Brake pads OEM Volvo or OEM Mercedes

I’ve got a ‘21 XC60 T5 Inscription now with about 33k miles and absolutely love it. I’ve had a couple problems with the front, passenger side interior handle but they’ve been covered under the CPO ten year warranty. Wish it had full screen and wireless CarPlay but there are ways around it and replace the OEM brakes with better ones when it’s time as the Volvo ones suck as they wear quickly and unevenly. VERY happy with it.

I do change oil and brake pads by myself for my xc60 and xc90.

Mercedes-Benz E55 AMG. Nothing particularly bad but having a German for it's age, essentially a supercar, and close to 200,000km when I sold it, quite a few bits and pieces needed replacing. Mechanically the best car I ever owned though. Just hoses, sensors, bushes, brake disc's and pads that kind of thing.

For my 2016 V60 I only spend about $500. Also depending on your rotors and pads, there's no need to do both front and rear together.

I replaced the front pads myself after 25,000 miles (was 2 years ago), it cost me under $200, including all the necessary tools and original Volvo pads.

Since we know Volvo has undersized the brake pistons for their SPA vehicles, leading to issues with pulsation. Instead of upsizing the brakes, they have released several pad revisions, have the latest pads slowed the occurance of brake pulsations?

If you skipped maintenance on an E-Class it would be the exact same story. Bushungs, stabilization links, brake pads, rotors, etc.

2021 Volvo xc40, $900 for front brake pads, rotors, cleaning and labor.

We had an W211 and it was awesome, except of course for the whole brake recall fiasco. Thankfully Mercedes eventually sorted that.

I have a 2019 XC40 and kept having brake issues - they ended up replacing the pads and rotors… at less than 15k miles. I continue to have issues (now it’s nothing serious, just a very loud obnoxious squeal)