2016 370Z Base Coupe Rear Brake Callipers
 

Hi, this is my first time ever posting to a forum, so hopefully I'm in the right place and didn't miss any rules.

My local Nissan Service Center has a notoriously bad rep (tons of terrible reviews, often about suggesting unnecessary repairs). However, I'm currently leasing and they are the most convenient place in town to take my 370. My first couple experiences went well (clutch cylinder failed around 20k and they replaced it under warranty and payed for a tow no issue). However, last 2 years they have been acting more sketchy. Took it in for two standard maintenance packages and an oil change and all three times they said I need to have the brake rotors machined due to rust/grooves. The most recent time (this week) they said the rear brake pads were completely gone (I'm only at 42K, don't brake heavy and they looked like they still had pad to me, no issues braking). They also said again that the rotors needed to be machined when the brake pads where replaced, I asked about it and they said it was to smooth them out so the new pads make proper contact (seemed unnecessary, but I don't really know enough to argue). Needless to say, I'm suspicious that they are just trying to pad the bill again.

Anyways, I get the car back yesterday and I'm looking at the rear rotors and brakes and not only does it look like they weren't machined (still plenty of grooves and rust), but I could swear the rear callipers look smaller then I remember. The pads only cover 2/3 of the braking surface, which just seems wrong to me. Tried to see if I had an old side photo of the car or could find one of my model online to compare, but no such luck. Here's a current pic:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/4N...w=w950-h713-no

Can anyone tell me if that looks like the stock caliper for the 2016 base coupe? Is there a reason it only covers part and not all of the braking surface on the rotor?

Any help would be appreciated. Feel like I'm going crazy lol.

I'm not too familiar with the base brakes. But from looking at your picture. It looks like the inner part of the pad matches the line in the rotor. If that's the case. I think you are ok. Hopefully someone with the base brakes will post up.

I had base brakes all the way up to yesterday.

What you have pictured there are the stock calipers. What I question however is that strange looking wear on the rotor. It almost looks like Vaseline wiped over it.

Oddly enough, with all of the work I do on this car and all of the pics that I take during the various projects, I don't have a good shot at all of the stock brakes. BUT... You can at least see the wear on my rear rotor in this one pic. It looks normal compared the one on yours. And you can see how much of the rotor gets used by the pad.

https://charlest.zenfolio.com/img/s/...09707140-5.jpg



Here's an overall shot, though you can see both front and rear rotors pretty well thanks to the setting sun behind me.

https://charlest.zenfolio.com/img/s/...21367583-5.jpg

Thanks for the detailed info, I really appreciate it. This must've been the first time I really looked at the brakes in detail since getting the car. I guess I was just looking for something to be wrong, since I don't have much trust for the dealership.

If you're not trusting the dealer about the brakes, I think the last time I looked, the chain brake shops (Midas and whoever else they compete with) offer free inspections. Don't quote me on that, but it may be a good idea for a second opinion

good time to upgrade to sports brakes :)

They machined your rotors all the way to the hub, not just pad contact surface. Thats why it looks like pad is covering only part of it. Its a smallish caliper with narrow pad contact patch.
They will rust in few days and will look as they looked before.