[NAZty]

Since remapping my 530e I’m thinking of upgrading the brakes as they don’t seem to be able to keep up. Not sure if I only need to upgrade the pads or the discs as well?

Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Extremeengineer]

So define can’t keep up. Without knowing answer, a good starting point is a performance brake fluid and pad. But you are very likely tire limited as well, but that’s an assumption. If you are running bone stock brake system on A/S RFT, a fluid, pad, and performance tire will be a massive change in braking.

[NAZty]

Sorry should’ve said!

I’d like more initial bite and at the moment after driving hard for a bit (not long at all) they feel really soft and spongy. Everything is stock at the moment. The tires are Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3.

I’ll definitely start with brake fluid as it’s due in November anyway and just this morning it’s reporting the rear pads need changing in around 2500 miles which is interesting as it was in with BMW only around a month ago and as part of their health check I’m sure they said the pads had 6-7mm left but I guess it’s understandable if I’ve been driving hard.

What are recommendations for brake fluids and pads? I’ve seen Motul RFB 600 come up quite a bit and EBC yellow/blue when doing a quick Google but I’m open to any suggestions.

[Extremeengineer]

So EBC Blue will give you a much more aggressive brake, much faster wear than stock, and you have to take the time to bed them in right, more so with the yellow. Yellow will be cleaner and last longer, probably better for most people. The performance fluid, I like Motul RBF-600, will help with fade, so your "bite" will remain consistent, but it isn't going to do a lot with that cold hard stop, the pad will help there, but you will be somewhat limited by the calipers and master cylinder there. You'll have to change your fluid more often with the Motul, or any performance fluid really, just put a reminder in your phone to do it once a year, lets you check over everything anyway while doing it.

[Volasko]

Originally Posted by NAZty

Since remapping my 530e I’m thinking of upgrading the brakes as they don’t seem to be able to keep up. Not sure if I only need to upgrade the pads or the discs as well?

Any recommendations or advice would be greatly appreciated.

I doubt any part of your brake system is holding you back. I would guess its the PHEV regeneration calibration. I have the upgraded M-sport brakes and find that aggressive high speed braking leaves a lot to be desired. Its like they try to regen first then slowly bring on the mechanical brakes, but in a way that limits how fast you can stop. I've read the same in C&D reviews, which I've chalked up to how BMW calibrated the energy regeneration systems. Most brake systems, even stock non-sport ones have enough braking force to lock up the tires, which means you're already stopping as fast as possible with the available grip you have from the tires. I personally wouldn't be tossing any money at them as I doubt you will see the results you are looking for.

Car and Driver Snippet from their 2018 530xe review:

Frankly, it’s more fun to try to maximize the 530e’s use of electricity by monitoring the intuitive dashboard interface than it is to hustle it around. The steering is devoid of feel, and the body wallows slightly when the car quickly changes directions in Comfort mode. In lieu of any semblance of fun-to-drive, the BMW serves up a creamy ride (even with our test car’s $1000 adaptive suspension in its firmer Sport setting) and a roomy interior that is deathly quiet. It may be capable of cornering at 0.88 g, but it sends the driver few messages that it has any interest in doing so. That the car needed 193 feet to stop from 70 mph is probably more attributable to mass, but the standard Pirelli Cinturato P7 All Season Run Flat tires aren’t exactly performance rubber. Still, that’s easily 20 feet farther than we’ve come to expect from German luxury sedans in general—and fully 39 feet longer than what we measured for a Mercedes-Benz E300 4MATIC riding on summer tires. An attentive driver can sense the transitions between regenerative and friction braking, but the pedal otherwise feels natural and progressive and, long distances notwithstanding, there was no fade after several repetitions of the exercise.