had mine done but I suspect that many who have dropped off dealer service may opt not to.


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## gtr mart (Mar 29, 2004)

+1 on that thread being very informative. I would say a big chunk of that is motorway miles though.

I don't think the oem stuff is as durable as the aftermarket stuff though. 

If you change to ap slotted and reasonable pads count on 2k for front and rear replacement from someone like ac speed tech. 

I'd say with lightish use you could see 20k+ miles from oem disks. Not sure about pads.


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## slapshot (Jan 30, 2016)

I've just done 20,000 miles on my 2011 facelift car with it's original OEM pads and disks.


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## Jed_1989 (Dec 20, 2015)

TREG said:


> This thread may help you.
> 
> http://www.gtr.co.uk/forum/343058-100-000-miles.html


Thanks mate, very helpful


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## Jed_1989 (Dec 20, 2015)

AndyE14 said:


> Jed_1989 said:
> 
> 
> > Has anyone got a rough idea how many miles of usage you would expect to get from standard brakes on a 2011 on facelift. (Normal driving, no track days)
> ...


Thanks for the reply. I’ve messaged the seller regarding the brake lines, he says Nissan said they wouldn’t need doing as it had only covered 10,000 miles. As far as I’m aware the car has had light use and never been launched or been on track


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## Jed_1989 (Dec 20, 2015)

gtr mart said:


> +1 on that thread being very informative. I would say a big chunk of that is motorway miles though.
> 
> I don't think the oem stuff is as durable as the aftermarket stuff though.
> 
> ...


20k is not too bad. I’m just trying to find out if I buy the car it’s not going to cost me a fortune straight away. Tyres are all 3.5mm so not loads of life in them, brake lines not been done and brakes over half life. Need to have a good look into it


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## Jed_1989 (Dec 20, 2015)

slapshot said:


> I've just done 20,000 miles on my 2011 facelift car with it's original OEM pads and disks.


Thanks for the advice


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## AndyE14 (Mar 22, 2010)

Jed_1989 said:


> AndyE14 said:
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> > Jed_1989 said:
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Mine had never seen a track and were at around 19k when. I replaced I was advised to do them but told they would probably be ok. I think the last thing on the mind of anyone with a car that can do nearly 200mph is skimping on brake maintenance. I thought they are rubber so will have a natural lifespan which will be based more upon age and how the car has been kept than how the car has been driven. The discs and pads will depend on all factors.

I would expect a 7 year old car which didn't have the best OEM discs and pads to need them replacing and factor this and the brake line replacement Into the price you are willing to pay.

How much is the car?


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## RichardGWhite (Sep 24, 2017)

I had a look at 11 R35s before I bought mine last October. One of them was owned by a forum member in Surrey and he had owned his since new (2009) and was still on the original discs and pads (40k miles!) Admittedly they were due for change. His driving style was to use manual downshifts and engine braking. I think that***8217;s amazing. There didn***8217;t appear to be any issue with his gearbox either.


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## Jed_1989 (Dec 20, 2015)

AndyE14 said:


> Jed_1989 said:
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> > AndyE14 said:
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Thanks mate, I know what u mean. Not agreed on a price but will be around £46,500/£47,000 which I think is quite reasonable. But as said it may end up being £50k in the end if it needs brakes, tyres and brake lines


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## Jed_1989 (Dec 20, 2015)

RichardGWhite said:


> I had a look at 11 R35s before I bought mine last October. One of them was owned by a forum member in Surrey and he had owned his since new (2009) and was still on the original discs and pads (40k miles!) Admittedly they were due for change. His driving style was to use manual downshifts and engine braking. I think that***8217;s amazing. There didn***8217;t appear to be any issue with his gearbox either.


I think with the car on 11,800 ish miles the brakes will probably last a while longer but it’s obviously a risk if they haven’t stood the test of time, the car is 7 years old. It’s top end of my budget so my fear is having to put another 3k straight into it


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## Trevgtr (Dec 24, 2012)

Jed_1989 said:


> I think with the car on 11,800 ish miles the brakes will probably last a while longer but it’s obviously a risk if they haven’t stood the test of time, the car is 7 years old. It’s top end of my budget so my fear is having to put another 3k straight into it


I'm a hard braker but still get around 20k miles from a set of stock pads, 30k miles from stock discs. I've seen less hard brakers get 50k miles from stock discs. The problem as you probably know is that they can crack around the cross drilled holes, but even so, minor cracking is ok. 

