[kevinpuri]

I decided to call my local MB dealer to get quote on new rotors and pads front and rear with labor and was quoted over $700 for the front and $730 for the rear.

$1400 for new brakes!? My indi is going to do it for a little over $500 with OEM parts.

What are you guys paying when you get your brakes done?

Kevin

 

[in2dwww]

In the U.S, the highest quote I've had in Los Angeles for my 1994 S500 was $1,100.

 

[Check Codes]

Hi, Kevin.

My question to you is not how much are you paying, but rather why aren't you DIY?

I bought my 210 used at 47K and change and took it in at about 49K for a few fixes before the warranty expired. The dealer noted that the rear rotors were warped, which would mean pads as well, and the front pads were due. So for F&R pads and rear rotors, the tally was $975 plus tax and the normal misc. charges. I purchased some excellent aftermarket pads and drilled rotors F&R and was out of pocket for about $350 IIRC including all the other things (sensors, cleaner, paste, etc.).

However, I think your indie is taking nice care of you, that's a great price.

Take care and enjoy the ride,
Greg

 

[kevinpuri]

That in par with my quote then as I live in Canada.

Do you deal with and indi or your dealership for rep/maint.?

 

[kevinpuri]

Hi, Kevin.

My question to you is not how much are you paying, but rather why aren't you DIY?

I bought my 210 used at 47K and change and took it in at about 49K for a few fixes before the warranty expired. The dealer noted that the rear rotors were warped, which would mean pads as well, and the front pads were due. So for F&R pads and rear rotors, the tally was $975 plus tax and the normal misc. charges. I purchased some excellent aftermarket pads and drilled rotors F&R and was out of pocket for about $350 IIRC including all the other things (sensors, cleaner, paste, etc.).

However, I think your indie is taking nice care of you, that's a great price.

Take care and enjoy the ride,
Greg

Greg I was/am very close to doing it myself, I really would love too and after researching how I was very comfortable UNTIL I got to the part of pushing the pistons back in the calipers to allow enough room for the new pads to fit in. I read over and over but still dont not understand it 100% ( and have heard scary stories of the psitons fallin gout of the calipers?). Another aspect that created confusion for me was if the use of an anti squeal paste was needed or not?

If these 2 areas could be cleared up I would love to DIY.

Still being a student if I can start DIY'ing now im sure over the years the saving will be huge.

Kevin

 

[Tubers]

Kevin, this is totally a DIY job.

- the pistons can be compressed back into the calipers with water pump (channel lock or slip joint) pliers. I have done it this way for 20 years on my many Mercedes. Since you are replacing the pads anyway, use the pliers to squeeze the OLD pad against the caliper. The only trick is to loosen the brake fluid reservoir cap, so that you are not trying to compress the air in the reservoir as well. Remember to tighten it once you are done.

- No paste. I don't use it, and have no squeals at all. Just use MB pads and rotors and clean the calipers where the pads rest with a file, to remove all the spent pad material.

Have fun!

 

[Check Codes]

Greg I was/am very close to doing it myself, I really would love too and after researching how I was very comfortable UNTIL I got to the part of pushing the pistons back in the calipers to allow enough room for the new pads to fit in. I read over and over but still dont not understand it 100% ( and have heard scary stories of the psitons fallin gout of the calipers?). Another aspect that created confusion for me was if the use of an anti squeal paste was needed or not?

If these 2 areas could be cleared up I would love to DIY.

Still being a student if I can start DIY'ing now im sure over the years the saving will be huge.

Kevin

Kevin, read the pictorial DIY I posted in the 210 section. Almost identical to your 140. If you have questions post them.

On MB you should ALWAYS use one packet of genuine MB Brake Paste per wheel (pair of pads) whether you are using OEM pads or aftermarket. It's in the WIS and will prevent noise and promote smooth operation.

If MB pistons fall out either the caliper is shot or someone stepped on the brake pedal while the caliper was off the rotor...neither of which should ever happen.

Take care and enjoy the ride,
Greg

 

[Tubers]

On MB you should ALWAYS use one packet of genuine MB Brake Paste per wheel (pair of pads) whether you are using OEM pads or aftermarket. It's in the WIS and will prevent noise and promote smooth operation.

On the pads I get from my dealer, there is a steel plate, the size of the pad, with grease in between it and the pad. Should have clarified this. I do not use additional paste. If you are talking about the sliding surface of the caliper, my WIS shows that it just needs cleaning prior to assembly.

 

[bayhas]

Get autozone pads (50 bucks), very quite, and they lasted me for the last 3 years.

cut your rotors (about 15-20 bucks each)

do the job yourself, and here ya go... less than 100 bucks...

 

[bayhas]

oh and as far as the noise, the red paste sold at advance auto parts does the job as good...

 

[Check Codes]

Get autozone pads (50 bucks), very quite, and they lasted me for the last 3 years.

cut your rotors (about 15-20 bucks each)

do the job yourself, and here ya go... less than 100 bucks...

Um....MB does not recommend turning rotors. Moreover, they are pretty soft and last about two sets of OEM pads (which are also fairly soft). So if you turn them they have to have sufficient material remaining that they won't wear below minimums during the life of the new pads. They're also inexpensive compared with many other makes.

99% of the time when replacement is warranted, it's not because of warping or grooves, but that they are worn to the point that they will be below minimums before the replacement pads are through. It's a safety issue.

Re: pads, I bought fairly hard compound Axxis ultimates, by the time I change the fronts they'll have nearly five years and 60,000 miles on them. The downside is that they are hard enough the rotors only lasted one set of pads. So I'm replacing them with a softer pad this time and, of course, replacing rotors.

