Brake failure - totalled my MS3

[ccann26]

+ Airbags seemed to work ok !

 

[GDorris]

I'm sure this question hurts to think about.....but did you own the Speed3 outright? I mean no payments.

Yeah, $23,600 cash, taxed and titled, MS coilovers (toast), Hotchkis bars (maybe toast), $1,200 in tires/wheels (2/4 toast). Expensive learning opportunity.

On the plus side - I am a 50-year-old professional. Financially, it is a flesh wound - it did not cut to the bone. Still hurts though.

Comment on the purchase price - I paid $21,619 for my 2007 cosmic blue sport with auto dimming mirror and fuel filler door - basically dealer invoice. Best purchase price for a non-demo I have heard of. I also got a dealer to commit to match this price for my new 2008 replacement silver sport with no options. Still breaking it in. Sometimes you eat the bear - sometimes the bear eats you. I have no complaints - I pull a bonehead move by not checking my pads, plow into a tire wall at 100 - 110 mph and am about as healthy as I was before any of it. I am a lucky SOB. If I post the video you will understand.

 

[GDorris]

this is True mine gets away from me all the time . You should think about dropping your MZR in a MX-5(outie)

I have a 2003 supercharged Miata, but I guess you mean the 2006+ NC Miata. I wonder what it would take to convert the front drive MRZ into a rear drive platform. You know that the 2008 Mazdaspeed MX-5 is rumored to be just 2what you suggest. Now THAT boggles the mind.

 

[Donas64]

Yeah, $23,600 cash, taxed and titled, MS coilovers (toast), Hotchkis bars (maybe toast), $1,200 in tires/wheels (2/4 toast). Expensive learning opportunity.

On the plus side - I am a 50-year-old professional. Financially, it is a flesh wound - it did not cut to the bone. Still hurts though.

Comment on the purchase price - I paid $21,619 for my 2007 cosmic blue sport with auto dimming mirror and fuel filler door - basically dealer invoice. Best purchase price for a non-demo I have heard of. I also got a dealer to commit to match this price for my new 2008 replacement silver sport with no options. Still breaking it in. Sometimes you eat the bear - sometimes the bear eats you. I have no complaints - I pull a bonehead move by not checking my pads, plow into a tire wall at 100 - 110 mph and am about as healthy as I was before any of it. I am a lucky SOB. If I post the video you will understand.

You must have planned wisely for this time in your life. Glad to see your good planning being rewarded. I hope when I'm 50, the wife and I will have saved enough to have a decent amount of disposable income. Once again, glad you're safe and still enjoying life.

 

[Young Roids]

My question is how Many track days did you go to so that your whole inner brake pad was worn down? Doesn't it take alot for that to happen?!

 

[Pmpkinhead]

I would like to see the vid. I learn from everything I see and read. Liveleak.com has been great for the "what-if's" and I'm glad your OK!!!

367 (mp3yellow

 

[Jasonstiller]

holy crap!!!! That is an amazingly awful looking cosmic MS3!!! Thanks for the reminder of what mine would look like if I bombed it in corner doin 135!!! Glad your ok man and glad you can afford it!!

By the way, those wheels dont look dtock. They look like MS3 wheels but thinner spokes. Thats what I want!! )

 

[speed3shon]

they are mx5 wheels...

 

[jalaan1]

wow, by the looks of that wreckage
you are amazingly lucky.

replacement ms3 already?! yur the MAN!

 

[GDorris]

My question is how Many track days did you go to so that your whole inner brake pad was worn down? Doesn't it take alot for that to happen?!

They lasted 3.5 track days plus maybe 3000 street miles.

 

[Young Roids]

^Wow, I would have thought they would last longer than that.

 

[GDorris]

^Wow, I would have thought they would last longer than that.

Well, the outer ones did. Still about 1/3 meat left. I was pretty damn hard on the brakes at the track.

 

[ZooZoom]

got any pics of the front pads? would be interesting to see evidence of such uneven wear. that's not typical behavior.

were these still the stock pads?

 

[J-protege]

I think he said they were Hawk.

 

[Rainman]

Glad to hear that you are in one piece. Too bad about the car. Great to know that you lived to warn the rest of us.

R

 

[Craighjr]

I think with r compound tires you could better benefit from having the abs pump motor fuse pulled out. Just a thought for next time. Glad to see you got another 3 and that you walked out of the old one ok.

 

[GDorris]

got any pics of the front pads? would be interesting to see evidence of such uneven wear. that's not typical behavior.

were these still the stock pads?

Top pad in each photo is outer pad. Top photo is left front - bottom photo is right front.

The fact that this happened pretty evenly in both sides of a brake system in a car with 6,000 miles on it argues against sticky slider pins. They were greased with high temp grease anyway.

I am guessing that the mass of the caliper caused more of the pressure to be applied to the inner (piston side) pad. Pressure on the outer pad is only applied after the mass of the heavy caliper is moved to pull the pad in. Perhaps there is some flex in the caliper as well.

 

[Firewired]

Wow .. glad to hear your okay.

Also kinda glad to hear you totaled a car that you owned, not the bank. Betcha you will check your car more often from now on

 

[lukey]

how can insurance not pay out? thats the whole point of a track day policy

 

[Texaco]

Top pad in each photo is outer pad. Top photo is left front - bottom photo is right front.

The fact that this happened pretty evenly in both sides of a brake system in a car with 6,000 miles on it argues against sticky slider pins. They were greased with high temp grease anyway.

I am guessing that the mass of the caliper caused more of the pressure to be applied to the inner (piston side) pad. Pressure on the outer pad is only applied after the mass of the heavy caliper is moved to pull the pad in. Perhaps there is some flex in the caliper as well.

Was the ABS helping your lap times when you had pads?

Scary though and certainly a reminder for all to keep an eye on pad life. It seems this could happen on the street given the right conditions.

Can't believe the software could let this happen with all the data it had available. It knew you were going over 100, it knew you were trying to stop, it knew you were not stopping, but still dumped brake pressure. The software algorithm almost killed you.

Computer - "I think we are on ice, engage ABS"
"Crap, we are not slowing down"
"Continure dumping brake pressure"
"hmm, maybe we are not on ice. Maybe we are on a dry road and there is something wrong with the brake system, I mean why is only the left front wheel locking up? The right front should as well if we are on ice"
"Does not compute...return to primary directive...dump pressure"

Pretty dang scary...

Even if I knew my pads were fine, I would consider disabling the ABS somehow if I was on the track.