Have you seen the discs? If they're not cracked they'll be fine, I bet there isn't much lip on them. The pads are enormous and wear very slowly. Pads are not overly expensive, but discs are extortionate.

Brake lines won't need doing by a long shot (unless you ask Nissan) but they aren't expensive anyway at a tuner's, never go to Nissan for brake work, you will be conned out of thousands, sadly. 

Tyres will have about 2000 miles left in them at 3.5mm.


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## L6DJX (Sep 15, 2017)

Jed_1989 said:


> Has anyone got a rough idea how many miles of usage you would expect to get from standard brakes on a 2011 on facelift. (Normal driving, no track days)
> 
> The car I am looking to buy has 12,000 miles on the clock and is still on the original brakes. I was just wondering how much usage I would get roughly before I would need to replace them.
> 
> ...


Not sure, however, i would strongly recommend you dont purchase OEM pads and discs as they're pants... 
Speak to a GTR specialist and get some aftermarket stuff that stop better and last longer.
From memory my old pagid RS29 pads lasted 18,000miles and 2 track days... And were cheaper than OEM pads and perform better.... 

Food for thought


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## dudersvr (May 7, 2003)

Trevgtr said:


> I'm a hard braker but still get around 20k miles from a set of stock pads, 30k miles from stock discs. I've seen less hard brakers get 50k miles from stock discs. The problem as you probably know is that they can crack around the cross drilled holes, but even so, minor cracking is ok.
> 
> Have you seen the discs? If they're not cracked they'll be fine, I bet there isn't much lip on them. The pads are enormous and wear very slowly. Pads are not overly expensive, but discs are extortionate.
> 
> ...


Brake lines or hoses? 2 different things, if the price is £1000 its got to be lines as in hard pipe and I cannot see for the life of me why they would need changing unless showing signs of corrosion or damage, brake hoses your looking a couple of hours and a set of whatever hoses you fancy, I have some made totally different to the stock ones in any colour you like for around £80, good time to upgrade the fluid to SRF or 5.1 and fit the brake master cyl stop.


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## Jed_1989 (Dec 20, 2015)

Trevgtr said:


> Jed_1989 said:
> 
> 
> > I think with the car on 11,800 ish miles the brakes will probably last a while longer but it’s obviously a risk if they haven’t stood the test of time, the car is 7 years old. It’s top end of my budget so my fear is having to put another 3k straight into it
> ...


No not seen the car, it’s a 3.5 hour drive so I was making sure it was the right car before I travel down. Chances are I will keep the car about 2 years and will do about 2500 miles a year maybe even less. It would be nice to never have to replace the discs but suppose buyers would be thinking the same as I am now when I come to sell it, regarding needing new discs


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## AndyE14 (Mar 22, 2010)

dudersvr said:


> Trevgtr said:
> 
> 
> > I'm a hard braker but still get around 20k miles from a set of stock pads, 30k miles from stock discs. I've seen less hard brakers get 50k miles from stock discs. The problem as you probably know is that they can crack around the cross drilled holes, but even so, minor cracking is ok.
> ...


I think it was both but it was done as per the 5 year service schedule (and Litchfield also recommended it as I shopped the 5 year service between both Litchfield and Middlehurst).

It would bother me immensely that deviations from a standard service are not typically recorded in the service log booklet so if buying used you are never quite sure what has been do e unless you have all the relevant supporting papers (which I had when I sold mine).

That's probably why I wouldn't buy used though.


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## Jed_1989 (Dec 20, 2015)

dudersvr said:


> Trevgtr said:
> 
> 
> > I'm a hard braker but still get around 20k miles from a set of stock pads, 30k miles from stock discs. I've seen less hard brakers get 50k miles from stock discs. The problem as you probably know is that they can crack around the cross drilled holes, but even so, minor cracking is ok.
> ...


