theALPINAregister.com

[BarryM]

I’ve always been resigned to brake dust making my wheels a mess, and as the OEM pads seemed to work as well if not better than most after-market options (for road use at least) I’d never bothered to look any further. However I came across a thread specifically about reduced brake dust and one well respected poster suggested Carbotech Bobcat pads as a good alternative, with a name like that I just had to take a closer look!

After a bit more reading I saw the Carbotech Bobcat 1521 pads seemed to get some pretty good reviews so decided to give them a go. I guess many people are more clued up than me but ceramic pads have the added benefit of being gentler on your discs too so it sounded like a win win! That's apart from the initial cost which is a bit more than OEM! There are of course a number of ceramic brake pads on the market so not just Carbotech.

Anyway, I've done about 5k miles with them now and feel/braking performance is the same as OEM but the front wheels now stay as clean if not cleaner than the rears . I’ll be refreshing my rear brake set up in the spring and will be fitting the Bobcat pads to the rear as well.

Here’s a link to the Carbotech site: http://www.carbotech-europe.com/index.html bear in mind they make the pads to order.
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2001 Alpina B10 V8 #185
1982 Krauser MKM1000 #121 - sold

[Rav]

Thanks Barry M.

I have often thought similar whilst sitting in front on my 18" Alpina alloys cleaning them by hand. They are hard work to clean.

I welcome your review, but have heard that you have to warm the brakes up everytime you start driving prior to achieving good braking power. Is this true?

Thanks for the write up.
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1999 #032 Alpina B3 3.3 saloon (UK Press Car)
2000 Porsche Boxster S
2007 Audi A6 Avant tdi

[BarryM]

[Metrics]

Nice share Barry, sounds like a great option. Wonder if they can make a set of pads for the infamous V8S fronts?
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2012 Alpina D5 BiTurbo No. 13
2002 Alpina B10 V8S No. 60
1993 Mercedes 190E 2.6 Sportline spec
2005 Audi TT 225
1991 Mk1 Golf GTI Sportline cabriolet
1983 Mk1 Golf GTI

[BarryM]

[E24man]

How much were the pads Barry?
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E24man

2001 Alpina B10 V8 Touring (1 of 12 rhd)
1997 Alpina B12 5.7 L (1 of 2 rhd)
1995 Alpina B10 4.6 Touring (1 of 1 rhd)
1985 BMW M635CSi (1 of 524 rhd made, but less than half left now)
1982 BMW 635CSiA (1 of only hundreds left from the thousands made and still valiantly fighting a rusty grave)

[BarryM]

[Rav]

After spending an hour cleaning only my wheels yesterday, £180+vat sounds like a fair price.....
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1999 #032 Alpina B3 3.3 saloon (UK Press Car)
2000 Porsche Boxster S
2007 Audi A6 Avant tdi