F10 M5 Ceramic Brakes Conundrum

[Gyrock]

About 3 weeks back I was all ready to place an order for an M5. However, the prospect of ceramic brakes briefly made an appearance as an option for the M5 and M6, only to be pulled almost immediately. BMW have delayed introduction until sometime in 2013 apparently. Thing is, I'm really keen to buy the car and have taken some while to suss out my perfect spec, but this potential 'performance' option left dangling now has made me wonder whether to hold off ordering until these brakes are a definite option (if that ever happens).

The car will be a daily driver for me, specced to suit my business needs (and image!), however, as a keen track day enthusiast, it seems to me I may well regret not waiting for this option to become available, as part of the attraction of the car is that it will suit my work and more pleasurable demands ;-)

So just what is the deal with ceramics? I've never had them on a car before and I've owned some very track focussed cars (CSL, Lotus Exige Cup etc), so should I order the car now and be done with it or wait until the option comes available (if indeed it ever does)...?

[LukeSi]

Gyrock said:

About 3 weeks back I was all ready to place an order for an M5. However, the prospect of ceramic brakes briefly made an appearance as an option for the M5 and M6, only to be pulled almost immediately. BMW have delayed introduction until sometime in 2013 apparently. Thing is, I'm really keen to buy the car and have taken some while to suss out my perfect spec, but this potential 'performance' option left dangling now has made me wonder whether to hold off ordering until these brakes are a definite option (if that ever happens).

The car will be a daily driver for me, specced to suit my business needs (and image!), however, as a keen track day enthusiast, it seems to me I may well regret not waiting for this option to become available, as part of the attraction of the car is that it will suit my work and more pleasurable demands ;-)

So just what is the deal with ceramics? I've never had them on a car before and I've owned some very track focussed cars (CSL, Lotus Exige Cup etc), so should I order the car now and be done with it or wait until the option comes available (if indeed it ever does)...?

Would you have an issue with having them fitted when they become available? The standard brakes should stand up well enough for the time being. Best thing to do is ask the dealer if the option to fit them when they are released would be there. And depending on how worn the standard brakes were you would have a spare set in case anything happened which damaged the ceramic brakes.

[Gyrock]

That's a really good suggestion and one I'll follow up!

I'm not sure how I feel about an effective 'after-market' fit by a dealer, but I'm sure it's doable. Whether it's an available option remains to be seen but I'll be asking the question.

Thanks for the obvious, but very practical response :-)

Edited by Gyrock on Sunday 22 July 20:27

[Gyrock]

Thanks to the 0% finance offer currently available I finally decided to order the M5 two weeks ago. Very pleased and can't wait.

However great news, as today I get a call from the dealer saying that FINALLY ceramics are now available for week 9 and beyond build dates on M5 & M6s. I have a week 10 build.

Decided to go for it

[burwoodman]

How much, 5k?

[Gyrock]

£6k.

But given all the reasons I am buying this car, it makes good sense to me, but recognise not for everyone.

[DT398]

Not to be a doom monger but it took Porsche quite a while to get ceramic brakes right when they first put them on road cars. They are sorted now but had quite a few failures when they first came out. Don't get me wrong, I am all for them and have them on a 911 and they are amazing bits of kit but I would think very carefully about speccing them on an M5 just as they become available. These are heavy cars and BMW ceramics are unproven in the real world so far. You can also be sure than any brake disc related warranty claim would be sure to be "complicated".

Hopefully, I am to be proved completely wrong but worth thinking about.

[Gyrock]

Yes I have picked that point up from a few people and the Porsche forums, certainly a difficult decision to make - 'where fools dare to tread' or 'who dares wins' ?

Speccing as OEM is without doubt the most costs effective (!) way to go, but of course if BMWs development is still in it's infancy there could well be difficulties and I am conscious that they were due to release them 6/8 months ago but withdraw at the last moment, let's hope the reasons for that have been sorted.

I will discuss with my dealer, particularly around the aspect of warranty before finally making a decision.

[DT398]

Yes, the warranty would be a worry for me and I'd also be thinking how much of a gain you are really making on what is already a heavy car. I guess more than the weight issue, they would be a lot less likely to cook on the track. I have one on order and your post alerted me to the cermaics as an option. I thought about it for about 30 seconds and decided to stick with the standard brakes for the reasons above but then again, I'll never take it on the track.

Edited by DT398 on Tuesday 22 January 08:59

[Contigo]

What's the point if you are financing it? Just means higher montlies and you are not going to get much benefit over the years from the lower running costs associated with ceramics?

[Gyrock]

Contigo said:

What's the point if you are financing it? Just means higher montlies and you are not going to get much benefit over the years from the lower running costs associated with ceramics?

Every point when with 0% interest you are merely spreading the cost of the car rather than paying for it all upfront !!

EDIT - sorry that sounds a little harsh, I think the point is that monthly costs etc are not really the point here, it's whether the option istelf can be justified and on that point that's a personal decision. However I want to try and avoid being caught with my pants down in the event of 'gen 1' CCMs. My dealer has elevated my concerns and I'm awaiting a response regarding warranty issues etc.

Edited by Gyrock on Tuesday 22 January 16:22

[Zod]

£6k is pretty cheap for ceramics. The question is whether it's worth the money. My Aston has ceramics and they are amazingly good. Unlike the reports of Ferrari brakes, they have very good feel from cold, are not grabby, but progressive and they stop the car in remarkably short distances - I can't exaggerate this bit, the stopping distances really are astonishingly short.

[Contigo]

Gyrock said:

Every point when with 0% interest you are merely spreading the cost of the car rather than paying for it all upfront !!

EDIT - sorry that sounds a little harsh, I think the point is that monthly costs etc are not really the point here, it's whether the option istelf can be justified and on that point that's a personal decision. However I want to try and avoid being caught with my pants down in the event of 'gen 1' CCMs. My dealer has elevated my concerns and I'm awaiting a response regarding warranty issues etc.

Edited by Gyrock on Tuesday 22 January 16:22

I wasn't having a go just stating that ceramics are great if you are tracking the car or keeping it for a while (very unlikely to have to change the discs for a long time). If you are leasing on a 23 deal then I would personally forget it and just enjoy the great standard brakes. I jumped on them at a 100mph and they can take your face off!

[Wills2]

If they are anything like the ceramics on the 991 then get them, as the braking performance in all respects was superb and I tried steels against them back to back.

[roofer]

BMW brakes are notorious for fade on track, wise choice imo, enjoy.

[belleair302]

That's why so many drivers go for the incredible after market kits available that work so much better. OEM ceramics wont be that good, and in my opinion a huge risk.