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Could S63 brakes be swapped onto s550s? (Caliper/Rotors/Pads)

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Old May 31, 2023 | 06:58 PM
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Could S63 brakes be swapped onto s550s? (Caliper/Rotors/Pads)

I’m just curious - I’m not looking for the snarky smart answers I just have a question I was thinking about today.

If S550 owners wanted to put S63 AMG brakes on our cars and we bought rotors and pads. Would it be relatively straight forward and can be done?

was just a random thought I had today and I’m curious

thanks everyone.
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Old May 31, 2023 | 07:22 PM
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Great question, I've wondered that myself. Particularly whether the spindles and hubs are the same. If they are, then the remaining questions might be:

1) Are any changes needed to the hydraulic system/master cylinder, etc.
2) Is there enough clearance under your wheels for the S63 calipers

Porsche cars share most of the brake components across the model lineup (or used to ;-) My 928 GTS for example has the same brakes as a 993 twin turbo. In the Porsche world it's mostly a question of what type adapters are required to place the calipers in the correct orientation to the rotor.

Last edited by Tom in Austin; May 31, 2023 at 07:25 PM.
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Old May 31, 2023 | 10:23 PM
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I am guessing you would need new Rotors, Pads and most importantly, a set of the larger calipers, you might also need new caliper mounts. I am guessing 6-7K for a little better braking performance and cooler looking brakes that no one will notice.
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Old Jun 1, 2023 | 08:14 AM
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I was browsing and I can get (2) front S63 rotors for $850USD and the calipers I found front and rear like new for $1,100 and pads I use EBC yellow so maybe $250?

$2200 plus brake fluid, labor possible new mounts etc and with my mechanic friend $2600? I bet I could save a couple hundred if I looked harder for a deal on the calipers and rotors.

im going to be doing the S63 conversion to my W222 early July (in transit) I already bought the OEM 2020 S560 headlights. And with my tune of 600HP .. I’m considering upgrading the front calipers atleast and possibly seeing if my mechanic could swap the S550 4 pistons from the front when swapping to S63 and putting them on the rear.
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Old Jun 1, 2023 | 09:24 AM
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I am pretty sure you cannot use front calipers in the rear, as this would mess with the ABS system and brake proportioning valve. Swapping the fronts for S63 calipers and rotors will also require a modification of the cars onboard computers via star diagnostics for the same reason. Are you also getting new front and rear bumpers along with all of the trim. There are thousands of AMG parts on the S63 that are different from the standard W222 platform, it is not as simple as swapping some parts and doing a tune. You may also need an adapter harness for the headlights.
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Old Jun 1, 2023 | 11:13 AM
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For what it's worth, my W222 was ordered from the factory with S63 wheels, brakes, and body kit including front clip, rear spoiler, and body effects. I've had the brakes replaced, because they wear out if you drive the car, and the $tealership told me it's the same if I wanted S550 brakes it would be a little bit less money than the S63 pads and rotors. So there you have it.
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Old Dec 12, 2025 | 12:25 AM
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S63 Brakes on S560

Originally Posted by stu_pidaso
For what it's worth, my W222 was ordered from the factory with S63 wheels, brakes, and body kit including front clip, rear spoiler, and body effects. I've had the brakes replaced, because they wear out if you drive the car, and the $tealership told me it's the same if I wanted S550 brakes it would be a little bit less money than the S63 pads and rotors. So there you have it.
Hi, I know this is old, but hoping that you are still active. I have been curious about the S63 brakes for my s560 as the stock brakes are mediocre and have warped on me after only 30k miles. Does it require any software update or modification? Do you find the brake performance of the s63 pads and rotors to be solid? Do you need s63 calipers? Thanks
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Old Dec 12, 2025 | 01:10 PM
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Originally Posted by W222Merc
Hi, I know this is old, but hoping that you are still active. I have been curious about the S63 brakes for my s560 as the stock brakes are mediocre and have warped on me after only 30k miles. Does it require any software update or modification? Do you find the brake performance of the s63 pads and rotors to be solid? Do you need s63 calipers? Thanks
Interesting...There is NO advantage to having "S63" brakes for normal driving. If you're going to drive your car agressively regularly, then you might get a slight benefit in the form on longer brake pad life, and that's only due to the rotor and pads being larger in surface area. More material means more stuff to wear down before the need for replacement. But, the car won't stop one inch shorter or provide any better balance. Mechanical brake systems are the "dumbest" thing on a car, they simply convert kinetic energy to heat by introducing friction. And the previous poster was wrong about S63 brakes, he just got red painted calipers instead of grey, there was no option to "upgrade" brakes to S63 brakes. The other things listed were part of the AMG appearance package, nothing mechanical.

