ATE

ATE is the brake brand of Continental, the German automotive group, and it supplies original-equipment braking components to European vehicle manufacturers. That background matters when you are replacing brakes on a Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi, Volkswagen or Porsche: the pads and brake discs (rotors) in an ATE box are designed to match the pedal feel, noise level and wear behaviour of the factory brakes rather than something approximate.

We stock ATE brake pads in the standard compound and the low-dust ATE Ceramic compound, ATE rotors sold as pairs, three brake fluids (SL.6, TYP 200 and SUPER DOT 5.1), Plastilube brake lubricant and brake pad wear sensors, so a complete front or rear brake job can come from a single brand. Use the vehicle selector on any category page to see only the ATE parts with TecDoc-confirmed fitment for your Australian-market car. Brakes are safety-critical, so have the work done or checked by a qualified mechanic if you are not confident doing it yourself.

Is ATE a good brake brand?

ATE is Continental's brake brand and an original-equipment supplier to European vehicle manufacturers, so its aftermarket pads, brake discs (rotors) and fluids come from the same engineering background as factory-fitted brakes. For a Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Audi or Volkswagen that is driven daily, ATE is a sound OE-quality choice. Brakes are safety-critical, so have the parts fitted or checked by a qualified mechanic if you are not confident doing the work yourself.

Are ATE brake pads good for everyday driving?

Yes. ATE's standard pads are made to behave like the brakes the car left the factory with: predictable pedal feel, low noise and even wear, which is what most owners want from a daily driver. They are a straightforward like-for-like replacement when the old set wears out. Fit a new wear sensor at the same time where your car uses one, and bed the pads in gently over the first few hundred kilometres.

What is the difference between ATE Ceramic and standard ATE brake pads?

ATE Ceramic pads use a ceramic-based friction material that produces noticeably less of the black dust that coats alloy wheels and tends to run quieter than a conventional compound. Standard ATE pads use the conventional OE-style material. Neither is better in the abstract: the right choice depends on the car, how it is driven and what you are willing to trade off, which our ATE Ceramic guide covers in detail.

Which ATE brake fluid should I use: SL.6, TYP 200 or SUPER DOT 5.1?

Start with the owner's manual, which states the DOT grade your braking system requires. ATE SL.6 and TYP 200 are both DOT 4 fluids and SUPER DOT 5.1 is a DOT 5.1 fluid; each product page describes what the fluid is intended for. Only use a grade the manufacturer approves for your car, never mix fluid types, and have the system bled properly afterwards by someone who knows the procedure.

Do I need a new brake pad wear sensor when I fit ATE pads?

If your car uses an electronic wear sensor, yes. The sensor is a small contact clipped to the pad that wears through as the friction material thins, breaking a circuit and triggering the dashboard warning. Once it has triggered it cannot be reused, and fitting a new one with every set of pads is standard practice. We stock ATE wear sensors alongside the pads; use the vehicle selector to find the one for your car.