ADOLFO

29,300 MILES BRAKE PADS NEED REPLACING, IS THAT TOO SOON?
DOES ANY ONE KNOW OF ANY PADS WITH MINIMAL DUST DISPERSION? AND WILL MY MB DEALER BE ABLE TO INSTALL AFTERMARKET PADS?

aborwick

29,300 miles is very good wear for Mercedes brake pads, which I understand are of a softer material than brake pads for a domestic model such as Ford or Chevrolet. On my 190 2.3E I have to replace my front brake pads every 15,000-20,000 miles, rear brake pads take longer to wear. (I am not a driver that slams on the brakes--I approach stop lights and stop signs at a common-sense speed). Ask an MB tech whether using harder aftermark brake pads would harm the rotors. I would proceed with caution!

SoCal240/6

currently no one makes aftermarket pads for the new C.

but porterfields will be coming soon. (actually, the rears are available now). I'd estimate fronts will be available in a month or two.

they stop very well and are very dustfree.

I've only had the pfields for a short while, so I'm not sure how they wear rotors, but others (VW list, Audi list, do a search for porterfield on the 'Net for a lot of real-life feedback) have used them for a long time, and report they don't wear rotors any more than stock pads. I would believe that. I've used aftermarket pads on BMWs and Porsche for over 20 years (mostly Repco Deluxe and Metalmasters) and found they don't cause high rotor wear.

BTW, the stock pads are made by Jurid. That's what is stamped on them.

Based on my use of pfields on the C so far, along with the successful use of pfields on other german cars by others for a long time, I recommend them. That brake dust is annoying and unnecessary.

Buellwinkle

<< currently no one makes aftermarket pads for the new C.>>

Not true sir, lots of companies make pads for the new C and some may even be better than Porterfield. They are too small of a company and don't have the resources to keep up with newer models. That's why they experiment with SoCal240/6's life. I would be concerned with a company that small not being able to do adequate testing and research. After all it's you life you are gambling with.

You can get EBC Greenstuff, Pagid and Mintex. All are european made and have been on the market for a long time. You can search Google for places to buy them. TireRack.com carries the EBCs. I've heard good and bad on all of these as I have with Porterfield. I'm waiting for when I need pads to decide since my dealer gives me free unlimited car washes I don't care as much.

You must do very little braking to get 29k miles out of a set of MB pads. The dealer told me that 15k is typical.

SoCal240/6

Hmm, must be some fairly new developments. I called EBC a couple of months ago and they said the didn't make the pads and didn't know when they would have them.

However, after doing more research on EBC, I would not use them. I have read too many bad stories about EBCs and rotors, noise and dust.

Pagids I think are very similar to the stock Jurids.

I've not heard anything bad about Porterfields. Do you have any links that I can take a look at? I'd be interested.

Mintex would be interesting. Where can you get them? What is the contact info? Thanks.

Buellwinkle

Well if you have a C240 you probably don't need as good of brakes as the C320 and C230 so Porterfields would be OK if they ever get around to making them. But for EBC Brakes check out TireRack.com for $79 and for Pagid at $49.90 and Mintex for $34.50 check out www.powerstopbrakes.com or call them 1-877-750-7251. If there's anything wrong with the EBC Greenstuff is that they are made of Kevlar like the Porterfields. EBC Redstuff may be better as they are metalic.

For reviews just check around old posts in this forum or BMW/Porche/Audi forums as they all have the same problem.

Sorry SoCal240, you asked for it (LOL)!

SoCal240/6

Thanks for the info.

Curious, though, why would you be sorry for providing me information? Esp. info that I specifically asked for. That seems very odd to me.

Why would a C240 need different or less brakes than a C320 or the C230? The weight difference isn't that much. Also, why would porterfields be less brakes, if anything I'd think they'd be more brakes, given that they are really known as a racing brake company and have been for a long time. If anything, I would think the criticism on porterfield would be the same as for most race pads, that being noise and dust, but the porterfield Street compound doesn't seem to have those problems.

EBC Reds may be a good choice. I've never heard much about them, though, so I don't know. The Greens may be ok, too, but I've read enough bad comments about those to be a little wary. The Mintex are probably good, too, although I don't know much about them, and wonder if they are just as dusty as stock. I personally wouldn't hesitate to try them, though. I will probably do a little more research on them and order a set to check them out.

