Just changed my OEM pads to these pads from Tire Rack. To those that are tired of all the brake dust after a car wash but still want OEM stopping power this is the pad to get. After reading the reviews I ordered a set and changed out my stock pads and proceeded to wash the car. 1 week later after daily driving the wheels still look as if I had just washed them and I cannot tell a difference in stopping power at all. IMO these are a must have: No noise, no dust, great stoppoing power and gentle on the rotors being ceramic pads.
Great news - I just ordered a set for my BMW M3. The brake dust on that car is RIDICULOUS, but the bite of those stock pads is tremendous. I put Porterfield pads on my E55, and know what you mean, the difference in brake dust is unbelievable. I like the Porterfield product, but have to say that the initial "bite" is nowhere near the stock E55 pads. Hoping that the Akebono's cover all bases - low dust, no noise, little fade and good initial bite.
word of caution...performance or dense brake pads are convenient in the fact that brake dust is minimized, however there is a reason why OEM brakepads are soft and leave our wheels/rims needing that weekly cleaning. Try driving at 35-40 mph and turn the car off and then step on your brakes....you will have greatly reduced stopping power without the boster. The intention with soft brake pads is that if you ever loose your booster or engine/function you will still have the ability to brake within a reasonable limit. I also would be concerned about the added booster strain that these pads cause with long term use (entire brake systems has to work much harder)...not to mention what kind of long-term effects the pads have on rotor wear/heat etc.
As much as I hate cleaning my rims weekly , I personally don't feel comfortable altering a precisly engineered system...just my2 cents
L
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2000 Silver E55
2003 Range Rover
The stock MBZ, Audi, and BMW performance car pads are very sacrificial, that is they give up their lives (dust) in the interest of more "bite". That brake dust is abrasive - it will (over time) dull your painted and polished wheel surfaces. The early ceramic pads were very slick feeling upon initial application. Latest models are greatly improved, many have kevlar compounds. Not too worried about losing power at speed - heck, if that happens I'll be wrestling with the power steering as much as the brakes !
word of caution...performance or dense brake pads are convenient in the fact that brake dust is minimized, however there is a reason why OEM brakepads are soft and leave our wheels/rims needing that weekly cleaning. Try driving at 35-40 mph and turn the car off and then step on your brakes....you will have greatly reduced stopping power without the boster. The intention with soft brake pads is that if you ever loose your booster or engine/function you will still have the ability to brake within a reasonable limit. I also would be concerned about the added booster strain that these pads cause with long term use (entire brake systems has to work much harder)...not to mention what kind of long-term effects the pads have on rotor wear/heat etc.
As much as I hate cleaning my rims weekly , I personally don't feel comfortable altering a precisly engineered system...just my2 cents
L
There is always a what if factor we can all come up with a scenario. Who the heck turns off the car while driving for the fun of it. If its an emergency situation then also include the e-brake when trying to stop. Give me a break these pads are great and dont knock them till you try them.
The Akebono pads I have on my 2003 Town and Country van are great. The Axis ceramic pads I put on my '94 Saab Aero are good brake pads, but they don't seem to be low dust. The carbon fiber pads I put on my '99 SVT are great pads with low dust.
The regular pads on my 2-week old '97 C280 seem fine, except they are high dust!
There is always a what if factor we can all come up with a scenario. Who the heck turns off the car while driving for the fun of it. If its an emergency situation then also include the e-brake when trying to stop. Give me a break these pads are great and dont knock them till you try them.
You either work for Akebono or you didnt bother to read my thread in full. My point here is that if something happens and you loose power while driving (god forbid) due to mechanical/electical failure your ability to brake quickly is diminshed greatly. This is only ONE point to consider, I wasnt implying that you should "turn off your engine while driving.
Secondly, I am not "knocking" Akebono pads, I am simply trying to offer a un-biased view to what needs to be considered when putting aftermarket ceramic pads into a highly engineered vehichle, and what the possible long term effects are. Then again a team of highly trained German engineers probably dont know anything compared to "professionals" over at aftermarket brake pad companies operating in a billion dollar industry. I have used ceramic pads in other cars including the wonder product "Kleen wheels" and have ended up with many warped and prematuraly pitted rotors.
Sounds like someone with akebono pads is getting a bit defensive - let us know how your rotors look/perform in 30-40k miles.
If you want to be ultra conservative and stick with the manufacturer part, and then replace every part that wears our with dealer ($) parts - thats just dandy.
Personally, one of the first things I do on any euro car (I have three, a G500, an M3, and the E55) is replace those godforsaken dusty pos pads. Lots of quality parts out there, and thats what makes the aftermarket so huge and competitive.
I have Porterfield's kevlar ceramic on both of my MBZ's - great part. No dust, noise, and reduced fade when compared to the stockers. Heard great things about Akebono's from my BMW friends, and thats what I'll try next. Just sayin...
Bought my car with the factory pads on it and I hated the dust. When it came time to replace everything the rotors were absolutely trashed and I went to Porterfields and new rotors. The dust reduction has been amazing and the rotors are in way better shape than before. I'm due for brakes in a couple of months and will be trying the Akebono's this time around. The Porterfields had a nice initial performance but I feel like they gave up about 10,000 miles ago and don't perform as well towards the end of their life.
Akebono Euro Ceramic Pads 
, I personally don't feel comfortable altering a precisly engineered system...just my2 cents
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