"Check brake pads" light came on

Hello, the light just came on this morning... obviously I'm going to get it checkout out asap, but realistically how long do I have until the pads get low enough to do damage. I'm asking because I commute to work every day and I put on the miles quite quickly.

there is definitely some fudge factor... you should be OK for a little while. But don't wait for metal on metal grinding (!)

Light is lit at 10% pad, so figuring 10% times mileage from new or the last brakes, better divide that by 1/2 to be safe.

Thanks for the info!

Thanks... definitely gonna half that, REALLY don't want to damage rotors or anything!

Some BMW shops insist on replacing rotors with pads. If you're under BMW maintenance period, thats the best option. If not, make sure the rotors are well within the wear limits.

I agree with BMW and always recommend rotors with a complete brake service on a street car. For the relatively few pennies more per mile why not have the smoothness, quietness, and brake performance offered by new pads and rotors. I think it's a no-brainer.

I'll be putting together an entire post on high performance brakes to be published here on the forums soon. All the secrets and tips I have learned over the years. For members only, of course.

Pretty sure pads go quicker than rotors, so...

how often should rotors be changed?

Whenever you replace the pads. It's usually noticeable when you need to replace the pads.