AMG GTR Questions

[riano]

Hi all, very close to buying a 2018 GTR after driving a different GTR last weekend and had a couple of questions. Waiting for dealer to tell me exact tyre tread depths as the car has 6,000 miles and I assume a set of the cup 2s wouldn't last much longer than this?

HAs anyone driven one with carbon ceramics? The one I'm thinking of has them but never driven one (or any car) with them and some reviews say they're snatchy around town which is where 95% of my driving will be. Assume nothing much could have happened with them in 6k miles to mean they'd need replacing anytime soon?

Insurance has said I need a tracker and from what I've been able to read online all Mercedes have trackers fitted and you simply pay a subscription to activate it so that you can track the car?

Thanks

 

[anglaslt]

Not on a Mercedes but I do have carbon ceramic brakes on another car. I like them. They can feel a bit snatchy, especially when cold, but you can get used to them and drving in traffic or around town is no problem. On the plus side they could last forever, unless you track them, and they are practically dust free. Some owners complain of squeel but mine do not. On the minus side is the cost if you do track them and they need replacement, especially the discs.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Hi all, very close to buying a 2018 GTR after driving a different GTR last weekend and had a couple of questions. Waiting for dealer to tell me exact tyre tread depths as the car has 6,000 miles and I assume a set of the cup 2s wouldn't last much longer than this?

HAs anyone driven one with carbon ceramics? The one I'm thinking of has them but never driven one (or any car) with them and some reviews say they're snatchy around town which is where 95% of my driving will be. Assume nothing much could have happened with them in 6k miles to mean they'd need replacing anytime soon?

Insurance has said I need a tracker and from what I've been able to read online all Mercedes have trackers fitted and you simply pay a subscription to activate it so that you can track the car?

Thanks

As you suspect, carbon ceramic brakes will not be at their best when driving slowly, around town. They work very, very well at high speeds when they’re up to temperature, but if you’re driving slowly you could indeed find them snatchy, unresponsive or noisy.

The modern Mercedes do come with the facility to locate your car using an app on your phone but I I would be surprised if your insurance company consider this to be a tracker by their definition, ie it’s not insurance approved, and as such you will probably need to install an approve tracker.

If you would prefer not to install a tracker then you could shop around to find an insurance company who don’t insist on a tracker, you may find that it’s less expensive expensive to do that than stay with your existing insurer, even if it means ending your policy mid-year.

Good luck with your search

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Should be fine around town apart from the squeaking, all CB do this.

 

[C240Sport97]

Make sure the ceramic discs are completely smooth with a mirror like finish. The patterns on the surface should be regular or even all over.

if not, discs are probably knackered and very expensive to replace

I have ceramics on my 911, they rarely squeak and are not snatchy at all. I would expect GTR brakes to be the same as Brembo makes them. GTR brakes are 3rd generation - mine are 2nd generation - and should be superb

 

[unimog]

Mercedes carbon Brakes are indeed Brembo. You should easily get 4 sets of pads, maybe even 5 to a set of rotors (80-100000 miles) providing you are not a track hooligan, the pads are only marginally more expensive than standard ones. The rotors however......

The brake feel is something you will adapt to quickly. No brake dust is a major bonus.

PS Cup 2 tyres are quite hard wearing if you are not tracking but can be sketchy in the wet if you are going to daily it. 6-8k miles is reasonable.

My GT 4 door has the Mercedes Tracker and I'm insured with Admiral, they accepted that as a suitable tracker.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

PS Cup 2 tyres are quite hard wearing if you are not tracking but can be sketchy in the wet if you are going to daily it. 6-8k miles is reasonable.

Not half; when they’re cold, on a cold, wet winter’s day, they are a world apart from when they’re hot, on a hot summer’s day.

 

[riano]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Decided to go for the car with the ceramics and picking up on Thursday, I actually much prefer sensitive brakes so expect i’ll like them more than my current 911.

Changing insurance companies to Admiral so good to know they accept the standard Mercedes one

Have a 270 mile trip home and can’t wait!

