Cost of ML500 Brake pads replacement?

Not sure. Are going to DIY? If so, you might consider an aftermarket brand such as Rotex or Mintex. Both of these offer much less brake dust and better stopping ability. The don't come with wear sensors like the OEM's, but the front are easy to re-use and with a little work, the rear sensor can be adapted to aftermarket pads. I have been running to Rotex pads on my ML320 for about 20K miles and have been very satisfied with their performance - and total lack of dust on my wheels.

andy, don't mess with aftermarket "junk"

get them from your DC Dealer only! don't mess with your life...

alex

"Rodney T. Grill" schrieb im Newsbeitrag news:20040108121642.018$ snipped-for-privacy@news.newsreader.com...

You can buy OEM break pads from better then $tealer place.

Alex Hemmerich wrote:

I have to disagree here. While I would never buy run-of-the-mill Bendix, Raybestos or (cringe) Auto Zone brand pads, both Rotex and Mintex specialize in high-performance/racing brakes. OEM-MB pads are notoriously soft and generate a huge amount of brake dust. I am a very aggressive driver and the Rotex pads stop the 5,000lb ML actually better than the OEM pads. As for price, they are not "cheap", but they are less than what the dealer wants for OEM's.

And by the way, uneven and early wear is normal on the ML. You can expect to replace pads (OEM or aftermarket) on the ML at least every 20K miles.

I have 32K on my original pads. I would guess I drive about 40% highway and

When the time comes to replace my pads, I will probably go to a independent rather than the dealer but I don't have a problem getting OEM pads.

RichieP

The OEM Mercedes brake pad seem to be either manufactured by Textar or Jurid . By the way, Jurid is a euro division of Bendix. The OEM pads stop well but they also generate a lot of dust and seem to wear out the rotors more quickly than many aftermarket pads. I've had good luck with PRB (also marketed as Axxis) brand Metal Master pads. PRB is an Australian division of Bendix. Recently, I've switched to PRB "Ultimate" pads which have a Kevlar/Ceramic binder and low metal content (copper instead of iron like semi - metallic pads).

There are many excellent aftermarket pads available these days. You are not messing with your life when you switch to a superior pad material.

I drive in a humid climate with a lot of hills. I also drive somewhat aggressively (which will cause ESP to kick in) and I do some off-road driving where the brakes get a workout from the ETS. I also have a 2001 ML320 which has smaller brakes than the ML430/500 models. Even though my indicator light had never illuminated, I found that I had two pads that were nearly down to the metal. One of these had no sensor. The other pad did have a sensor which was actually worn from contact with the rotor, but had not illuminated the dash light because of a bad connection to the wiring harness. The bottom line is that unless you have a properly connected sensor on each pad (which you can do if you buy extra sensors), you can't go by the warning light alone. Make sure you inspect your brakes often.

You make a very good point. My ML was recently in the shop for a power steering pump and they noticed and fixed quite a few other things but didn't mention the brakes. Within the next 4 to 6 weeks I will be taking it in for an A service and will ask them to check the brakes.

Thanks for the insight.

RichieP