eahearn

I've done the pads on an old Alfa. How hard is it to replace the pads on an E350? Any tips or tricks?

I haven't done rotors before - same question.

Thanks!

konigstiger

See attachments.

300SE1993

I did both front and rear on my 2011. Pretty easy and straightforward.

cetialpha5

Only tip would be to get the parts from FCPeuro. I've got the Zimmerman rotors and the Akebono pads are fine. They have a lifetime warranty so you shouldn't have to pay for them again. If you get pads/rotors elsewhere, they usually don't have a lifetime warranty.

Darel

So the warranty is through FCPEuro, not Akebono? I got Akebonos for my Audi through Rockauto, didn't know about any warranty. Getting another set of Akebonos for the MB later this year. ZERO dust and ZERO noise. Love them!

DFWdude

I cannot imagine a lifetime warranty on brake pads at all. Brake pads are consumable items that are intended to wear out. I suppose you can take half-worn pads back for free if they get scored or otherwise damaged. But I would not expect free replacements for pads with only 5% useful thickness left on them. FCPEuro will be going out of business if they did...

Darel

I remember back in the 80s or 90s one of the big chains (Meineke or something like that) was offering lifetime brake pad warranties, but they were like strapping cinder blocks to your calipers...so rather than replacing $100 pads every couple years it was $300 rotors....

cetialpha5

The FCP Euro lifetime warranty is for real. And yes, Akebono only comes with a 30 day warranty and they're what I have on my car now. I think I got them for under $70 from Amazon and they're around $90 on FCP Euro so I guess that little extra is for the lifetime warranty. They've been doing that for a few years now so I guess it hasn't put them out of business yet. The way it works is that you order a new set from them and then you send in your old set and they just credit it back to you. There are people who buy their oil change kits and send back the old oil so it can be basically buy one oil change and the rest are free for life. While I like a good deal, that's a bit too extreme for me to take advantage of it, but yeah, for about $70, you don't need to buy oil or a filter again.

2011E350

AutoZone had the same deal quite a while back, you purchase a new set, bring the ones back and they refund the price of the new ones For the most part worked like a charm and I think it was intended to warranty if the pads were pretty much down to the backing plate. Obviously some people along the way ruined it for everyone else and started bring pads back too early. I think it went away or they started getting more restrictions and retitled it "Limited Lifetime Warranty. I will check out the FCP site but I just purchased a full E series kit, pads, rotors, hardware for all four corners, from R1 Concepts. I have not used FCP for major items but the small items I have purchased have worked good, not overly expensive and shipped fairly quickly. Their major US distribution center is Connecticut that I know of but there may be others.

cetialpha5

Some of Autozone's items have a lifetime warranty and some don't. I got my alternator from them, they're basically local so it was easy to return the core and with the lifetime warranty if I need one right away, it's easy to get. FCPeuro also had it, but they were more money as Autozone also has their 20% off coupon code which you can use on most items. Certain items like Akebono pads, there's no lifetime warranty so it was better getting it from a vendor that offered it. I've gotten Autozone's in house brand for pads in the past for different cars and I think as I kept the car for 10 years, I went through 3 sets of free pads.

2011E350

Same deal on my 1998 Jeep Cherokee for the pads. Paid for a set when I first purchased and replaced once more in about five years.

A little note for Zimmermann rotors........This is a video of comparisons from a fairly well known and trusted Mercedes guru. Cosmetic, mechanical, technical etc.,....


Note near end of Video what he says about the Zimmermann Rotors.....German company supposedly...Top of the Line..................Made in China.........Even I can't make this up!!

cetialpha5

That would probably explain why Zimmermanns are cheaper that most other sets out there. Quality must be decent if FCP euro is willing to warranty them for life. I got a set. Seems fine so far. Don't get too wrapped up in what's made in China. That's basically where all the iPhones are made. It's up the manufacturer to control their product line. Mercedes, BMW and other manufacturers also make many cars in China for the China market.