It is a little tough to say without being in front what your trying to do personally I would have tried a Carbide or Cobalt Drill first then remove the remaining material with the appropriate endmill. You can always drill faster than you can plunge with an endmill.
In your case your working with automotive parts which means they are heat treated and hardened. To what specs, I have no clue, but a smaller drill to remove the center for the endmill would seem a logical route rather than plunging with just an endmill.
Use a rich cutting oil as well, not coolant.
Toby D.
"Imagination and Memory are but one thing, but for divers considerations have divers names"
Schwarzwald
(Note: The opinions expressed in this post are my own and are not necessarily those of CNCzone and its management)
www.refractotech.com