Brakes and rotors for daily driver

[spedster]

I'm about to purchase brakes and rotors (front and rear) for my 2010 ms3. I'm pretty much settled on centric premium rotors. Should I be getting the high carbon version?

For brake pads I'm not too sure. Pads I've seen talked about the most are:

EBC yellow, reds
Hawk HPS
Stoptech performance
ATE pads

The Hawk HPS seem to have the most complaints, the stoptech performance pads have a "not for daily driving" warning on knsbrakes, and the ATE pads, though many people seem to really like them in the thread back from 2011 I can't seem to find them anywhere.

I'm not really sure what preference I have aside from wanting them to be quiet and I guess minimal dust would be a bonus. I see discussion about "initial bite" and "linear feel" but I've only ever just driven on OEM pads and never had a problem with them. Again this is just a daily driver.

I guess I'm currently leaning towards EBC red, which I understand is more of the daily driver pad vs yellow which is more of a track pad, but was hoping for some more opinions before I go for it.

[ChaunceyM]

I used the EBC yellow as a daily driver and track pad and was happy with them. Better initial bite than the HPS pads. I did have a quality problem with them (fused to the rotors after sitting outside for about 2-3 weeks) and wouldn't go back to EBC. Maybe it was a fluke, but they lost me because of it.

If you want minimal dust, go with a ceramic pad like the EBC red. You won't have the same stopping power, but no dust. Greater stopping power = more dust and noise.
Is there a reason you're not just going back to OEM pads?

[spedster]

Originally Posted by ChaunceyM Is there a reason you're not just going back to OEM pads?

I guess price is the only thing. Best I'm finding is about $175 for fronts and $75 for rears.

[shamie]

For my daily and track use I run the Centric High carbon or slotted (Stop Tech). The Centric Premium (non high carbon) are probably be fine for a daily and save you ~ $15 a pair. I run the Stop Tech Sport (309) series and have no noise issues. They don't have the initial bite of OEM but have a very progressive response. I've never tried the Stop Tech Street pads but would probably try them if I didn't track the hell out of my MS3.

Check out Rockauto for some good prices. As far as Hawk or EBC pads, my only real data point is many racers at my track use Hawk but none use EBC.

If you were VIP there are some OEM pads/rotors in the for sale section - but they are still pricier than RockAuto.

[ChaunceyM]

Ooof. I guess I forgot how much Mazda over-charges for those.
If you're just daily and not doing any autox or track, go with either the redstuffs or the street pads from Hawk or StopTech. I personally don't like the decreased bite of ceramic pads in any car, but that's a preference thing.
I think it was mentioned in your maintenance thread, but KNS has complete kits for ~$260. Just grab that and have a peaceful afternoon of brake work.

If you have a buddy you should also think about flushing the brake fluid while you already have the wheels and rotors off.

[Mr. Felt]

I recently replaced my front and rear pads and front rotors on my 10 MS3. I went with Centric high carbon rotors and Centric posi-quiet pads. No squealing, excellent stopping power and a firm brake pedal. 3 things that I want in my brakes.

[MaxSpeed13]

Originally Posted by Mr. Felt I recently replaced my front and rear pads and front rotors on my 10 MS3. I went with Centric high carbon rotors and Centric posi-quiet pads. No squealing, excellent stopping power and a firm brake pedal. 3 things that I want in my brakes.

Very good, what did you end up paying for that set? IIRC Centric + Stop Tech + Power Stop are all the same company now.

[Mr. Felt]

$235.00 with free shipping.

[shamie]

RockAuto has that setup for $169 + shipping (~$20-$25).

I paid $398 shipped for ST slotted rotors and Sport pads all 4 corners. I haven't found many places that beat RA's prices.

Also the last few times I've ordered ST pads they came with the metal clips and slide pin guides & caps.

[HardHitter]

Just broke 30k miles on my 2012 Mazdaspeed. Use it as a daily driver and don't need anything crazy. Best recommendation to go with at the moment?

[spedster]

Originally Posted by HardHitter Just broke 30k miles on my 2012 Mazdaspeed. Use it as a daily driver and don't need anything crazy. Best recommendation to go with at the moment?

I went with the non carbon centrics and the green stuff brake pads. No probems so far. With the green stuff I never felt a hard bite from them but I don't really care about that. No complaints so far after about 4k miles.

[anavrinIV]

Originally Posted by spedster I went with the non carbon centrics and the green stuff brake pads. No probems so far. With the green stuff I never felt a hard bite from them but I don't really care about that. No complaints so far after about 4k miles.

NVM I didn't read through

OP - I use centric blanks (premiums, not c-tek, high carbon fronts) and currently run Hawk HPS 5.0 pads. Love this setup. Initial bite is not as strong as OEM but they are more linear throughout the travel range. I had stoptech street performance pads before this and they were also good, closer to OEM feel and rather dirty for street pads but even on multiple dragon trips I never got any fade. No issues in the cold for either pads.

A note on my setup - I also run ATE fluid and Stoptech stainless lines. My braking performance is fantastic for the street, obviously not a track oriented setup.

[Solarsurge]

I run Stoptech rotors and pads. I love them, and they are extremely reliable, but as anavrinIV mentioned, they are EXTREMELY dirty pads and the brake dust is literally shit brown and gets all over everything. It's a small price to pay for brakes at 120+ mph, tho.

[Bingo]

Originally Posted by Solarsurge I run Stoptech rotors and pads. I love them, and they are extremely reliable, but as anavrinIV mentioned, they are EXTREMELY dirty pads and the brake dust is literally shit brown and gets all over everything. It's a small price to pay for brakes at 120+ mph, tho.

I run stoptech (sport?) pads on centric blanks and they hardly dust at all at least compared to whatever was on it when I bought it.

[MSMS3]

Hawk HPS pads have served me very well on my Gen 1 MS3. The "complaints" are probably that they do not have the initial "bite" like the OEM pads. They don't, and that is good.

I want linear braking force, directly proportional to the amount of force applied to the pedal. They give you that instead of being all out there on the first inch of pedal movement. Also, they don't create dust the way OEM and some other pads do.

They bring the car down from triple digit speed much better than OEM. Fade resistance is more a product of other aspects of the system than pads. I don't track the car, so I'm not concerned about making other modifications to the car such as different rotors, brake lines or special fluids.

For a daily driver that does get some "spirited" driving at higher speeds, the Hawk HPS pads, front and rear, have served me very well. The key, as with all pads, is to break them in properly to begin with.

[Boostlee21]

Does anyone know if the brake pads and rotors on a Gen1 are the same as on a Gen2, so when i go to order pads and rotors should it truly matter what year seeing as how they are or are not the same.

[Carskick]

Originally Posted by Boostlee21 Does anyone know if the brake pads and rotors on a Gen1 are the same as on a Gen2, so when i go to order pads and rotors should it truly matter what year seeing as how they are or are not the same.

Pad and Rotor sizes are the same.

I have had my EBC Reds & Stoptech Slotted all around for over 20k miles now as a DD setup. Love them. Very linear and predictable. Still have plenty of life, too.