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I recently replaced the front pads on my X5 with Akebono ceramics but the initial bite is non-existent and I wouldn't describe the linear response as reassuring. The X5 is heavy, 5600 pounds or so.

Apparently Brembo makes a pad for my vehicle but I haven't found any feedback posted. Anyone here using Brembo street pads?

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BenchWarmer Motorsports

another one of those damn LeMons heads

just another Chump

we are an Autocross Club Dammit............

I haven't, but I agree with you on the Akebonos. I had them on my Mercedes for about 5000 miles and hated them. It felt like the brakes were broken.

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Karl S.
2014 Baby, 2014 House, 2013 Ford Focus ST, 2013 BMW 328i, 1994 Mercedes E320
(Insert passive aggressive signature line here)

Interesting. The oem brakes on our 97 Mustang were made by Akebono and we like them so much for general mild street use plus long life we bought Ford replacements at about 100K.

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Dick Rasmussen

FS 50 2018 Mustang GT

The wife's E90 has Akebonos on all four corners with no issues. The fronts on my X5 are probably 13 inch rotors and they are ducted also. 5600 pounds and AWD is the issue I believe Dick.

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BenchWarmer Motorsports

another one of those damn LeMons heads

just another Chump

we are an Autocross Club Dammit............

Also our 97 is driven VERY gently and during the first 100K had a lot of highway miles. Mostly around town stuff in the 50K since then. Rears will probably need replacing first.

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Dick Rasmussen

FS 50 2018 Mustang GT

Different compounds probably. Mine were "EURO Ultra Premium Ceramic Brake Pads."

At first, I thought they were fine. But as they wore in, I started to hate them. Especially after driving my wife's BMW with its stock pads. Or anything with any other pads for that matter. I gave them a decent review on Advance's website, but their website is teh broken, so I can't go back and edit that.

They'd engage the ABS, but only just. I also did some autocross runs in the Mercedes, back to back. After the first run, the pads had faded badly enough that they would no longer engage the ABS, and they had that "I think I just ruined my pads" feel to them. They also got noisy, but strangely, only in reverse.

I'm a convert to Raybestos brake pads on street cars now. They perform great, are quiet, they appear to last well, are low dusting, and best of all, they're cheap. Under $60 for the whole car for my Miata when bought as Carquest's "Red Box" house brand pad. These pads saved my butt earlier today, when a fire truck decided to cross two lanes of traffic on 40 and come to a complete stop in front of me. I'm damn lucky the guy in the SUV behind me didn't clobber me.

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Karl S.
2014 Baby, 2014 House, 2013 Ford Focus ST, 2013 BMW 328i, 1994 Mercedes E320
(Insert passive aggressive signature line here)

Went with the Brembo pads and my initial opinion is that these pads are better than the Akebono pads in this application. Still not what the OEMs were but livable I believe and dustless per se. Initial grab is still lacking but the linear response is much more aggressive it seems than the Akebonos. I will need to change my driving style a bit but that might not be such a bad thing.

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BenchWarmer Motorsports

another one of those damn LeMons heads

just another Chump

we are an Autocross Club Dammit............

Ceramic pads are generally designed to be quiet and low dusting.. braking performance isn't very high on the list of target requirements. Stoptech makes pads for Brembo calipers that are supposed to work well for street/autocross use on 3500lb cars. I have no idea how well they would work on an X5.

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'07 MINI Cooper S
Borrowed '14 Crosstrek & Borrowed '12 BOSS .. for rallyx reasons
n+1 motorcycles