Why would you want upgraded brakes?
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Old Dec 12, 2025 | 07:20 PM
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Originally Posted by carlosinseattle
Interesting...There is NO advantage to having "S63" brakes for normal driving. If you're going to drive your car agressively regularly, then you might get a slight benefit in the form on longer brake pad life, and that's only due to the rotor and pads being larger in surface area. More material means more stuff to wear down before the need for replacement. But, the car won't stop one inch shorter or provide any better balance. Mechanical brake systems are the "dumbest" thing on a car, they simply convert kinetic energy to heat by introducing friction. And the previous poster was wrong about S63 brakes, he just got red painted calipers instead of grey, there was no option to "upgrade" brakes to S63 brakes. The other things listed were part of the AMG appearance package, nothing mechanical.

Why would you want upgraded brakes?
As I said the brakes have warped after only 30k miles. I have only had the car for 3k miles and they seemed fine when I bought the car. They perform fine for it being a 5,000 pound car for a stop or two, but they seem to get really hot after just one or two slow downs from 80-50 or so on the highway. We’re not talking full panic stops. Even when just driving calmly around the city they get pretty damn hot after a short drive. I like to drive spiritedly especially when I get a chance to drive backroads and don’t want to be paying 1500 an axle for brakes every 30k miles for mediocre performance. I figured the s63 brakes would offer better feel, take/dissipate more heat, and stop harder without sacrificing oem functionality. Is that not the case?
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Old Dec 12, 2025 | 08:25 PM
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This is a tough question because there are so many variables. Before my 2019 S63 I had a 2015 S550 and I was getting 35-40K miles out of the Powerstop pads on the S550 with no rotor issues. I have around 38K miles on a set of Powerstop ceramic pads on my S63 now and they still have half the pads left. I am starting to notice a very slight shudder though from the front after braking down a long hill for sustained periods. I am guessing the rotors are starting to slightly warp with 49K miles on them and a definite lip on the fronts. Factory pads are much softer so they are going to wear faster. The big difference is in the cost and how long you plan on keeping the car. You might get 10K more miles out of the beefier S63 rotors but they are going to cost substantially more than the S550 rotors. Pads are about the same. You will also need new front calipers with the adapter bracket to adopt the new calipers to the S550 wheel bearing assemblies. The cost of all the new parts would easily cover a least one brake job on the set up you have now. You could also go big baller and get a CCB set-up for around 6K and be done forever. Stopflex has a retrofit kit that I was contemplating for my car, $5500.00 shipped to my house, all in with pads, rotors and HW. You would need a used set of calipers for the front but this is certainly another option. This option includes a premium 2 piece ceramic rotor on all 4 corners and the specific pads. If you are going to keep the car for a long time this is actually the option I would probably choose. It would pay for itself with 2 or 3 traditional brake jobs. https://stopflex-ccb.com/?srsltid=Af..._c9fGN88uBS8V9
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Old Dec 12, 2025 | 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by W222Merc
As I said the brakes have warped after only 30k miles. I have only had the car for 3k miles and they seemed fine when I bought the car. They perform fine for it being a 5,000 pound car for a stop or two, but they seem to get really hot after just one or two slow downs from 80-50 or so on the highway. We’re not talking full panic stops. Even when just driving calmly around the city they get pretty damn hot after a short drive. I like to drive spiritedly especially when I get a chance to drive backroads and don’t want to be paying 1500 an axle for brakes every 30k miles for mediocre performance. I figured the s63 brakes would offer better feel, take/dissipate more heat, and stop harder without sacrificing oem functionality. Is that not the case?
Sorry, I didn't read the part about warping rotors. I think what Superpop said is correct. Also, you might have the option to switch to upgraded iron rotors and ceramic pads. You'll definitely get longer life out of them. I just changed my pads and rotors to ceramic pads last spring and I'm getting a vibration in the same circumstances as you and Superpop. I ordered the rotors from FCP Euro and got the replacement set, but haven;t installed them yet.
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Old Dec 12, 2025 | 09:14 PM
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Originally Posted by superpop
