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What are everyone’s thoughts/experiences on using OEM brake pads vs. aftermarket brake pads? There are two schools of thought: 1. You should always use OEM if you can 2. OEM pads are not that good, and you can buy better performing aftermarket pads. If you search the web and read forums, you can find support for both arguments. This just gets you even more confused.
Personally, I can only speak on experiences from my 2003 Honda Accord. The past 40K miles I have been using “Green Stuff” pads from EBC. While these have provided me with reasonable braking performance, I’ve never been super impressed with these pads.
It’s time to service my brakes again, and I’m on the fence about going back to Honda OEM or trying another aftermarket pad….probably a ceramic pad this time. Any comments or suggestions are appreciated. Thanks.
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I think that it depends on the demands of your braking habits. I’ve been building higher performance vehicles for time attack and hpde clients and oem pads would never make the cut. Those cars demand a quality braking system that can handle heat and resist fade. If you’re heavy on the brakes the same characteristic may benefit you. I’ve recently been updating our personal fleet of cars that are daily drivers with centric pads and rotors and we have had good luck with them. we use the posi-quiets on the cars and the stoptechs on the trucks because they are pulling trailers often. I’ve even had clients request stoptechs for their weekend warrior type cars. I just put them on paired with their ecoated rotors on a G35 with the Brembo system with great results. This is just my opinion though. If I remember right the EBC Green Stuff pads were more marketed for the lest dust kinda of customer rather than the performance braking customer. If you are looking around at different names, Akebono makes a lot of higher performance pads as well as braking systems used on OEM high performance cars. They replaced Brembo on the 370Z for instance.
OEM isn’t always better when it comes too brakes in my opinion, i like Raybestos brake parts including brake pads.
Seems like I was on the right track with my research. I was looking at Centric, StopTech, and Akebono. After reading a lot of posts on Honda and Acura forums, I pulled the trigger, and went with Centric premium rotors, and Akebono ProAct ceramic pads.
Here is some food for thought OEM like the Space Shuttle is built by the lowest bidder. Car manufacturers always go with cheaper when they can (Current GM issues).
Nine out of ten times I prefer to use OEM branded stuff, or at least the manufacture that makes the parts that are ultimately stamped for OEM use. Partly fitment issue, partly anal retentive.
When it comes to brakes I differ. There is no such thing as brakes that fit under “good enough” in my opinion. Espessialy these days where costs to the manufacture are a big consideration I stay away from OEM brake pads.
For rotors I’ll use anything that comes from a reputable company. Unless you drive a race car or deal with a lot of brake heat from say mountain driving having cross drilled or grooved rotors will have no effect.
Having a high quality pad is a good thing. Avoid “race” pads however. Most of them are designed for maximum friction and tend to wear out quick. They also make more noise and don’ t have much power un til hot. I got onto using PBR metal masters pads several years ago. I think they’re an Australian brand. Quick break in, great stopping power hot or cold and they last as long as an OEM would.
I use those pads in my car. In the front at least, the rears are drums. I spend a lot of time on mountain roads and now on year 4 they look to have at least 2 years left in them.
If they make a pad to fit your car I highly recommend them.
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