$7K for pads and rotors!?!?
Brake Pad Review: Racing Brake makes me happy
Brake Rotor Review: Racing Brake Rotors after 113,556miles
This is how RB two piece rotors look like after 113,556 miles. Jon replaced only the rotor rings (retain the use of hats), costing only fraction of the rotor assembly and good for another 110,000 miles.
RB two piece rotor kits are bundled with XT910 brake pad compound for the optimal result.
Ultra long term testimonial with real life experience.
RacingBrake is your most trusted source for brake replacement & upgrade with long proven result.
For earlier models (07-13) with rear drum emergency brake,
Rotors: https://racingbrake.com/mb-irk-10
Pads: https://racingbrake.com/pd-mb-01
For late models 2014-2020 w/rear e-PB (electronic parking brake)
Rotors: https://racingbrake.com/mb-irk-12
Pads: https://racingbrake.com/pd-mb-02
After researching rotors and wanting to keep S63 OEM I was able to buy from dealer two rear rotors and pads and sensor for 2500 and doing them myself so not too bad. I notice the rotors are made in Italy and pads German. In case you see others out there.
I’d like to thank COOPERDB for his encouragement and advice as I was making my decision to make the move.
Go online to eBay motors and you can buy the original disc set FAR FAR far cheaper than that along with the original spec pads if you want - I’d recommend changing to a pad that produces less dust; with the obligatory sensors for less than half that.
The Best of Mercedes & AMG
Last edited by FASTTRIP; Dec 30, 2021 at 05:28 AM.
That being said, the way you drive your high powered beauty will also determine the longevity of wear-and-tear items, like brakes and tires. I drive quite spirited on an open road, like a turnpike; but when driving around town on start and stop roads, I drive conservatively...keeping a good bit of distance between my SL and the vehicle in front of me, downshifting more to slow down than using the brakes. This is for 2 reasons...saving on brake pads/rotors AND keeping back to avoid road cinders from being kicked into my front end from the vehicle in front of me. I have the front-end RockGuard-ed, but even so...the northeast has so much of those cinders from winter on the roads even the laminate doesn’t protect from everything.
Besides maintenance schedules and costs, there are other things like life expectancy to check into when considering buying a vehicle. Most dealers have told me the rotors on the AMG models are “one-use” rotors...much like my 2008 Touareg. By the time the pads need replacement, there isn’t enough rotor left to turn (if-needed) and still be thick enough to perform as they should, let alone pass state inspection.
I am reading this back to myself, knowing full well that it can be read like I’m saying you’re a bad car-buyer...I’m not. Like I said...I too made the mistake of buying without investigating first in the past. I’m simply trying to relay I do FEEL YOUR PAIN, from personal experience, with a little ‘tough-love’ learn from MY mistakes lesson. 😉 It is quite difficult, at times, to ease off the accelerator pedal on these machines; they practically suck your foot onto the pedal screaming “GO-GO-GO FASTER-FASTER-FASTER!” But...around town, it will make your wallet a little happier, and give your foot a much needed brAke 🤪
An expensive lesson, for sure...but one I hope will benefit you from making a similar decision (mistake) in the future. You can also check your area for “reputable” repair centers that aren’t a ‘dealership’ but specialize in German or even Mercedes Benz vehicles. I have a number of them here, north of Philly, to choose from. Hopefully, you will find at least one in your neck of the woods. But, please, research them prior to trusting your vehicle to just ‘any’ repair center that touts it works on or specializes in Mercedes or German imports.
Good luck, sorry for the tough love.
Chris
I contrast this with almost every (two exceptions) car I have owned before this one.... All with Iron brakes.... brake rotors always warped within 5-10,000 miles.... I always broke the rotors and pads in right.... cooled them down before parking it if I’d been a savage.
The 222 S-550 warped rotors within 5000 miles of buying it (used car with new rotors and pads). I was never a savage driving this car.
For the 221 S-65; Even with the ‘Big brake package’ I installed that was oversized rotors on hats with Brembo six piston calipers to replace the awful heavy (junk) two piston sliding calipers AMG fitted that car with rotors were warped within 5000-10,000 miles. OEM brakes on my 221 S-65 lived an even shorter life with that awful moaning noise when braking from high speeds. Those who have been a savage with one of them knows what I’m referring to. Much savagery in this car.
The 211 E-55 never warped brakes. Even with all the savagery it suffered. MB gave that one enough it seems.
The 211 E500 also never warped brakes. I was not a savage in this car.
My 140-120 Warped brakes within 5000 miles and brakes were done by 80 mph when braking from high speeds....
The 124-036 was even worse. No big brake kits available back then.
Last edited by JohnLane; Aug 1, 2022 at 12:32 PM.
Though paying four times what I did in 2020 for super unleaded is more then a little irritating.