This is a tough question because there are so many variables. Before my 2019 S63 I had a 2015 S550 and I was getting 35-40K miles out of the Powerstop pads on the S550 with no rotor issues. I have around 38K miles on a set of Powerstop ceramic pads on my S63 now and they still have half the pads left. I am starting to notice a very slight shudder though from the front after braking down a long hill for sustained periods. I am guessing the rotors are starting to slightly warp with 49K miles on them and a definite lip on the fronts. Factory pads are much softer so they are going to wear faster. The big difference is in the cost and how long you plan on keeping the car. You might get 10K more miles out of the beefier S63 rotors but they are going to cost substantially more than the S550 rotors. Pads are about the same. You will also need new front calipers with the adapter bracket to adopt the new calipers to the S550 wheel bearing assemblies. The cost of all the new parts would easily cover a least one brake job on the set up you have now. You could also go big baller and get a CCB set-up for around 6K and be done forever. Stopflex has a retrofit kit that I was contemplating for my car, $5500.00 shipped to my house, all in with pads, rotors and HW. You would need a used set of calipers for the front but this is certainly another option. This option includes a premium 2 piece ceramic rotor on all 4 corners and the specific pads. If you are going to keep the car for a long time this is actually the option I would probably choose. It would pay for itself with 2 or 3 traditional brake jobs. https://stopflex-ccb.com/?srsltid=Af..._c9fGN88uBS8V9
Thanks brotha, in your experience with both cars how would you say the braking compares, no appreciable difference? I did not realize CCB’s could be had for that low of price. I think I’m going to ride these brakes until they are done and investigate that option. I agree carbon pads are usually much better than oem and I hope less dusty maybe. (My wheels aren’t clean after 4-5 days of driving &#128514 That’s a great backup plan if I don’t want to get the CCB’s. I definitely want to keep this car a long time as I think the w222 is a top 10 merc ever made. Only reason I see myself selling it is if I can’t resist the urge to upgrade to s63/65. I scoured Autotrader etc for months trying to find the right spec with Burmester 3D and the interior I wanted with flowing lines trim. I was looking for a low mile facelift car that was not silver or grey which severely lessens the pool available. The only things I’m not totally in love with are the dune silver (champagne) paint and its lacking MBC. Dune silver has actually grown on me though. Do you know of any solid aftermarket rotor options that would have a little better stopping power/heat dispersion? I have a feeling the car is so heavy that it’s tough to get a measurable improvement without blowing a bag on Stoptechs or CCB.
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Old Dec 12, 2025 | 09:16 PM
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Originally Posted by carlosinseattle
Sorry, I didn't read the part about warping rotors. I think what Superpop said is correct. Also, you might have the option to switch to upgraded iron rotors and ceramic pads. You'll definitely get longer life out of them. I just changed my pads and rotors to ceramic pads last spring and I'm getting a vibration in the same circumstances as you and Superpop. I ordered the rotors from FCP Euro and got the replacement set, but haven;t installed them yet.
No worries at all my friend! Thank you, I agree with you best case scenario is buying from FCP and installing yourself or bringing them to a shop and asking to pay extra on labor for them to use the rotors you bring with you. You pay once for brakes for the life of the car. Do you recommend the rotors you ended up with?
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Old Dec 12, 2025 | 10:01 PM
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Originally Posted by W222Merc
No worries at all my friend! Thank you, I agree with you best case scenario is buying from FCP and installing yourself or bringing them to a shop and asking to pay extra on labor for them to use the rotors you bring with you. You pay once for brakes for the life of the car. Do you recommend the rotors you ended up with?
Did our fronts or rear brakes warp? If you aren't sure, the easy way to know is if the steering wheel shakes under braking it's the front and if not, it's the rear. I assume your car is optioned nicely, by the way I love your exterior color and I'm totally jealous that you found one with flowing lines, but that's a convo for another day.
If your rears are warping, the first question I'd ask is if you're using LKA. The LKA system uses the rear brakes to help guide the car to center it in the lane. Contrast that to Distronic Plus, which uses the steering wheel to go around curves in the road, and LKA system works in combination with Distronic plus to keep the car centered when navigating curves in the road. The problem is that LKA chews through pads very agressively. That might be a contributing factor to your pads and rotors wearing out. And 30K miles is just about right for these cars, unless you go with ceramic.