 

[ShaunB]

Insurance has said I need a tracker and from what I've been able to read online all Mercedes have trackers fitted and you simply pay a subscription to activate it so that you can track the car?

Not sure all have trackers fitted, but I suspect you're referring to Mercedes Me.
My own E63 had a tracker fitted as it was a managers car, but its by a tracker network, and its never worked from the day and hour I picked up the car.
Their customer service is dreadful.
If you asked Mercedes to install a tracker, then that is the rubbish they'd install.
If you search on here, you'll not hear too many recommendations for tracker network

Speak to this guy, he'll sort you out - Dean Oldcroft.

Smartrack Stolen Vehicle Recovery SVR Northern Ireland AutoCom Installations Cookstown

Autocom Installations supply and installation of vehicle tracking, mobile phone hands free car kits, parking sensors and cameras.

www.autocominstalls.com

SmarTrack - Vehicle Tracking And Recovery Systems

SmarTrack are leading suppliers of high quality vehicle tracking devices and systems throughout the UK for cars, motorcycles, fleets and more.

smartrack.eu

Their customer service is fantastic, when my car was in PMG autocare getting the ceramic coating, they rang me about a low battery alert.
When my car was in Mercedes last week getting a safety recall issue sorted, they rang me again because the car battery had been disconnected.
You get an app that you can track the car yourself.

Mercedes Me isn't the most reliable of products in my view, and as it is not monitored, its my understanding that its not SVR insurance approved.
My insurance company specifically stated that if the car doesn't have a tracker activated, then if it is stolen they will not cover it.

For the sake of a few hundred quid, Mercedes Me is not something I was willing to take that risk with.

 

[Deleted member 149005]

Given Mercedes Me can't even correctly report if windows or sun roof are open or closed, i wouldn't rely on it as a tracker...

 

[Gollom]

Thanks for all the replies guys. Decided to go for the car with the ceramics and picking up on Thursday, I actually much prefer sensitive brakes so expect i’ll like them more than my current 911.

Changing insurance companies to Admiral so good to know they accept the standard Mercedes one

Have a 270 mile trip home and can’t wait!

Not envious at all! You do know it's the law now to post pics when you get it?

 

[ShaunB]

Given Mercedes Me can't even correctly report if windows or sun roof are open or closed, i wouldn't rely on it as a tracker...

I agree, I wouldn't want to bet my house on being able to track the car with 100% reliability with Mercedes Me.
I mean, there are days when you go into it, and it says something like undergoing maintenance, come back later

 

[riano]

Thanks for the tracker info @ShaunB I asked Merc for a quote for one and they said about £2k

 

[John]

Thanks for the tracker info @ShaunB I asked Merc for a quote for one and they said about £2k

I think the most I ever paid for insurance was £1600 in 2000 for a 3 year old M3 Evo.

I was 24/25 at the time.

Not sure what that is in money terms today but was well worth it though!

So £2k sounds quite cheap unless you are not in your 20s...

I am slowly developing a hankering for a GTR but way too expensive at the moment and will probably end up being a pipe dream. Sorry Alex, again.

Cheapest one I've seen was £57k.

 

[ShaunB]

Its 2K for a tracker from MB, not insurance. Less wine for you I think

 

[John]

Its 2K for a tracker from MB, not insurance. Less wine for you I think

Lol.

I wish I could blame the beer!

I didn't know Merc did trackers so presumed was talking insurance.

 

[richard]

Hi
a) I have ceramics on my GLC63s - but they are only ceramics on the front. Love them but the squeal a lot - I dont get any issues when cold (apart for squeal) or in town.
b) Tracker, they'll want a S5 Tracker on a GTR most likely. S5 trackers have additional tags on the keyring so if car stolen without keys then automatically get alerted (i.e prevents keyless thefts) - we fit loads to all kinds of AMG models. Ask the insurance company exactly what they want as there are various levels (S5, S7, etc)
Cheers
Richard