AMG Ceramic Brakes

AMG Ceramic Brakes

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The Stiglet

Original Poster:

2,062 posts

201 months

Tuesday 24th August 2021
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I'm looking at an E63 AMG W212 that has these on them as an original option. My understanding is that if you don't regularly track the car and replace the pads every 40k miles or so then the rotors should be good for around 100k miles. Damage from bad wheel changes or stones/debris can destroy them almost instantly.

Cost to replace rotors is around £2k per corner?

Anything else that I should be aware of?

Many thanks

LeeM135i

657 posts

61 months

Tuesday 24th August 2021
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Not 100% sure on the MB ceramics but on the Porches you can change the ceramics for regular steel rotors and pads when it comes to replacing them as the callipers are the same.

It will save you a small fortune if you don't need the ceramics.

The Stiglet

Original Poster:

2,062 posts

201 months

Wednesday 25th August 2021
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I never would have specced ceramics but it's 2nd hand and there's not many E63s around so....

saying that, someone else has put a deposit on it so I might be swerving a bullet here!

LeeM135i

657 posts

61 months

Thursday 26th August 2021
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I looked at a C63S with ceramics, was a lovely car but the price of the car was outrageous because it had the ceramic brakes. Ended up buying a C63S 2 years newer and 30,000 fewer miles for the same price.

Some dealers look to get the new RRP out of ceramics when selling a used car as they are rare for me its the opposite. The cost of replacements is so high I would pay the same for a ceramic or steel beaked car. I don't track the car or do multiple high speed stops so don't need them.

I understand that it's potentially a once in 100k miles cost but I would rather not have to present that invoice to the wife.

BIRMA

3,863 posts

201 months

Thursday 26th August 2021
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I've owned a few cars with Carbon Ceramic brakes and on the whole rate them. When looking for an SL63 some time ago I did see one with CC brakes, I did wonder why such a heavy car would have them fitted.
I wouldn't turn down a heavy car with them fitted but wouldn't pay a premium for secondhand car with them. In fact quite the opposite because a high mileage car 70-80K may need them replaced in the near future and all CC's are very expensive so a decent metal replacement that the likes of Tarox Bespoke make are a good alternative and a lot cheaper.
My list of advantages are as far as my experience dictated. 1 they are good you can brake later and harder. 2 No dust so if you have fancy wheels they stay cleaner longer. 3 On a light car they have less unsprung weight, my Porsche when friends drove it said there was something different to their similar cars and I put that down to that factor.
Disadvantages. I've never understood why Porsche salesman always told you to get them if you track your car because one trip into the kitty litter on the edge of the track could wreck them completely. You can brake later and harder and I've never overheated CC brakes something I've done many a time with metal discs. Most of the hardened Porsche trackday guys who had them on their cars swapped them out for metal discs anyway.
If like me you live on a hill be careful after washing the car/them because they take a while to grip when first wet, I had a very brown trouser moment once but I learned straight after.

Ricardo Maren

5 posts

38 months

Monday 6th September 2021
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The carbon ceramic brakes are very good. An acquaintance of mine recently put them on. And he's completely satisfied with them. But I didn't expect them to be so expensive. Because he got almost 20,000 euros here. Maybe I'll buy one too, of course. But I do not know yet.

Edited by Ricardo Maren on Friday 10th September 08:26