I didn't change fron rotors sincey they were less than a year old. I changed rear rotors to Zimmerman rotors. I changed front pads to Powerstop Z26, and rears to Z23, both caron infused pads. They reduced brake dust by 95% all the way around. The difference between OEM pads and the Powerstops is so drastic it cannot be accurately described. The jury is still out on whether I'd recommend the Zimmerman rotors. I think mine slightly warped because one of the rear pads was worn enevenly across the face. I got replacement pads and rotors and just installed the pads. 90% of the vibration is gone, I only expected it to reduced by 50%. After Christmas I'll have time to swap the rotors and properly clean and lube all the hardware. Then I'll send the warped rotors back to FCP.
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Old Dec 13, 2025 | 05:10 PM
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Originally Posted by W222Merc
Thanks brotha, in your experience with both cars how would you say the braking compares, no appreciable difference? I did not realize CCB’s could be had for that low of price. I think I’m going to ride these brakes until they are done and investigate that option. I agree carbon pads are usually much better than oem and I hope less dusty maybe. (My wheels aren’t clean after 4-5 days of driving &#128514 That’s a great backup plan if I don’t want to get the CCB’s. I definitely want to keep this car a long time as I think the w222 is a top 10 merc ever made. Only reason I see myself selling it is if I can’t resist the urge to upgrade to s63/65. I scoured Autotrader etc for months trying to find the right spec with Burmester 3D and the interior I wanted with flowing lines trim. I was looking for a low mile facelift car that was not silver or grey which severely lessens the pool available. The only things I’m not totally in love with are the dune silver (champagne) paint and its lacking MBC. Dune silver has actually grown on me though. Do you know of any solid aftermarket rotor options that would have a little better stopping power/heat dispersion? I have a feeling the car is so heavy that it’s tough to get a measurable improvement without blowing a bag on Stoptechs or CCB.
I have not really noticed any dramatic difference in the braking performance. There is only so much brakes can do on a 5K LB car. It is as heavy as a lot of SUV's on the road. Where you will notice a difference is if you go to the ceramic pads. The dust just goes away.
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Old Dec 16, 2025 | 07:51 AM
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The stopping power of the CCB's is amazing but even more impressive is the fact that they produce NO BRAKE DUST because the pads just don't wear down.
I don't think I will ever need new pads or rotors. A brake job on my car is changing the brake fluid every other year.
To me they are very much worth the extra cost.
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Old Dec 16, 2025 | 09:20 AM
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My 2023 Audi R8 has factory CCB. This is my first experience with CCB and I absolutely LOVE them. Great stopping power. Dead silent, no squeal. And 0% dust. In 2 years I have never washed my wheels once, and you can rub a white cotton glove across the wheels and not pick up a single fleck of dust.

I think CCB are worth the cost just to not have dust anymore. Do we have a CCB option for the 2018 S560?
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Old Dec 16, 2025 | 09:54 AM
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Originally Posted by carlosinseattle
Did our fronts or rear brakes warp? If you aren't sure, the easy way to know is if the steering wheel shakes under braking it's the front and if not, it's the rear. I assume your car is optioned nicely, by the way I love your exterior color and I'm totally jealous that you found one with flowing lines, but that's a convo for another day.
If your rears are warping, the first question I'd ask is if you're using LKA. The LKA system uses the rear brakes to help guide the car to center it in the lane. Contrast that to Distronic Plus, which uses the steering wheel to go around curves in the road, and LKA system works in combination with Distronic plus to keep the car centered when navigating curves in the road. The problem is that LKA chews through pads very agressively. That might be a contributing factor to your pads and rotors wearing out. And 30K miles is just about right for these cars, unless you go with ceramic.

I didn't change fron rotors sincey they were less than a year old. I changed rear rotors to Zimmerman rotors. I changed front pads to Powerstop Z26, and rears to Z23, both caron infused pads. They reduced brake dust by 95% all the way around. The difference between OEM pads and the Powerstops is so drastic it cannot be accurately described. The jury is still out on whether I'd recommend the Zimmerman rotors. I think mine slightly warped because one of the rear pads was worn enevenly across the face. I got replacement pads and rotors and just installed the pads. 90% of the vibration is gone, I only expected it to reduced by 50%. After Christmas I'll have time to swap the rotors and properly clean and lube all the hardware. Then I'll send the warped rotors back to FCP.
I think it may be both. I took it to a shop for an early oil change just to reset the interval for my ownership. They tried to BS me and say that the car couldn’t read the oil and needed a “software update” to fix the problem. I pushed back and told them that sounded like BS and came to pick up the car. Lo and behold it read the oil instantly when I got in. I did some digging and apparently the car won’t read with the hood open. The same shop said my brakes have a lip and are warped, and my serpentine belts needed replacement the next time I’d come in. After the oil fiasco where they were either trying to scam me or were too uneducated to know that the hood needed to be closed to read the oil (idk which is worse) I only take that with a grain of salt. I can feel a pronounced lip on all 4 and some slight vibration under braking. The weird thing is they said my pads are all basically brand new I do use Distronic a lot sometimes with the self steering on sometimes not depending on how curvy the road was. I did purchase this car in Scottsdale and drove it all the way back to Atlanta so I used the cruise A LOT for the first 4 days I owned it. Could be something there for sure. I noticed it likes to try to hold you from making lane changes sometimes even w turn signal on. I was just forcing through that maybe that has something to do with the brakes.
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Old Dec 16, 2025 | 09:56 AM
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Originally Posted by SemperFi
The stopping power of the CCB's is amazing but even more impressive is the fact that they produce NO BRAKE DUST because the pads just don't wear down.
I don't think I will ever need new pads or rotors. A brake job on my car is changing the brake fluid every other year.
To me they are very much worth the extra cost.
Do you use aftermarket or OEM CCB’s?
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Old Dec 16, 2025 | 09:58 AM
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Originally Posted by subterFUSE
My 2023 Audi R8 has factory CCB. This is my first experience with CCB and I absolutely LOVE them. Great stopping power. Dead silent, no squeal. And 0% dust. In 2 years I have never washed my wheels once, and you can rub a white cotton glove across the wheels and not pick up a single fleck of dust.