Kevin, do what you will, but I'm sure you are aware that the least expensive solution is not always the best one. :thumbsup:

Take care and enjoy the ride,
Greg

 

[gold benz]

Only OEM pads for me from now on. The aftermarket Posi pads squeek and shutter when coming to a slow stop. The brake dust is less, but the aftermarket pads aren't as good as the OEM pads, IMO. My mech tried to tell this, but I refused to believe. He's tried numeous aftermarket pads in the past. He was right.

 

[bayhas]

Um....MB does not recommend turning rotors. Moreover, they are pretty soft and last about two sets of OEM pads (which are also fairly soft). So if you turn them they have to have sufficient material remaining that they won't wear below minimums during the life of the new pads. They're also inexpensive compared with many other makes.

99% of the time when replacement is warranted, it's not because of warping or grooves, but that they are worn to the point that they will be below minimums before the replacement pads are through. It's a safety issue.

true, BMW doesnt either, but thats the same company that suggests that the 722.6 is sealed for life, if anything happens, replace the tranny

the stock rotor can be easily turned with WAY material left, can be turned twice if you want, 3 times if you push it.

the rotor thickness is not a safety factor, thick rotor will not make you stop quicker, its nothing more than a heat dissipation factor, so a thin rotor will get hotter quicker and warp sooner and give you that wobble again earlier...

larger diameter rotor and more caliper pistons will on the other hand. thats why the 1992 300SE has 2 pistons per caliper and 31CM rotor upfront, while newer 500s have quad piston caliper and 32CM rotors.

one may say, hot brakes will fade quicker, but keep in mind, typical W140 driver is not running sessions in Auto-X cercuit, so for average daily driver, you can juice couple extra years out of the rotors this way.

 

[bayhas]

Only OEM pads for me from now on. The aftermarket Posi pads squeek and shutter when coming to a slow stop. The brake dust is less, but the aftermarket pads aren't as good as the OEM pads, IMO. My mech tried to tell this, but I refused to believe. He's tried numeous aftermarket pads in the past. He was right.

I ve heard so many horror stories about after market pads on W140, but I have to admit, I used a set of value craft on my personal w140 about 3 years ago, they lasted me a whopping 38K miles roughly!!! turned the rotors twice throughout their life... because I am cheap and I had free access to a turning mashine back in Ohio...

 

[Check Codes]

It actually is a significant safety issue.

The 140 is not a little Honda, it is a big, HEAVY luxury car. You don't need to do a track day or canyon run to generate serious heat in the brakes, particularly the front. But aside from the possibility of warping and fade, overheated rotors transfer some of that heat to the pistons and calipers and overheated fluid can result in complete brake failure. Considering that brakes you can rely on can get (or keep) you out of trouble, that is not a place I would suggest skimping. I'd hate to have to admit to myself that I caused (or failed to avoid) an accident just because I saved a hundred bucks on a pair of rotors I should have replaced. And in today's legal atmosphere, an accident resulting from knowing failure to maintain safety-related parts could result in a criminal charge or civil liability.

However, I do thank you for admitting that you are cheap. And I am glad (and hopeful) that most others do not appear to follow your poor example.

That said I do respect your opinion. This is a community and all opinions and approaches can be discussed so that others can assess such information and reach a meaningful conclusion as to how best to maintain their vehicles.

Take care and enjoy the ride,
Greg

 

[bayhas]

It actually is a significant safety issue.

The 140 is not a little Honda, it is a big, HEAVY luxury car. You don't need to do a track day or canyon run to generate serious heat in the brakes, particularly the front. But aside from the possibility of warping and fade, overheated rotors transfer some of that heat to the pistons and calipers and overheated fluid can result in complete brake failure. Considering that brakes you can rely on can get (or keep) you out of trouble, that is not a place I would suggest skimping. I'd hate to have to admit to myself that I caused (or failed to avoid) an accident just because I saved a hundred bucks on a pair of rotors I should have replaced. And in today's legal atmosphere, an accident resulting from knowing failure to maintain safety-related parts could result in a criminal charge or civil liability.

However, I do thank you for admitting that you are cheap. And I am glad (and hopeful) that most others do not appear to follow your poor example.

That said I do respect your opinion. This is a community and all opinions and approaches can be discussed so that others can assess such information and reach a meaningful conclusion as to how best to maintain their vehicles.

Take care and enjoy the ride,
Greg

All what you re saying is correct in Theory, but to boil your brake fluid, I believe that you need to be escalating a 90 degree slope downhill at 5mph on 5th gear, with the engine off, slowing down with nothing but the brakes... lol

what I am saying is: there is a fine line between being safe, and being gollible.

The minimum rotor thickness is 10MM per layer (stamped on the inside of the rotor), while the brand new rotor is something crazy like 16 or so, if I remeber correctly. So unless you use brake pads made of diamond, you wont wear 45% of your rotor with 1 pad set... you know...

you have to keep in mind that Mercedes charges 1000 to service the brakes, thats 1/5 of what most W140s worth today... they replace everything to justify the price tag and minimize labor, they over do and overkill the safety factor

not cutting the rotors, once if nothing else throughout their life is like throwing money in the garbage.

BTW, I used the term cheap to be funny, I should have said "smart consumer", you need to understand that although I said I did cut my rotors several times, they are still over the minimum thickness allowed. I am taking it forgranted that anyone following my advice of cutting, will make sure to stay within the stamped specs...

None the less, like you said, its a matter of prefrence, anyone willing to spend 2 grands on break job for his $4K W140 is more than welcome to visit the dealer... While for people struggling to get by, you ll be suprised, some are willing to stop their W140 with their feet if need be, a la flinstones...