I just hit 80,000 miles on my '97 E320 and the brake light came on telling me that the Brake Linings needed to be replaced. I've had bought the car with 20,000 miles on it and I have yet to do a brake job. I'm not sure if brakes were replaced on it before I bought it.

Either way, I'm pretty impressed with the miles on one set of brakes. My E300 never went this long without needing new pads. For the last 20,000 miles, I've been very impressed with the brakes and I've been waiting for this to happen. Here's my questions:

1) What's the normal wear on brake pads for this model? 60K seems like a lot. (And I don't drive like a grandma)

2) New Rotors, what is the common wisdom on the number of pad changes for a set of rotors?

3) Can you turn rotors on this model?

4) I spoke with an Indy who told me the pads had sensors in them??? (Not sure of this - I didn't think SBC came out until 2002)

5) Typical cost for pads / rotors / labor?

6) DIY - how hard - haven't done my own Brake jobs since I sold my '69 VW Beetle

Thanks in advance for your responses. This is a great site and I've always gotten great info from y'all.

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'97 E320 Black Opal
'86 300E Smoke Silver / Burgundy (retired at 198K)
'63 Austin Healey 3000 Mk II (BJ7) (reluctantly retired)

If you chk out the DIY tab at the top of the page a written / photo instructions of a brake job is there. Easy DIY job,

You can save near two hundred dollars by doing it yourself if you have tools.

MB rotors are inexpensive, and in turn they are not resurfaced but replaced.

Also go to FastLane tab at the top of the page to price pads and rotors etc.. Dealer may also sell them for similar price.

Seems that your mileage 60K means time to change rotors.

Thanks Ethan.

The DIY tab has directions for a '95 E320 - is the process the same for a '97???

It doesn't look that hard.

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'97 E320 Black Opal
'86 300E Smoke Silver / Burgundy (retired at 198K)
'63 Austin Healey 3000 Mk II (BJ7) (reluctantly retired)

If your scroll to the bottom of the page where it gives the procedure for a 98 E430 with the single piston floating front calipers, that will be the same brake setup as found on the 97 E320. Brakes are very easy and straight-forward on this car.

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Ali Al-Chalabi

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

Great, it looks pretty easy. I'll let you know my progress

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'97 E320 Black Opal
'86 300E Smoke Silver / Burgundy (retired at 198K)
'63 Austin Healey 3000 Mk II (BJ7) (reluctantly retired)