I think CCB are worth the cost just to not have dust anymore. Do we have a CCB option for the 2018 S560?
one commenter provided an after market option that was surprisingly affordable considering the stock brakes are about 4-5k all around at the dealership. Having 0 brake dust is a dream. My wheels get dirty in 2-3 days and I only really like to detail biweekly
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Old Dec 16, 2025 | 12:59 PM
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CCB's do NOT stop a car any faster than iron brakes. I hear this hogwash all the time and it just isn't true. I'll start with the basic AI/Gemini explanation, Then if someone has a comeback I'll post the video from and automotive engineer that explains it's how braking is due to weight, COG, and friction (meaning tires to the road). But here's the aI explanation of why CCBs don;t stop any better than iron brakes:

Yes, carbon ceramic brakes can stop faster, especially under extreme, repeated hard braking on a track, because they resist brake fade better and maintain consistent performance, but for everyday street driving, traditional steel brakes might stop just as well or even slightly better initially due to the need for heat to activate CCBs. Their main advantages are reducing weight (improving handling) and extreme heat tolerance, not necessarily shorter cold-stop distances compared to good steel brakes, though they offer better sustained performance. [[url=https://www.carbonceramicbrakes.com/en/news/Pages/5-reasons-buying-car-carbon-ceramic-brake-discs.aspx]1, 2, 3, 4,]
When Carbon Ceramics Stop Faster (Track/Extreme Use)
  • Heat Resistance: They handle extreme temperatures from repeated hard stops without fading, keeping braking force consistent, unlike steel which can fade.
  • Shorter Distances (Sustained): In multi-stop tests, steel brakes fade, while CCBs maintain shorter distances, sometimes significantly (e.g., 100 feet shorter over multiple stops).
  • Higher Friction (Under Heat): They generate strong friction and can reduce braking distance by several feet even from moderate speeds (e.g., 62 mph) in initial stops. [[url=https://www.carbonceramicbrakes.com/en/news/Pages/5-reasons-buying-car-carbon-ceramic-brake-discs.aspx]1, 3, 4,]
When Steel Brakes Can Be Comparable/Better (Street/Cold Use)
  • Cold Performance: Carbon ceramics need to be hot to work optimally; steel brakes often perform better in cold, everyday driving conditions.
  • Initial Bite: On the first few stops in cold weather, steel brakes can sometimes offer better initial bite or stopping power. [[url=https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/comments/2uivv5/why_are_carbon_ceramic_brakes_such_a_big_deal/]2, 5, 7, 8]
Key Takeaway
For high-performance driving and track use, carbon ceramics provide superior, fade-free stopping power and reduced unsprung weight, leading to faster overall performance. For street cars, their benefits (less dust, lighter weight, longevity) often outweigh the marginal or sometimes absent benefit in short, cold stops, but they are a significant cost upgrade. [[url=https://www.carbonceramicbrakes.com/en/news/Pages/5-reasons-buying-car-carbon-ceramic-brake-discs.aspx]1, 2, 3, 4,]

AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://www.carbonceramicbrakes.com/...ake-discs.aspx
[2] https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/commen...ch_a_big_deal/
[3] https://www.tech-9.co.uk/blog/carbon...kes-explained/
[4] https://www.molando-brake.com/blogs/...y-to-stop.html
[5] https://www.reddit.com/r/cars/commen...utilizes_them/
[6] https://www.quora.com/Are-carbon-cer...just-marketing
[7] https://gtimportsautorepair.com/carbon-ceramic-vs-steel-porsche-brakes/

Last edited by carlosinseattle; Dec 16, 2025 at 01:02 PM.
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