Right, with roughly 1000km on the brakes now, they are close to run-in and I have starting using them harder. I am a stickler for proper running in of any mechanical device.
Cold Performance
Plenty of initial response. The rumours of bad cold performance all over the internet is either outdated or related to other brands. ATE Ceramic are ready when cold.
Dust
A thousand kilometers, including brand new discs and there has been almost no discernable dust. Either not much is being produced or it is simply not sticking.
Wet Weather
The discs with holes proved themselves today. Wet motorway and the brakes are ready at the first press of the middle pedal. I am very happy with that, since it was the driving force behind this modification.
Feel
I was hoping that the theory of ceramic pads being harder and less compressible would translate to a more solid feel in the brake pedal. It does!
The pedal moves to take up the natural slack in the system and then gets significantly more firm than with regular pads. This is not the level of a fully metallic pad, braided hoses and reinforced mount master cylinder...but a welcome firmness that gives me confidence and also allows for good modulation. For those, like me, with 3 pedals it also serves as a better fulcrum for heel-toe downshifts.
So quite good impressions so far. I have yet to properly bed the pads into the discs and take it for a more spirited drive on a winding road. I expect that under sensible road use there won't be any problems.
It is important to keep in mind that this a street car and ATE are quite clear about their ceramic pads being designed for "comfort".