[DecoThom]

Does anyone have experience with cheap ceramic pads? I have found some on eBay for about $50-60 full set front and back with free shipping. Centric and Prime Choice are the ones so far. As with most manufacturers there can be various levels of quality within the brand. I am thinking the lowest cost models that feature a short guarantee, or lifetime guarantee.

I am mainly interested in low dust. I think these ceramic pads will offer reasonable performance. I am just a quick daily driver, no racing, very rare speeding, only emergency hard fast braking if ever required.

 

[galaxys]

I have Centric pads and rotors for 4 years with no issues! I'm actually impressed with these ceramics.

 

[DecoThom]

Thanks galaxys,

Are they really low dust?

 

[galaxys]

Thanks galaxys,

Are they really low dust?

Yes zero dust! You won't recognize your clean rims.

 

[DecoThom]

Do you have the pad part numbers and/or models? I have found centric c-tek, centric premium, centric super premium, and plane old centric. Does the model make a difference in dust?

 

[DecoThom]

After exhaustive searches, I think I found the best deals, and ordered these:
103.07100 Centric c-tek front $22.50
301.07790 Centric premium rear $17.62

It will be a long time before they arrive, are installed, and I see results. So, I’ll try to remember to post results in a couple of months.

 

[DecoThom]

BTW I researched like crazy since I started this post. I found that the Centric pads are sold as: Centric Premium, Centric C-Tek, Centric, StopTech, PosiQuiet, and Reliance. A quick eBay survey shows these pads selling for $40 to $152 free shipping for the front and rear. This isn’t rocket science. A brake pad is simple. If these pads all roll off the same assembly line, why pay 4 times the price for probably basically the same pad?

 

[galaxys]

No part number, but my ceramic pads were called Posi Quiet from ebay seller TopBrakes.
My Centric rotors and pads (info) working great after 4 years:

Cross Drilled & Slotted Rotors Stock size replacements which will fit your existing stock calipers and pads with no modification. Specifically to help remove water, dirt, and brake dust build-up between the brake pads and rotors. Efficient ventilation keeping the rotors approximately 200 degrees cooler & designed to run cooler and promote better braking in wet and dry conditions. Precisely drilled and balanced by CNC machine to ensure highest quality. Disperses heat for less brake fade, warping, and promotes longer brake life. Cross drilled holes are chamfered, so they are less likely to crack.
And Zinc plating protects the rotors from rusting

PosiQuiet Pad brake friction features either precision cut or shaved backing plates and mechanically attached shims; these small details ensure proper fitment in the caliper and virtually eliminate noise associated with pad vibration. In addition to these features Centric Parts has added a scorching process to all of its PosiQuiet brake pads. This additional process forces any impurities out of the friction material and pre-burnishes the pads to greatly accelerate the break-in process.

 

[rorypff]

Best pads are ceramics from Akebono

 

[oberoi]

Best pads are ceramics from Akebono

I agree but not everybody is a fan - Apparently in cold climates some have found them wanting (see W203 forum) - In a temperate climate they are great

Oberoi

 

[DecoThom]

I installed the above Centric ceramic pads. They look like a perfect match for the old pads. They are silent. They work fine. The ceramic is a medium gray color. I was hoping for a lighter color. However, they are supposed to be low dust. So, I need to put some miles on them to verify the low dust output. I have not put them under duress. Most brake pads have a several hundred mile light use wear in period.

I used a procedure from the now dead link in slk32.com for the front pads. It is not necessary to remove the brake pad sensor receptor. The caliper bolts are T45 (Torx), not 7mm hex.

 

[DecoThom]

It is further down the road now. The cheap Centic pads have some wear on them now. There is no dust yet. That is what I was looking for. They are silent; look like better quality than my former pads. I don't drive like a teenager or a racer. So, I cannot speak about high performance. They brake pretty much just like my former pads. So, I highly recommend that you spend less money, and buy the previously mentioned Centric pads.:grin

 

[DecoThom]

Now that I have a bunch of miles on these pads, I find that they do produce some black dust. It is a small amount, and unlike the classic pads, the dust wipes right off with a cloth.