W204 Brake Wear

[artyman]

I'm coming up for 35K, 16K is mine, as far as I know the original pads and discs. I don't do a lot of braking if I can avoid it, just let it slow down gradually, no point accelerating up behind the car in front to then have to slap the brakes on.

 

[Sean_250]

I've just done 47k and had to haves new front discs and pads on mine. I'm very light on the brakes so it was a bit of shock. Hope the 2nd set last a little longer

 

[MDC250]

When my car is out of warranty in due course will get pads from Kwik Fit, lifetime replacement policy is worth looking at...

 

[DSM10000]

Eeek, I drive hard on my brakes and expect to replace pads accordingly. Not discs though! Surely discs should last 2-3 sets of pads minimum?!

I'm going to get MO parts and have them fitted by an indie when the time comes no way I'm paying full hit if they don't last the course.

When my car is out of warranty in due course will get pads from Kwik Fit, lifetime replacement policy is worth looking at...

For someone who drives hard on his brakes I would have thought that you would want to invest in a known quality of product. How do Kwikfit make money if they can afford to offer this? I would be very wary of fitting unknown brands of brake pads.

As to not lasting the course, you seem to admit to braking heavily so not really surprising if your brakes need replacing more often?

 

[ziderdrinker]

Hi my tuppence worth.

My 08 C180 w204 has 135,000 on it now mostly dual carriageway motorway, and I replaced the rotors and pads all round a few thousand miles ago ( I use a local guy that fits my tyres also. The car has a full MB service history and had not had rotors up until then as far as I know (they were pretty lipped). I bought genuine parts from Europarts and he fitted them for me.

I personally would consider rotor replacement at 30k exceptional on any make of car, and unacceptable on a Merc.

 

[MDC250]

For someone who drives hard on his brakes I would have thought that you would want to invest in a known quality of product. How do Kwikfit make money if they can afford to offer this? I would be very wary of fitting unknown brands of brake pads. As to not lasting the course, you seem to admit to braking heavily so not really surprising if your brakes need replacing more often?

Admittedly Kwik Fit did seem to use cheaper pads on previous cars I've owned but after a few visits the quality did seem to pick up and longevity improved.

Kwik Fit make money I guess on you buying other bits from them whilst you are there. How many times have you had your car looked at by MB and they miraculously find something else that supposedly needs attention?!

All I'm saying is that pads you can understand wearing but discs really should last longer than is suggested in the thread. That goes whether the car is driven hard or otherwise.

 

[markjay]

Hi my tuppence worth.

My 08 C180 w204 has 135,000 on it now mostly dual carriageway motorway, and I replaced the rotors and pads all round a few thousand miles ago ( I use a local guy that fits my tyres also. The car has a full MB service history and had not had rotors up until then as far as I know (they were pretty lipped). I bought genuine parts from Europarts and he fitted them for me.

I personally would consider rotor replacement at 30k exceptional on any make of car, and unacceptable on a Merc.

Vauxhall advised me that my car needed new front discs when it had 20k miles.

MB advised that my car needed new discs at 30k miles.

Toyota - at 30k miles.

In all cases the car was serviced by main dealer.

I drive quite a lot in city traffic and
there are quite a few speed bumps around London, which I guess explains it.

So based on my experience I would not say that 30k or 35k is 'unacceptable' unless you do mostly motorway miles.

 

[MDC250]

Vauxhall advised me that my car needed new front discs when it had 20k miles. MB advised that my car needed new discs at 30k miles. Toyota - at 30k miles. In all cases the car was serviced by main dealer. I drive quite a lot in city traffic and there are quite a few speed bumps around London, which I guess explains it. So based on my experience I would not say that 30k or 35k is 'unacceptable' unless you do mostly motorway miles.

Fairly consistent figures for you there, guess that does say a lot and maybe my expectation of disc wear is unrealistic.

 

[Reffro]

Just as a fyi, if someone needs a set of OE front discs and pads for a C350CDI, I have a set idle in the garage available at a good discount from new price. Bought them for my car before a trip to the Nurburgring, having blown through brakes there in the past. Don't need them now as I replaced it with a W218 CLS 350 CDI. Annoying thing is the W218 uses the same size discs, but with a different offset.

 

[christopherwk]

I needed a new set of front discs and pads (with pads only for the rear) on my 2013 E220 CDi (facelift) at 29,000 miles, which I think is ridiculously low.

I've got a feeling that I used to use the park assist a lot which could contribute to the wear (though don't see why it should). I now stop using it and park the car myself, and will see how long the new pads last this time.

 

[markjay]

Friction is tricky business.

I think you will find a similar situation with clutch assembleys on manual cars - they can last anything from 20k miles to 100k miles, there is no fast and simple rule to it.

 

[edstrom76]

I've got a feeling that I used to use the park assist a lot which could contribute to the wear (though don't see why it should). I now stop using it and park the car myself, and will see how long the new pads last this time.

Yes that makes sense. There's also cruise control to factor in - going downhill would use the brakes to keep speed at set value.

 

[lwpautz]

Am I missing something here? I'm not arguing that using the brakes will cause wear, I'm annoyed that the rotors have worn out at the same rate as the pads. I'm used to getting through at least 2, sometimes 3 sets of pads before I need to change the rotors. The brake pads should be the primary sacrificial part, wearing at a rate much quicker than the rotors. I think the steel that Merc are using for their rotors is too soft. It's great for them, sales of rotors has jumped 300%. So not only are they cheaper to make because the steel is cheaper, but they're selling 3 times as many.

 

[edstrom76]

I'd also like to find out whether the steel used for the AMG (drilled) discs is of different grade to the standard ones. By AMG I mean the ones that come stock on the Sport Plus models.

All this being said, so much comes down to not only driving style but the type of driving actually undertaken. For someone who does lots of motorway miles it isn't unreasonable to expect longer intervals between serviceable items such as brake pads and discs.

 

[Auto-mobile]

As I said earlier the later w204 are effected, the supplier must have changed the disk compound/material I don't think it matters how you drive you will still need disks with your first set of pads.

 

[Anders]

Mine is at 52000 km and the front discs have developed a pronounced lip and I feel that braking performance has deterioated. It will be serviced in 3000 km and I would be surprised if the discs will not be replaced then. May ask for the drilled sports discs to be put on then.