Calling all Mercedes Benz drivers!
Did you know that the counterfeit parts industry is booming? And not only is it thriving, counterfeiters are getting so good that some fake parts are hard to identify even by the experts themselves?
If you have gotten your Mercedes brakes changed or fixed anywhere other than the dealership itself, you may be driving around with fake ones that make braking distance up to 15 meters longer. That distance can be the difference between wrecking your car, or even worse, costing a life.
Experts are out in the field as you read this, trying to find faulty brake pads, shady parts dealers, and online sites that boast too-good-to-be-true prices and reviews. And even then, counterfeits are only obvious after exhaustive tests done by in-house teams.
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Whether you’re working with a professional or doing your Mercedes brakes yourself, we’re here to help you navigate the world of fake so that you can continue driving in safety and style.
Mercedes Brakes: Fake vs. Real
Unfortunately for us everyday civilians, this counterfeit culture is hard to identify. Even experts cannot look at a set of brakes – one real and one fabricated – and tell the difference between them. Counterfeiters are getting increasingly detailed with mimicking design and make.
Are you curious as to why these fakes are so bad for your car? I mean, what’s wrong with saving a little money, right? If they’re so similar, then they should perform the same.
Definitely not. Read on to see how they harm.
Why Fakes Are a No-No
The risk of driving with fakes is very high. When you bought your vehicle, you were guaranteed a high quality of safety. Purchasing fake Mercedes brakes, unknowingly or not, comes with a laundry list of possible defects:
- Braking effects significantly decreased
- Brake lining is worn down much quicker than the real brakes (especially for braking while going downhill, during long descents, or at higher speeds)
- Longer brake distances (don’t believe us? Watch the video)
These fakes are sometimes not even called out until extensive performance tests have been completed on them. This means that even the trained eye has problems spotting the difference. That’s why at least 70 different rigorous applications are performed on each vehicle.
The true test of quality occurs in the field by experts, not on the road by civilians.
Even if these fakes work for a few weeks (and they’re meant to, to avoid suspicion by the driver), they’re bound to come undone a lot faster than their superior competitors.
It’s unfortunate that safety measures are being compromised for the sake of money. If you don’t think your life deserves a cheap price-tag, then you’ll have to invest in the genuine stuff.
Why Genuine is Necessary
Mercedes brakes are purposely made with attention and coordination by engineers that care about the product. In fact, their brake pads work perfectly as a pair with their in-house brake discs. If you get fakes, you’re just not completing the puzzle!
The optimum pairing of these two things has many benefits:
- High braking power
- Short stopping distances
- Low wear and tear
- No unwanted brake noises (which, if you’re not an aficionado, could be confused with noise from another part of your vehicle. Time to pull out that manual!)
The connection of the pads and discs causes the optimum friction in your car’s stopping power. High-quality material and craftsmanship guarantee that no deformation will occur in your brakes or discs.
Not only were these parts perfectly made for each other, they were perfectly made for your vehicle. Why choose anything different?
Accident-free driving is what we all want. You won’t get that with a knock-off.
Supporting an Illegal Business
Just think of it like this: supporting an honest business versus an illegal one. If you’re forking over hard-earned money to scammers, they know they can get away with it, and the cycle is sure to continue.
Unfortunately, if you think you got scammed out of a brakes repair, you may have. And sadly, as we’ve told you, it’s hard to know for sure. The best way to determine this is to bring your vehicle into the dealership for a real inspection.
Mercedes Benz has made a special brand protection team just for the discovering and seizing of faulty, fake parts. And the counterfeiters are onto them. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to find these underground scammers – they stay out of the public eye and are getting more sophisticated by the day.
Plus, Mercedes Benz is subject to liability, financial and otherwise. If you drive away from the Mercedes dealership with a bad part, there’s potential to sue. Because of this, engineers churn out the best quality they can manage.
These illegal business just aren’t subject to the same scrutiny. There are ways to avoid legal ramifications – after all, you supported it. You bought the part, and it worked for a couple months. They can claim anything from average wear-and-tear to even blaming you for aggressive driving.
The only option for avoiding the fakes is to drive your vehicle right into the Mercedes dealership, where you can be assured that not only are your parts real, they’re installed with the utmost precision.
Don’t Brake for Fakes
We hope by now you see that skimping on your Mercedes brakes just isn’t worth the risk. Shady dealers don’t deserve your money, and you deserve the quality you paid for when purchasing a Mercedes Benz.
Unfortunately, the threat of fakes is all too real. Many shops might sell you fake parts knowing that they’re fake. Others might sell them not knowing because they were also duped into buying them.
Fakes aren’t safe. With increased braking distances, worn linings, and overall decreased safety, you might not get to drive your car at all once you slam into the one in front of you!
This means your safest bet is going back to the dealership. There you can be assured that each fake has undergone rigorous performance testing, and you’re only getting what’s real.
