Ceramic brakes??

Hey all....I just went to the BYO for the new M5 and the $8000+ option for the ceramic brakes is no longer there. Last night,while drooling (metaphorically) over color combinations for an M5, the build went down numerous times....should we now assume that BMW NA was updating/removing that option?? Or is this a temporary error??

Cheers,

Ceramic brakes not a good idea. They are susceptible to damage even from mounting wheels. They squeak like a mother, very expensive to replace, only beneficial for track purposes and aren't covered under BMW 4 year maintenance program. Save the $8700 and spend it on pads and rear tires and have lots more enjoyment.

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Originally Posted by necromancer

Ceramic brakes not a good idea. They are susceptible to damage even from mounting wheels. They squeak like a mother, very expensive to replace, only beneficial for track purposes and aren't covered under BMW 4 year maintenance program. Save the $8700 and spend it on pads and rear tires and have lots more enjoyment.

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And while they have less fade, they have less bite, which means the steel brakes perform better in street driving.

Oh, I was just asking if the option had been either temporarily or permanently deleted..I would never consider such an option as that $8K will pay for plenty of new brakes...hehehe...or lots of ultra premium gas!!!!

The option is still not there so I guess that BMW NA figured that too many folks would balk at the uber high price. Because if you stick with non Individual options and leave off the two packages you can keep the car under $100K before TT&L...

Cheers.

not sure where you guys are getting all this info from. My old Challenge Stradale and F430 both have carbon ceramics. They don't squeak and the consistency on the track is amazing. Add not having to deal with brake dust and it's a good combo. Where are you getting the info that they are susceptable to damage even with mounting a wheel?? My MP4-12C was just ordered with carbon ceramics also and I wouldn't buy a car without them if the option is offered.

Originally Posted by SANguru

not sure where you guys are getting all this info from. My old Challenge Stradale and F430 both have carbon ceramics. They don't squeak and the consistency on the track is amazing. Add not having to deal with brake dust and it's a good combo. Where are you getting the info that they are susceptable to damage even with mounting a wheel?? My MP4-12C was just ordered with carbon ceramics also and I wouldn't buy a car without them if the option is offered.

I would get the Carbon Ceramics from BMW if they covered them under the free maintenance - but I think there are probably other options (brembo, etc) that can be done aftermarket if you find the stock brakes aren't adequate. It's an awful big car to be tracking though.. just my opinion.

Originally Posted by necromancer

Ceramic brakes not a good idea. They are susceptible to damage even from mounting wheels. They squeak like a mother, very expensive to replace, only beneficial for track purposes and aren't covered under BMW 4 year maintenance program. Save the $8700 and spend it on pads and rear tires and have lots more enjoyment.

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I think they're a great idea for people that will use them - I've rarely heard of by buddies complain of squeaks - and if you've got the dough for the car, chances are, a brake job isn't going to break the bank. I think that there are alternatives though - different pads if you're only occasionally tracking, etc. With them not covered under the maintenance, I agree, you'd be better off doing some brakes aftermarket. I'd like to see proven real life performance over stock, though - we might be surprised.

Originally Posted by SANguru

and the consistency on the track is amazing.

How is initial bite on the street? (Pls let us know which car the experience comes from too. Not all ceramic brakes perform equally!)

Originally Posted by SANguru

not sure where you guys are getting all this info from. My old Challenge Stradale and F430 both have carbon ceramics. They don't squeak and the consistency on the track is amazing. Add not having to deal with brake dust and it's a good combo. Where are you getting the info that they are susceptable to damage even with mounting a wheel?? My MP4-12C was just ordered with carbon ceramics also and I wouldn't buy a car without them if the option is offered.

Getting some of the info from BMW.

So BMW has informed uS dealers that carbon ceramic brakes will not be available in the US market until the 2013 calendar year at the earliest. Greg Poland thinks it will most likely not be available till the 2014 model year.

Option 2NK (M Carbon Ceramic Brake System), originally announced for 07/12 production, has been delayed by BMW AG for F1xM models (M5, M6 Convertible and Coupe) until calendar year 2013. Therefore, option 2NK is being removed from all pipeline orders. Marketing materials and the Ordering & Pricing Guide are being updated accordingly. Please review all M5 and M6 orders to ensure order accuracy, keeping in mind option 2NK required option 2NZ (20" M Forged Wheels), which may remain on the orders.

From BMW on the question asked earlier....

Good that they're not available. A ridiculous option for any street car.

If you want to track the M5, be ready to buy a new set of tires after a few sessions. All you need to do with the brakes for track duty is to replace the pads with Pagid Yellows and replace the fluid with a good race fluid.

Ceramic brakes on a street car are noisy, expensive, fragile, and simply don't work as well as a good set of steel brakes. If you get silicone spray or Armor All on the rotors, you'll need to replace them. Here's some more expert opinion:

One of the EVO mag contributors, Simon George, is involved in a supercar driving experience business (www.6thgeardrivingexperienceeurope.co.uk) and wrote a piece replacing the carbon ceramic brakes with steel for a new acquisition. The quote was along the lines of 'There is no place for carbon ceramic brakes on a road car'. A brief seach turns up this exerpt from the 6th gear blog...
---quote---
Take our Lamborghini LP640 for instance. We ordered this car back in May 2007 and specifically requested it wasn't fitted with ceramics. The reason for this is standard steel brakes are much more progressive with far better 'feel' than ceramics. Jump behind the wheel of a Supercar with cold ceramic brakes and attempt to stop and you could be in for a nasty shock. The steel brakes on the LP640 are superb hot or cold. So we decided to replace all our ceramic braked equipped supercars this winter with bespoke steel alternatives.
---end quote---