500E owners - here's my next question:

My car is running great! I've done the timing chain, the Mobil 1, the check valve in the oil filter, the cooling fan mod, the PAD chip, the K&N filters, and the little details (cosmetic and service) to make it look pretty and go like mad. I've got the Evo II wheels and Bridgestone S03 tires at 245/45-17. Brakes are next.

With the 17" wheels, I realize I have some options. I'm really very happy with the stock braking performance. It's a daily driver, not a racer, so I'm not worried about on-track brake fade like some of you have experienced. I do deal with several miles of steep hills every day. I like the look of aftermarket cross-drilled rotors. I've read about the advantages of cross-drilled and slotted designs. I also like the idea of going to 600SL brakes.

So what have my fellow 500E owners done to their cars? And at what cost? Should I just get a dealer stock brake job? Or get those gold-colored cross-drilled rotors from PAD/Performance Products? Do they save unsprung weight? What's the best pad available that will: stop great, reduce the dreaded brake dust, and not squeal? Mintex? Stock? Should I get Brembo rotors and calipers (and have to get specialty parts for every brake job?) If I go the 600SL route, do I replace rotors and calipers both front and rear? Where can I find more info on this mod? Do they bolt on? Is there an unsprung weight penalty? Do I get the parts from a dealer or a junkyard? For that matter, can I get the drilled rotors from PAD/Performance Products for a 600SL specification? What happens to the ABS when I start changing the brake system? What happens to pedal pressure (brake boost) and brake feel? What have you all experienced, good or bad, and what else do you recommend?

Finally, I spoke to Performance Products the other day, and I was told that the braided stainless steel brake lines are not DOT approved for my car. Has anyone heard this one before? I think the SS lines look sharp. Do they really improve performance?

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Mark Stetson
1995 E320 Wagon Moonstone Grey/Parchment 106K mi.
2007 E63 AMG Graphite/designo 75K mi