Carbon Ceramic brakes

[Gearhead999s]

Holy crap!The price for M5 front rotors for the CCB is $6570 each.I think a BBK will be in order!

[speeddeacon]

Originally Posted by absoluteis350

Now granted I am about to mention a different car with different brakes, but my RS4 I will have gone through 2 sets of rotors and 4 or 5 sets of brake pads by the time I hit 100k mi.

Seriously? I've never "gone through" a set of rotors. I've changed them out for slotted or drilled but never "needed" to do it. And 20-25k per brake pad set too. You must track that bad boy RS4 a lot, or live in some steep mountains. For you, the CCBs might actually make sense, but for most of us, I don't think we can really count on that much maintenance expense. Heck, a couple of bills and a Saturday morning is all I need to replace some pads, and that doesn't happen until my factory maintenance period is over. To each their own.

[absoluteis350]

Well that's good to hear.. How many miles have you put on the car? Are you saying your rotors are going to last the life of the car ? The M5 guys might have some input on how much maintenance it saves.. Certainly, yea, if you have/are willing to invest time into cleaning wheels, changing your own pads or taking the care to the dealer for their maintenance prog (not sure which is worse for me), etc. then yea you will save money. But certainly a change of rotors will happen at some point if you keep the car long enough, so it isn't accurate to say that there is NO savings on CCB. Just as in anything else in life.. if you do your own plumbing, yard work, etc, you save money.. but lose time. Time=money usually.

I think the average for a set of rotors (not pads) in the RS4 group was 30k-50k miles.

But yea, no one is saying its cheaper to get CCB.. But it isn't accurate to say that they are a full $8k upgrade. Longer you keep the car, the more money you will save on maintenance (more accurately put - the less the differential between initial investment and final cost would have been).

[jbockrd]

Originally Posted by darkalley

My service has been $240 for an oil change every 10,000 miles. At 40,000 miles the service is a major one - plugs, wires,etc and that's $550. I think that's reasonable

I agree! and I'm surprised. I work in Hamilton NJ not far from you, so you probably service somewhere in Edison?

[Chill72]

I'll pull the trigger on CCB if it's $2K or less, otherwise NO THANKS.

[Sedan_Clan]

Originally Posted by speeddeacon

Seriously? I've never "gone through" a set of rotors. I've changed them out for slotted or drilled but never "needed" to do it. And 20-25k per brake pad set too. You must track that bad boy RS4 a lot, or live in some steep mountains. For you, the CCBs might actually make sense, but for most of us, I don't think we can really count on that much maintenance expense. Heck, a couple of bills and a Saturday morning is all I need to replace some pads, and that doesn't happen until my factory maintenance period is over. To each their own.

Neither have it!

[jbockrd]

Originally Posted by Chill72

I'll pull the trigger on CCB if it's $2K or less, otherwise NO THANKS.

You can probably get CCB on 1 of your wheels then!! That would look awesome

[speeddeacon]

Originally Posted by absoluteis350

I think the average for a set of rotors (not pads) in the RS4 group was 30k-50k miles.

.

I've obviously never owned an Audi. Sounds like CCBs might be worthy of consideration if I do in the future, or at least an extended maintenance plan.

[turbolag]

Originally Posted by paddy335

If you are dropping $8000 on the brakes another $1000 to have the calipers painted whatever colour you want won't be too much of a stretch eh

But but that 9000 could have gone towards buying a BBK...or two sets, even. I'm almost completely sure that Stoptech/Brembos are superior to CCBs. I could be wrong, though.

[turbolag]

Originally Posted by Chill72

I'll pull the trigger on CCB if it's $2K or less, otherwise NO THANKS.

LOL. M Perf perforated/drilled brakes are 3000 for a set. No way are they going to be 2k or less.

[absoluteis350]

Originally Posted by speeddeacon

I've obviously never owned an Audi. Sounds like CCBs might be worthy of consideration if I do in the future, or at least an extended maintenance plan.

Yea I was more than a little surprised that the rotors fade that quickly. In reality, the dealer recommends you to change the rotors any time you change the pads, which is ridiculous in my book. Right now I am changing them out ever 2 sets of pads, so I will prob be swapping them out again in the spring Anyway, good to hear the longevity of the standard M4 brakes should be far better I still may spring for CCB.. just not sure b/c after Individual paint and Individual leather, it will prob be the most expensive M4 made An "honor" I do not wish to have.

[03BeastCharmer]

Originally Posted by absoluteis350

I'll bring in my points from the other thread here..

Basically, no one is mentioning that it's not a $8k upgrade, but more like $3k or less depending on how long you keep the vehicle ??

What about the decreased maintenance costs ? Basically, (I assume) with street use only, it appears the rotors last the life of the car. Then, according to the service info the M5 guys got, the pads last $100k.. Now granted I am about to mention a different car with different brakes, but my RS4 I will have gone through 2 sets of rotors and 4 or 5 sets of brake pads by the time I hit 100k mi. That's a total of roughly $8k on brake maintenance, which is the equivalent price for the CCB

The lower maintenance recoups some of the cost. The saved time from screwing with wheel cleaners all year saves money (time). Add in maybe $1k for bling factor, and you have already paid for the CCBs.. At a grand total of $1000.. Sure if you keep your car for 1-2 years then the maintenance is irrelevant.