I’m not sure mate, I was told the brake lines should be done on the 5 year service but they wasn’t due to the low mileage. The car has full Nissan service history so it’s them that have said they don’t need doing. I’m guessing that age rather than mileage will affect them so I would assume on the next service they might be needed


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## Jed_1989 (Dec 20, 2015)

AndyE14 said:


> dudersvr said:
> 
> 
> > Trevgtr said:
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It has all the service records but it didn’t have the brake lines done on Nissans recommendations due to only covering 10k miles. Unfortunately for me I can’t afford a new one!


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## Papa Smurf (Sep 25, 2008)

Never had the actual brake lines done on any of my GT-R's, even after 4 years.


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## AndyE14 (Mar 22, 2010)

Papa Smurf said:


> Never had the actual brake lines done on any of my GT-R's, even after 4 years.


It's in tne 5th year service so you wouldn't at 4 years


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## terry lloyd (Feb 12, 2014)

Was this not only on the early CBA cars as the newer cars had revised stronger hoses IIRC


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## Papa Smurf (Sep 25, 2008)

terry lloyd said:


> Was this not only on the early CBA cars as the newer cars had revised stronger hoses IIRC


I think you are right there


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## terry lloyd (Feb 12, 2014)

Papa Smurf said:


> I think you are right there


1st time for everything lol


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## AndyE14 (Mar 22, 2010)

terry lloyd said:


> Was this not only on the early CBA cars as the newer cars had revised stronger hoses IIRC


If so then both the dealer and Litchfield were happy to progress this in the full knowledge that my car was a DBA. I was told it is in the service schedule. If you don't follow the schedule for the car you obviously haven't had a full service and the service history has to be compromised.


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## Trevgtr (Dec 24, 2012)

terry lloyd said:


> 1st time for everything lol


Sorry but it's not this time! 

The MY11+ schedule still shows the 60 mnth service includes brake hoses.

Tuners will inspect them and advise not to bother changing them if they are fine, or approx £350 to change them inc fluid and vat. Nissan will do them by default.


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## Trevgtr (Dec 24, 2012)

dudersvr said:


> Brake lines or hoses? 2 different things, if the price is £1000 its got to be lines as in hard pipe and I cannot see for the life of me why they would need changing unless showing signs of corrosion or damage, brake hoses your looking a couple of hours and a set of whatever hoses you fancy, I have some made totally different to the stock ones in any colour you like for around £80, good time to upgrade the fluid to SRF or 5.1 and fit the brake master cyl stop.


Yeah sorry bit of confusion there, we're talking brake hoses, lines are not a service item.


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## Trevgtr (Dec 24, 2012)

Jed_1989 said:


> No not seen the car, it’s a 3.5 hour drive so I was making sure it was the right car before I travel down. Chances are I will keep the car about 2 years and will do about 2500 miles a year maybe even less. It would be nice to never have to replace the discs but suppose buyers would be thinking the same as I am now when I come to sell it, regarding needing new discs


At a confidence rating of 95%, I would guess the brake discs and pads will be absolutely fine (unless the previous owner tracked it) and at that mileage you could keep the car 2 years and not even need to replace the pads let alone the discs.


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## AndyE14 (Mar 22, 2010)

Trevgtr said:


> At a confidence rating of 95%, I would guess the brake discs and pads will be absolutely fine (unless the previous owner tracked it) and at that mileage you could keep the car 2 years and not even need to replace the pads let alone the discs.


If the car is low mileage and has been standing un-driven for long periods the pads tend to stick to the discs which causes them to brake up faster if you have an intermittent standing, sticking, release cycle. That is exactly what happened to mine. Had it been driven more regularly (and probably had higher mileage) the pads would have been fine for far longer.

Mileage alone is not the only factor at play, how the car is used is important too. Low mileage would tend to indicate to me that the car had been standing around for periods of time so the actual condition of the pads is important. I would assume this could be picked up as part of an inspection which you would want anyway, as would the disc condition.

If the inspection finds that pads/discs or the brake lines need changing then you just renegotiate the price.


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## tangoturbo (Jun 4, 2014)

Are the stock GTR R35 disc and pads are both made by Brambo?
Front Brambo pads £110, is that good price?
thanks


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