Upgrading to C63 brakes
 

In a previous post (can't find it) I asked if anyone had installed C63 brakes on their non-C63. VV posted the Swedish cost of a front disc at $1400. Interesting but only valid for Sweden. Countries with confiscatory taxes and sky-high import duties skew the numbers too much and in this case the quoted price was nearly 40% higher than the US cost.

Keeping in mind that US MB dealers are independent businessmen and can charge whatever they like except possibly the MB owned (and hated) MB Manhattan who might stick to MBUSA's MSRP list. My Seattle dealer, as one shining example, prices all their parts much higher than suggested retail. That's why they charge $25.83 for a fleece filter. After all, you can't maintain a potentate's lifestyle selling at retail.

So today, stopping in at my dealer to ask if my $12 order had come in, I asked for a price check on a set of C63 brake discs, calipers and pads which are sold separately.

HOLY HEART ATTACK!

Discs, front $1019.20 X2
Discs, rear $292.50 X2
Caliper, front $ 817.60 X2
Caliper, rear $599.20 X2
Pads, front $336.96 per axle
Pads, rear $191.88 per axle

Looks like $5985.84 plus tax minus any discounts.

No thanks. No Brembos, either.

Just curious, but what do you need the C63 brakes for? The brakes on your car should be plenty sufficient, no?

this is what i found

Discs, front $626.75 X2
Discs, rear $175.50 X2
Caliper, front $ 501.40 X2
Caliper, rear $368.61 X2
Pads, front $197.80 per axle
Pads, rear $112.70 per axle

$3655.02

Brakes
 

Absolutely. I don't need them and the OE brakes are more than sufficient for anything. Just an exercise to satisfy my curiousity.

Way too expensive.

From who?

Man, the other day I wasted a good hour of my life searching for that mysterious thread! :wall:

I was hoping they were not going to be that expensive... At that price, I think I'll save my $$$$.

I wonder if we could retrofit our front brakes on the rear and then just upgrade the fronts? Wishful thinking...

So how much to put in the 6.2L AMG engine while we're at it?!? I'm just curious about upgrading my C300.... hah!

i believe the engine cost around 40,000 cdn roughly. and labor from MB will cost, who knows how much.... =)

Didn't AZN say the C63 brakes are made by Brembo or am I mistaken. BTW he has white Brembos on his car and they look fantastic.

Are there any brake upgrade options that would be in between the Brembo BBK/C63 brakes and stock? Like something in between that isn't so expensive that we could use as a possible brake upgrade?

Yup, as far as I know Brembo makes the C63 brakes as well as Kleeman, those companies just slap their label on top and add a fee. I almost pulled the trigger on the C63 brakes last month but ultimately decided that the car didn't warrant it at this point in time. I tell you what though, if I had a C63...those Evosport 2-piece rotors would be in my sights!

There's nothing between Brembo and AMG (cost wise), but there is a lower level third option available......Rotara. This is the brand that most every other repackaged BBK kits will be using. I believe you'll save maybe a grand or so on Rotara. Biased I may be, but Brembos are still the best.

My friend has Rotora's on his Lexus. They are OK. I have seen them on a alot of Japanese cars. I would definitely go with Brembos.
AZN's look amazing.
:y

C63 clone
 

You forgot to mention the trans and maybe the diff. Plus the new nose forward of the windshield so as to get the engine in. And the front hubs. And the instruments etc.

Might be cheaper to just buy a C63 and be done with it. My dealer is sick of looking at the two they have out back in the rain and I'll bet discounts would not be unheard of.

Damn,
From 100 a piece for rotors on the C32 C55 to 1000 a rotor on the C63 ?
What are they made of for gods sake?!
And this is considered progress....

i second that mike brembos are the best..but i mean people are right they are a bit pricey but worth the money. yes the stock brakes are good but man night and day difference..i just bought it for show and to have i know my car would not need it since im not going to be going that fast.when i installed mine the difference is remarkable.but rotora is good too..
:)

From those of us with W203's, when the option to upgrade to AMG brakes became available when Evosport bought a large quantity of sets directly from Europe.
Group buy price in 2003 I think it was....
$550 for calipers (4 pot) pads AND rotors, 13.6" drilled and ventilated...
I paid $600, today, you would pay close to $1000.

OK, so I know that has nothing to do with what you guys are up to and the fronts are 6 pot, but the cost of the rotors is ridiculous, they're steel, not ceramic, drilled and ventilated just like mine.
A little bigger though....
Whats the "AMG Compound" brakes available in the option package?

Rotora Brakes, what a joke
 

After seeing Rotora brakes at SEMA we talked to the company, in my opinion a big joke. They are garbage! They cost more or same as Brembo, and no one there has a clue. We install Brembos every week, stay with Brembo, they people there know there stuff!
When we were at SEMA, the reps there had no clue or anything...

Yeah but they are 2-piece floating rotors with aluminum hats. They weigh much less than a solid steel rotor and can handle more punishment.

Yeah, I agree with that. I spoke with the Rotora reps there too and they were mostly clueless sales people with no clear understanding of the product they offer. Might be just me, but the Brembo Monoblok calipers look much better than the Rotora ones, but you'd really have to see them side by side (or clean them weekly like me to know ever curve and line to them lol) to appreciate the design difference.

Disc+caliper+pads <-- are all these the only required parts for complete conversion?

The stock brakes have unbelievable stopping power from 160 MPH to 60 MPH, I've had to test it. I just don't like how puny the rear ones look. If I could put a second pair of the front calipers and rotors onto the back I would be happy.

If i had that money lying around, I would just do the fronts. though the already cross drilled ones on the C sports are good looking enough

i agree! id like to get the same discs and calipers that are on the front, and put in the back..

considering that our cars are way under-powered, i don't understand why spend all that extra money for a BBK?

waste of $$$