and more plentiful than other cars?

I just bought some 'brake dust repellant'....90% chance it's snake oil.

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82 300D....went to MB heaven
90 350 SDL....excercising con rods

Likely because MB uses softer pads OE so increase brake feel and preformance. This means more dust which has the appearance of being darker.

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Daily Driver: 02 E430 4MATIC
In the family: '03 E500 // '04 ML500 // 64 220SE

It's actually because the brake dust is darker in color. The OEM brake pad formulation of all german cars has a higher synthetic graphite content than other makes, that is why you get blacker wheels on BMW, Mercedes, Audi, etc than other cars.

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Ali Al-Chalabi

2001 CLK55
1999 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Diesel
2002 Harley-Davidson Fatboy
Merlin Extralight w/ Campy Record

Will using a lighter pad harm performance? Does anyone make one?

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82 300D....went to MB heaven
90 350 SDL....excercising con rods

Do a search, you'll find almost as much info on the subject as you will oil and coolant threads.

If you want a good performing pad with less dust, look into a set of Porterfield pads.

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Ali Al-Chalabi

2001 CLK55
1999 Dodge Ram 2500 Cummins Diesel
2002 Harley-Davidson Fatboy
Merlin Extralight w/ Campy Record

All German cars tend to do it, just wash the front wheel more often.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Good advice. Just wash when disk is cold; will warp when hot.

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joel

Prayers bring forth enlightenment.

Brake pad dust in our 2002 Volvo V70 is as plentiful as in my Benzes, past and current, just as plentiful and even "stickier."

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Current Benzes

1989 300TE "Alice"
1990 300CE "Sam Spade"
1991 300CE "Beowulf" RIP (06.1991 - 10.10.2007)
1998 E320 "Orson"
2002 C320 Wagon "Molly Fox"

Res non semper sunt quae esse videntur

My Gallery

Not in this weather!

It takes my wheel 2 days for the brake dust to start showing!

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82 300D....went to MB heaven
90 350 SDL....excercising con rods

there exists an FMVSS that sets a maximum pedal pressure requirement to bring a vehicle to a stop without its engine running (loss of vacuum assist). Therefore, cars sent to NAmerica tend to have softer pads to meet this standard.

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1998 W210 diesel (wiped out by a texter)
Baum spring compressor "for rent"

FWIW, I have found lo-dusting or dustless pads to be an excellent alternative to "OE" pads.

Not the case, not at all. I've been using the Michelin product for 6 months or so...it certainly does work. The wheels still get dirty but it takes MUCH longer.

Yep, I just wash my wheels every 1-2 days. What can you do, if you want your car perfectly clean you just have to wash them!

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I switched to PBR (Axxis) Deluxe pads, and the dust is greatly reduced. I also tried Awesome cleaner, from the Dollar store. It cleans the old stuff off amazingly well and it costs about a buck a bottle.

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma

Do these aftermarket pads perform as well? Do they cause increased rotor wear?