Brake pad difference?
 

Hey all,

I need to do my brakepads soon. I managed to get a price for brakes from a mom and pop parts store that supplied parts for my boss' svx. He quoted me 21.99 for the front pads and 17.99 for the rear set. I have no idea what brand it is.

My other friend who works for a garage quoted me 32.99 for the front and 38.99 for the rear. They are semi-metallic and he told me they are one of the best without going the ceramic brakepad route.

I'm trying to save money so I can get my bearings and housing done, but I will later on upgrade the rotors and brakepads in the summer. Right now every dollar counts for me, should I just get the cheapest ones to hold off until I upgrade the brakes in the summer?

Go for the cheap ones, and get good ones (Axxis Metalmasters or Ultimates) when you get the upgraded rotors.

-mike

I guess I'll throw in my 2c. Two months ago, I installed Axxis Deluxe Plus (organic) pads and had the rotors turned. I was astounded at the difference in braking performance. So far, the brakes are still working beautifully, and there are no signs of warping of the rotors. I prefer organic pads because they are less noisy, do not wear out the rotor as quickly, and do not create as much dust. If you look at the Axxis website, the Deluxe Plus pad has nearly as good of performance characteristics as the semi-metallic and metallic pads.

http://www.axxisbrakes.com/technical.htm

I recommend researching the usefulness of drilled/slotted rotors before purchasing them. There are varied reports on their purpose. Some claim that they help to reduce rotor temperatures, presumably through improved ventilation. However, most of what I've read says that drilling/slotting do nothing to reduce rotor temperatures or improve braking when using modern brake pads and dry rotors. If you want to go one step beyond turning your current rotors, I'd suggest getting some nice OEM rotors from Brembo and having them cadmium plated and then cryo-treated and stress-relieved.

I've had the metalmasters on for 13K miles, never make noise ever, and almost no dust at all. The rotors haven't warped or excessively worn.

As for the usefulness, depending on your application, the metalmasters may help. I know they have been better on the track than the organic ones would be.

-mike

Auto parts stores typically have a few different grades of brake pads available for any given car. Inevitably, there's a set for $19.99. I never buy those because they don't seem to last very long. My guess is that you buy the $20 set when you want to sell the car. :D For a few bucks more, you can usually get a set that'll last longer and have some unrealistic warranty that you'll never call them on.