I just ordered some Mercedes genuine rear brake pads for my 08 w204 from FCP euro and when they arrived they were labeled as Starparts which after googling seem to be their discount line. They have a different part number which does correspond to the part number of the pads I ordered. They are made in India and look fine but are they any good? Is this a bait and switch and should I send them back. I’m a bit annoyed. I could have bought Indian or Chinese made pads from rockauto for cheaper but decided to get the”good stuff”. Hmmmm
Mercedes star parts junk?
- Thread starter JamesBond
- Start date
I think it's legit as Mercedes has a cheaper line for their older cars as people who were willing to pay 40-60k for a new car aren't the same owners when the car is 10+ years old and bought used. So they've lowered their price. I would have just gotten Akebono pads from FCPEuro though. They're ceramic pads and you get no brake dust, factory ones tend to be semi-metallics and generate lots of brake dust. Braking is slightly worse but not that noticeable. Also does your car have rear brake shoes for the emergency brake? You should also get a spring kit and shoe kit when replacing the rear rotors. I've just gotten them from Rockauto, never figured I'd ever do them again anyway so don't need the lifetime warranty from FCPEuro and they cost a bit more than rockauto.
I would exchange them.
I didn't know Mercedes had a cheaper parts line now too 
The Starparts could be good or bad. For example, Toyota's OE Second Line is still high quality and worth buying, while Nissan Value Advantage is garbage and actually a value disadvantage
Nevertheless, brake pads aren't something I'd get from the dealer. If you want OE, Rock Auto has Pagid and Beck/Arnley. Of course, the other brand name pads from FCP should be good, too.
If it counts, all of Akebono's aftermarket pads are US-made
The Starparts could be good or bad. For example, Toyota's OE Second Line is still high quality and worth buying, while Nissan Value Advantage is garbage and actually a value disadvantage
Nevertheless, brake pads aren't something I'd get from the dealer. If you want OE, Rock Auto has Pagid and Beck/Arnley. Of course, the other brand name pads from FCP should be good, too.
If it counts, all of Akebono's aftermarket pads are US-made
For what? Starparts is just what Mercedes calls their parts for older cars, it's not like there's two options, the cheaper Starparts and the original higher priced stuff. You can usually buy parts cheaper directly from a Mercedes dealer than from FCPEuro, but the reason to get them FCPEuro is for the lifetime warranty, otherwise standard Mercedes warranty is 2 years on parts.
The car currently has Mercedes pads all around, the front wheels stay clean but the rears get the black german dust. I’m not doing rotors and was hoping to get away with just pads. I debated getting ceramic pads but didn’t want to compromise braking and some ceramic pads I’ve had before seemed a little weak on the first push of the pedal. I thought that I couldn’t go wrong with Mercedes parts but I’m not sure that’s what I really got.
They're real Mercedes parts, they're just labeled like that now. Mercedes tends to make the rotors such that you can usually get away with one pad slap before having to replace the rotors, at least for the rears. I have Akebono ceramic pads on both of my E-350s. Wish I had done them sooner. It would have what I consider normal braking. Before the factory ones felt like you tossed out a boat anchor every time you hit the brakes, had to hit them lightly otherwise you slowed down too much. The ceramics are slightly worse but feels like normal braking and you don't need a light touch, the normal touch is fine and they brake fine.
CleanSump
Site Donor 2022
They are Mercedes' line for cars over 5 years old is all. The "Star" word is applied by MB to many things, i.e. the magazine, the club, etc., etc.. You would see StarParts advertised in the official owners club official magazine.
As to COO, I was highly disappointed when I bought a set of OE injector nozzles, expecting Germany or Austria, and the dealership gave me MB boxes marked "made in India". It's the reality of manufacturing world sourcing. Some of my MB branded oil filters have been made in Bulgaria, Poland, and Mexico.
https://www.mbusa.com/en/owners/parts/star-parts
As to COO, I was highly disappointed when I bought a set of OE injector nozzles, expecting Germany or Austria, and the dealership gave me MB boxes marked "made in India". It's the reality of manufacturing world sourcing. Some of my MB branded oil filters have been made in Bulgaria, Poland, and Mexico.
https://www.mbusa.com/en/owners/parts/star-parts
It really boils down to the manufacturer not where the part is actually made. Lots of iphones are made in China, probably the majority of them. But they're fine as it's up to Apple and their partners to keep up the QC. So when you get cheap parts made in foreign countries, it's really the manufacturer that is either cutting corners with too cheap a contract or just not supervising QC.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Geez, you do know that many parts on brand new MB is made in those countries too? And not only MB.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
RockAuto? Unless you are getting on RoackAuto Pagid, ATE, Textar or Jurid, it would be step down.
You don’t need to go MB part to get same quality. Those brands I mentioned are exclusive OE supplier to MB. It ain’t gonna be Wagner or whatever.
Also Mercedes sells lots of cars in China and many of their cars sold in China have made in China parts.
jurd makes most of their stuff in india these days
CleanSump
Site Donor 2022
Yes, that was my point. It's how it is today. Twenty years ago when I received Indian injectors, they were new to MB. It was a disappointment because of my expectations.
Geez, my "Wolfsburg Edition" Jetta was made in Mexico, lol. It was just fine until a girl parked an Outback in the trunk.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
Well, Mexico VW exists for decades, yet people still make issues out of it, regardless that they use everyday most stuff made in China.
Some people slept over last 30yrs. Actually, manufacturing is moving away from China.
edyvw
$50 site donor 2025
People forgetting that for example Czechoslovakia before WWII was one of the most sophisticated countries in the world. 45yrs of Soviet boot cannot kill hundreds of years of culture. I would take Czech manufacturing any day over French, Italian or Spanish.
Yup. The Czech weapons industry is an interesting read. Soviet Union left them alone for the most part to adopt their own equipment.
Akebono
Akebono only comes with a 30 day warranty so it's really worth it to get them from FCPEuro which gives you a lifetime warranty on all the parts they sell.
