How long will the brake-pads last?

[nickiandboris]

Hi

I have just been down to MB and they have advised me that my front pads have 10% left and rear 20%. My question to the experts is how long do I have left approx until the sensors go off on the dash telling me that the brakes are low?? The car is a e220 cdi(s211) 53 plate>? thanks in advance.

 

[wemorgan]

Do you know how long it took the front pads wear 90%?

 

[nickiandboris]

I dont im afraid ;-(

 

[wemorgan]

Unfortunately it's a rather open end question, as it will all depend on the type of driving you do.

For me 10% on the fronts is not much at all and I'd have them changed.

Is this a job you can do yourself?

 

[EDZ649]

10% on the front, I'd say no more than 1000 miles at a stretch but I certainly wouldn't leave them that long

 

[nickiandboris]

Thanks guys will get them sorted ASAP

 

[paulrstaylor]

A few years ago I was told my front pads were down to 10% left as part of a service, they quoted £££ to replace. I chose to wait for the pad wear sensor to do its job, you can imagine my shock when I took it back for it's next service some 14,000 miles later (having not changed the pads) I was told I only had 20% and again they offered to replace! Needless to say I didn't give them the work. A week and about 500 miles later the light came on! Moral of the story, I think that the % figures were made up to try and sell pads!

 

[lynall]

Ditto the other replies change them asap.

Dont forget it depends on how they measure them ie is that 10% usable above the min mark, or 10% until its metal to metal, either ways it pretty low.

Plus the lower the material left the quicker it wears compared to the same amount of material at the beginning of its life, this is based on my experience on trucks.



Lynall

 

[bennesspipers]

Change 'em before they've worn to the metal, or your wallet will regret it !

 

[timskemp]

Just remember- if doing it yourself being a 211 of the SBC era you need to get instructions as to how to disable the SBC from an expert before working on the system.

I just get someone else to do it for me!

Pads are surprisingly inexpensive for my W211, and I've only replaced them twice in my ownership, once on the rears. Fitted new discs this time as well so the discs have lasted 135k miles. Quality of the genuine MB parts is very high and price is reasonable, unless you're using it on track I'd not even consider aftermarket.