No you will not. You will purchase them because we told you to ;p

I would pass on them. Performance Center Drivers were wearing out pads after two days in the M5/M6's at Circuit of the America earlier this year. Porsche GT3 guys who track a lot replace their CCB rotors with steel ones. It doesn't seem like CCB are up to track use yet, and that is really the only place where you would notice the performance difference (sans less unsprung weight in a heavy car).

[basscadet]

Originally Posted by turbolag

LOL. M Perf perforated/drilled brakes are 3000 for a set. No way are they going to be 2k or less.

I think his point was that he would pay no more than $2000 for a set, not that he expected them to be priced at that point.

$2000 sounds about where my tolerance would be for them as well. I never keep my cars for more than 2-3 years so I could care less about longevity.

[Chill72]

Originally Posted by basscadet

I think his point was that he would pay no more than $2000 for a set, not that he expected them to be priced at that point.

$2000 sounds about where my tolerance would be for them as well. I never keep my cars for more than 2-3 years so I could care less about longevity.

Exactly. The only real advantage of CCB in my eyes is lower weight...oh and they look pretty pimp.

[richardg]

If I can get 3-5 track days a year and get 100k out of them with normal grandma driving then I am onboard. Also I would love for them to cost 6-7k but I won't be surprised if they are more. Realoem lists replacement rotors at 2200 individually for the fronts. Reality is that there will be both aftermarket steel and ccb rotors in the future. I am not too concerned about the wear and replacement. If it costs me three times as much and I get twice the life + the weight savings then I am a happy camper.

[angelc5]

I hope you can order the 19″ Black Light-Alloy Wheel Double-Spoke Style 437 M with Mixed Performance Tires, without ordering the Carbon Ceramic Brakes.

I know that on the M6 you can only have the 20" black wheels if you order the competition package.

[speeddeacon]

Originally Posted by absoluteis350

Yea I was more than a little surprised that the rotors fade that quickly. In reality, the dealer recommends you to change the rotors any time you change the pads, which is ridiculous in my book. Right now I am changing them out ever 2 sets of pads, so I will prob be swapping them out again in the spring Anyway, good to hear the longevity of the standard M4 brakes should be far better I still may spring for CCB.. just not sure b/c after Individual paint and Individual leather, it will prob be the most expensive M4 made An "honor" I do not wish to have.

I hear ya!

[paddy335]

Originally Posted by basscadet

$2000 sounds about where my tolerance would be for them as well. I never keep my cars for more than 2-3 years so I could care less about longevity.

Apart from your '05 Acura?

[John Tanglewood]

CCB gives me:
--limited brake dust
--increased life on the track

Win and Win. It's only money. =)

[mattwhite]

Some thoughts on ceramics from a former GT3 owner. Note that ceramics on a GT3 didn't get you any more performance or fade resistance than steel - both were bulletproof in those departments. Main benefit is unsprung weight.

- Most track rats run steel. You'll wear out ceramics with heavy track use and the cost to replace will be more than the initial option price. I've seen ceramics on a 996 GT3 shatter at the track. I think Porsche fixed this when going to the 997.

- the option price on a 997 GT3 was about $10,000, and they hold about 1/2 of this value on resale versus a car with steel brakes.

- for street use, you might come out even or ahead on cost with ceramics if you keep the car long enough.

- be very careful who you take your ceramic equipped car to for tire changes, etc., these things can be ruined easily.

[Judah]

My M3 steel rotors and pads needed changing and were changed at around 74k miles and I never tracked the car.

[Salespunk]

Originally Posted by absoluteis350

Well that's good to hear.. How many miles have you put on the car? Are you saying your rotors are going to last the life of the car ? The M5 guys might have some input on how much maintenance it saves.. Certainly, yea, if you have/are willing to invest time into cleaning wheels, changing your own pads or taking the care to the dealer for their maintenance prog (not sure which is worse for me), etc. then yea you will save money. But certainly a change of rotors will happen at some point if you keep the car long enough, so it isn't accurate to say that there is NO savings on CCB. Just as in anything else in life.. if you do your own plumbing, yard work, etc, you save money.. but lose time. Time=money usually.

I think the average for a set of rotors (not pads) in the RS4 group was 30k-50k miles.

But yea, no one is saying its cheaper to get CCB.. But it isn't accurate to say that they are a full $8k upgrade. Longer you keep the car, the more money you will save on maintenance (more accurately put - the less the differential between initial investment and final cost would have been).

M5 CCB's have only been available for a few months so no long term durability testing. I still think the best place to look is the Porsche setup where the majority of people on the forums that are tracking replace with steel. A few people ran them on the track, but quickly pulled them off after seeing the level of wear incurred. $13K for rotors alone is a bit steep for replacement.