Another Happy E36 Owner on AP Racing and Ferodo

Though not as plentiful as they once were, it's hard to deny the appeal of the BMW E36 M3 as a highly capable tool for track driving. The stock brakes are a known weak point, however, especially as power and grip levels elevate. After experiencing fade and a soft pedal with the OE system, our client Sean chose to upgrade his 1998 M3 with our Front CP8350 325mm Competition Brake Kit and Ferodo Racing DS3.12 brake pads.

Here's what Sean had to say about his experience with our CP8350 front kit:

Brand, model, size, and offset of the front and rear wheels you’re running (i.e. Volk TE37 18x9 +35)?

Your experience level & driving history (e.g.- I have been tracking cars for 10 years with SCCA, etc.)

I’m just an HPDE driver, high intermediate/slow advanced driver with about 5 years' experience. Track NorCal tracks and Buttonwillow along with Bimmer Challenge put on by Speed Ventures here on the west coast.

How have our brakes changed your driving experience?

AP Racing calipers have been phenomenal with the Ferodo DS3.12 pads. I love them, lighter, more responsive and couldn’t be happier. One of the best upgrade mods you can do with the E36.

Problems that the brake kit solved (e.g.- pad fade, disc cracking, soft pedal, etc.)

Upgraded front brakes because I did not like the OEM caliper feel (too soft of a pedal). Black Friday sale was a great deal from Essex. Once installed pedal got firmer, more confidence and no brake fade.

Comparison to other products you’ve tried in the past

I don’t have experience with other products but just have seen and heard good things from Essex and AP Racing used by other E36 enthusiasts.

Customer service by Essex before and after initial sale

Customer service was easy, packaging was neat, clean and perfect.

Documentation and ease of install

Had a shop install the kit and they were impressed and had no issues at all, straight forward and simple to bolt on and go. Nothing more you can ask for or want in a product. Well worth the money.

Would you buy it again, and would you recommend it to a friend?

I recommended a kit to a fellow enthusiast, and they purchased.

Anything about the product that you think could be improved?

I don’t think there’s much room for improvement.