Yes, I agree with you on OEM quality. This is why here at R1 Concepts, we strive to meet all OEM specifications, dimensions and metallurgy. EBay is just another e-commerce channel we offer our products on. We do also sell on Amazon, Sears, Rakuten and Newegg as well. Regarding pricing, our pricing on eBay is low to stay competitive with all the other sellers that do offer rotors and brake pads. We do also have our own website as well which is www.r1concepts.com if you would like to see our products we have to offer.
You know, I usually don't go cheap on brakes, but yeara ago I did buy $300 Centric D+S rotors and Posi-Quiet ceramic pads on eBay for the C240. My plan was to just run them for a year or two until they died and ten go back to OEM. But guess what? 70K miles later and they still stop better than OEM.
I agree . I've used cheap rotors and pads many times.....sometimes out of necessity (no cash!), sometimes just to pass inspection before she was sold. To be honest (with one exception) I've never noticed any marked difference in performance in any of them.....and no....I don't drive like Miss Daisys chauffeur!!! Even cheap brakes have to be built to an approved standard ....one with very high safety standards and with masses of safety margin bearing in mind the important job they do ....or they are not allowed to be sold (well they do in the UK....so I guess over there in "Litigation Land" they are too...LOL!). If you are a regular track user or live half way up a mountain you might brake hard enough and regularly enough to notice a difference (usually fade).....on normal road and it normal speeds?...I doubt it. Bedding in time is the biggest variable I have noticed but they all felt close enough in performance once worn in. And the one exception I mentioned above???....well that was a noise issue with some VERY cheap pads....still stopped Ok though! Its like a lot of things......buy a branded product (EBC, Willwood, Lockhead etc etc) and a sizable chunk of the cost is for "that name".
The only brakes I've ever removed from my car due to poor performance were Akebono pads on my CLK550. Not only were they noisy, they did not stop well at all. For the CLK550, I have found the OEM pads to be the best.
That said, the only pads I've ever had delaminate were OEM Jurids purchased from my local Mercedes dealer. Although I frequent Mulholland, Little Tujunga, Angeles Crest, and many other So Cal canyon roads, those particular pads never saw track time. It could have been a once in of zillion pads issue. I had changed pads at least 4 times on my CLK before they came apart and always used OE Jurid pads until then. However, now I prefer Pagid. YMMV. Pagid is owned by TMD, while Jurid is owned by Honeywell. They are both OE suppliers for different manufacturers.
I agree that for most applications a cheap pad and rotor will work. That being said I have seen lots of cheap drilled rotors crack and cheap pads normally wear faster and have lots of dust. I had and 86 mazda b2000 that i would put any old pads on. Usually what ever cost the least. I however tend to spend the money on my Mercedes. I didn't buy it because it was good on repair cost.
I need pads all around, front rotors and sensors. For pads, I've been happy with the Porterfields from Jerry at Formymercedes.com, but the website is not loading today so I don't know if they also carry rotors (they don't have sensors). I'm open to rotor suggestions....
I bought this package and using from July'16. They are really fantastic, very good braking and 1 or two months with no wheel washing (ceramic).
Remember that mercedes built cars, not components. These are as good as OEM, but much cheaper.
Regards
So Trump is your new President...
Slideshow: A one-of-one U.S.-spec Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster became even rarer after a factory-backed transformation at McLaren's headquarters.