Its good to see that so many choices are becoming available. I'm not sure which ones I would use, other than something other than the dusty stock pads.

Finally, if you have any specific links to negative critiques on Porterfields, I'd love to see it. I just did another search on audiworld, vwvortex, and a couple of Porsche sites and still have not seen anything negative. You have apparently seen it, if you could find it I'd appreciate the links.

Thanks for the info.

SoCal240/6

Actually, ran another search, on audiworld.com, searching all their forums, with the search term "Porterfield."

Those guys are really into brake pads! And lots of people into heavy track use, too.

Lots of interesting posts on stock pads, Porterfields, and lots of other aftermarket pads. Pretty interesting reading.

Buellwinkle

I wasn't sorry about giving you the information just the comment on you having the slowest C class car so you won't be going as fast as the others therefore you don't need high performance brakes. Also Porterfield as far as I know just makes replacements pads. Pagid not only makes calipers and rotors but also supplies Brembo with pads. So when that C32 passes you by I wonder if they have the same pads as you and I have or are they Pagids on those Brembo's. As far as bad press on Porterfields, I was talking to one of the Performance Machine (PM) engineers at a motorcycle show and it turns out that Porterfields was in the next booth. I asked him about the Portefields and he pulled me out of the way and told me they were crap and don't do anything better than stock pads. PM is a high end manufacturer of brake systems for bikes. They use EBC pads. So between the top end car brake system manufacturer and the top motorcycle brake system manufacturer, neither of which makes their own pads prefer something other than Porterfields. Are there any high end brake system companies that offer Porterfields in their lineup?

As far as racing, I see many chevy's and ford's in Nascar but their offerings at the dealer don't account for their racing heritage. Racing applications are very specific and don't apply to us.

SoCal240/6

newsflash . . . people don't buy C240s to go fast! People don't buy C320s to go fast, either. These are not sports cars, they are semi-luxury sedans.

Do you drive your C really, really fast? LOL. I'll bet you do. The next time I get passed by a Metallic Gold C class, I'll wave to you as you go by! LOL!

Some guy at a motorcycle show "took you aside" and told you Porterfields are no good? Hmm, good enough for me! LOL. Actually, for him to say they don't do anything better than stock tells you he has no credibility (if your story is true). They will certainly work at much higher temps than stock, and have 90% less dust. Those are two facts. Others are as set forth in the 300 or so posts re Porterfields on the Audi site alone.

When did he tell you this? Yesterday, I assume. Because a week ago you were looking for porterfields and trying to find out when they would be available. Why would you have done that if you knew they were terrible?

I have no affiliation with Porterfield, I'm not sure why you seem to think I do. If I can find a better pad, I'd use it in a heartbeat. But I need some real info, not "some guy at motorcycle show told me . . ."

Buellwinkle

I was looking at all alternatives and Porterfield kept popping up on the blinking ads at mbnz.org, that's all. I asked Porterfield directly and they gave me a rude answer that they were never going to make them for the C-Class (that was Wendy if it matters). Jerry Jones at myroadster sent me an e-mail a month or so ago and he said they were now available and when I responded he changed his mind. This company or dealers don't give me a warm and fuzzy. I hope many of you test the Porterfields when they are available so I won't have to put my car at risk. And yes, I would take the word of someone from a caliper/rotor manufaturer about a specific brand of pads over someone on this list. If Porterfield pads can make Brembo or PM calipers perform better why wouldn't those companies recommend or use them or go out of their way to tell me not to use them?

Also I drive the car to it's limits every day. If you see a black C-Coupe with chrome wheels slip by you it's probably me. I shift when the rev limiter kicks in, it saves me from having to look at the dash. You got a manual so don't tell me you got it to get better fuel economy. They are not luxury cars by a long shot. I consider then sport sedans/coupes.

Beside the original question is in the present and presently Porterfields don't exists no matter how wonderful they may be.

SoCal240/6

Ahh, that explains what seemed to be an irrational venom towards porterfield. What's that old saying, Hell hath no fury like something or another . . .

I don't know how good porterfields are. I do know they stop well, are quiet and make no dust on my car, and they seem to generally be highly regarded by what appears to be a large group of very technically-inclined people on Audiworld, who have put lots of road and track miles on them. But, I have a lot of experience with cars and am comfortable using and monitoring them. For others that might be uncomforatable with that, sticking with stock is definately sensible.

C Hatch drivers are probably more sporty than Sedan buyers. I don't think I've seen a sedan exceeding the posted speed limit yet.

We got a manual not as much because its faster than the automatic, but because its just more fun having that additional control over the car. Plus, our (wife and I) other cars are all (and have been for years), either stick shift BMWs or Porsches. We both have tons of track (PCA and POC) experience (Willow Springs, Thunder Hill, Laguna Seca) and automatics just aren't our bag. We consider the C sedan a luxury car. It just takes one tight turn at any decent speed to let you know the C sedan ain't no sports car. Or even a sports sedan. Nope. If we wanted that, we would have bought a 5 speed 330i with the sports package. That is a sports sedan.

And yes, you definately drive harder on the street than I do, from your description. From the sounds of your driving habits, I will be more than happy to pull over and let you get way, way ahead of me.

Buellwinkle

<<I will be more than happy to pull over and let you get way, way ahead of me.>>

I love drivers like you. The annoying ones try to squeeze me out and not let me split lanes on my bike. It sometimes ends up costing me and the car driver a mirror as they hit (the noise of two mirrors breaking is very memorable). It's hard going from a fast bike that can go in the car pool lane and split regular lanes to a cage trapped in traffic. I don't know if my driving habits are worsened by owning motorcycles or by being a cab driver in N.Y. in my younger years.

SoCal240/6

What makes you say that?

I rode street bikes from the age of 16 to 35 (don't currently have one, though, the wife is fine with cars on the track, but not big with bikes on the street, esp. since the birth of our son). I was never much of a lane splitter, but I always move aside in the lane when I see bike coming up, to give him as much room as possible. Most riders acknowledge with a little lift and wave of the left hand off the bar.

I think riding street bikes makes one a better driver. On a bike, you naturally learn defensive driving skills. Plus, a few open throttle blasts on a GSXR1100 makes accelerating "fast" in a car seem kind of futile . . .

Being a cabbie in NY?? Umm, that can't help driving habits!

Buellwinkle

I wasn't being sarcastic, I really like drivers like you. Most in SoCal are out to kill so for me the best defense is a good offense. I wish I can train my 11 year old to be more aggressive like a NY cabbie. She lets people pass her on the motocross track and then gets dirt thrown in her face. Took me a while to wash the mud off her helmet. For my 16 year old I plan on signing her up to one of those advanced performance driving schools just after the holidays so she can have the confidence of a NY cabbie, hopefully without the aggressiveness. The problem is the two I called are at the Irwindale track and I'm waiting for one to open up at the El Toro marine base in January. They claim a 80-90% reduction in accidents and tickets compared to other teenagers.

Buellwinkle

SoCal240/6,

I'm sorry it took a while but I've seen several brake pad comparison on the net and Porterfields come out mid pack. I can't find those now but if you believe the listers on this site then this is what Mach430 wrote in the Wheels/Tires/Brakes forum;

"My porterfields squeal so loud that truckers get envious of me. Ever since I've had them, I completely regret them."

MARK CUMMINS

WELL... I have used the porterfield brake pads since the early 90s
on most all of my cars,and shop trucks cause the work trucks were blowing thru the pads at 6k and when I replaced them with the porterfield pads they lasted 12k !!! and for my street cars they dont dust,squeak,or eat the ROTORS like the metal masters from repco/mintex.and porterfield makes pads for my go kart
I have very good results with his product,and will be installing a set of his treated /frozen rotors and new pads on my c coupe cause the oe pads are DUSTERS


btw no I dont work for PORTERFIELD




GOT BOOST?

mleskovar

Porterfield and EBC both use Kevlar in their pads as opposed to metal. They both also offer different grades of pads depending on what type of driving you are interested in. Different pads, different temperature ranges (street to full race). Ceramic is also used in some pads but I haven't found any for the new C series but I tried them on my son's '97 Malibu and they are VERY smooth, quiet, much less dust (not dust free, can't see how any could be), and rotor friendly. I believe pads with metal in them are inherently not rotor friendly. Porterfield is very particular about breaking in their pads and gives you a quick 'how to' on their site that I think would be wise to use for any pads. I also think noisy pads are due to driving habits....late & heavy braking more suited to the track. C320, 17K miles, no noise from brakes, and not even 1/2 worn on the front pads yet. But sooooo dusty I'm starting to look now for different pads.