Brake Pads - Ceramic or not?

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Bozz

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Getting ready to replace brake pads on my LS (V8) and the auto parts store gave me options:

1. Cheap
2. OEM
3. Ceramic

I chose the ceramic, they were about the same price (maybe a few $ more) than the OEM, but he promised less brake dust, better heat dissipation, etc.

Did I do the right thing?

Bozz

P.S. -- YES, I will put on new rotors when doing this if needed
 
I bought the ceramic pads at Autozone. They seem to work fine so far.
 
some peoples brain are all marshmellow.

I installed ceramic on an 95Impala that had brake noise previous and the noise did was still there with the new pads.Even with silicone.But they do say less dust and less wear.- Maybe it worth the extra there
 
ceramic is not bad - but the newer pabs use better friction material like carbon kevlar.
 
Frogman said:
Get brake pads made out of marshmallows. Good stuff. Literally. :lol:

For a few extra bucks, ceramic pads aren't a bad way to go.
Click to expand...

burnt marshmallows = carbon....I must have my thinking cap on tonight.
 
I can still take them back and get OEM style pads, none of this was based on price as I spent $108 on pads for all the way around.

Seems the general consensus is that I made the right choice?

Bozz
 
I went ceramic a few months ago. The dust from the OEM's practically ruined the chrome rims when weather prevented me from regular cleaning. The ceramic replacements produce almost no residue and I can't notice any increase in noise.
 
Ric said:
I went ceramic a few months ago. The dust from the OEM's practically ruined the chrome rims when weather prevented me from regular cleaning. The ceramic replacements produce almost no residue and I can't notice any increase in noise.
Click to expand...

Same here except absolutely NO noise. My wife's '06 is starting to squeal with the factory pads and this Saturday I plan on replacing them with the Satisfied Pro-Ceramic like I have on my LS. I plan on painting the calipers so I might as well put on a dustless pad.
 
I have ceramic pads on my pick-up,(for 3 years now), and I wouldnt use anything else. So, when I got the LS, I imediately changed the pads out to the ceramic. I think they stop better, and they have been easier on my truck rotors...less heat, and no metalic dust, that seams to corrode other metals fast. Hope you stay with the ceramics...one thing, they seam to have a very brief break in period, of only several hard stops, until then, they dont seam as good, but after, they feel better than OE pads.
 
I'll stick with the ceramic pads, now that I have some really positive feedback to my question... I just wasn't sure if I had made the right decision, listening to the guy at Advanced Auto.

Thanks to all that responded, I'll post back here when I get them put on.

Bozz
 
When I bought my LS a couple of years ago, the brakes squealed. I went to CarX and had ceramic pads put on. The brakes continued to squeal and the next time it went to the dealer for repairs, I asked them to look at the brakes. They replaced the ceramic pad with OEM (lifetime warrenty), after a few days the squeal came back. Right now the car is back in the shop (check engine light was on), They said the calipers may be stuck on the rear brakes and that is why their squealing)

BTW: they said my intake gaskets are leaking causing oil to enter the engine...., thank goodness I purchased the extended warranty. I also had a few other things done. (Drivers door handle broken inside, sunroof doesn't close properly)

Hope the other things are covered.
 
I got my brake pads replaced a couple of months ago at the dealership (OEM) and have had 0 problems with brake dust. I'm kind of hard on the brakes, too. I stop at the red light or the stop sign, not half a mile before it like most people do - I don't ride the brakes.

Before the OEM pads, I bought pads at Autozone that the employee there said there would be less brake dust than OEM and the brake dust was horrible. It would turn my chrome into a brownish color in less than a week.
 
I bought the Morse all Ceramics at Auto Zone

Can go almost 2 weeks with no dust, and i drive 80miles on highway a day.

lil bit of noise on final stopping,, but I believe thats more from my rotors need to be changed than from the pads.
 
I purchased a set of Hawk HPS (not sure if ceramic or not) & after about 2K miles, I want to rip them off and throw them away. They are more noisy than my OEM ones.
 
OMG... I'm glad someone is talking about brakes!! I have the worst problem when I get in the car and drive and stop there is no problem. About 5 miles down the road I stop and my car sounds like a school bus. I have sent it to the dealer and they said the brakes were fine. SUPPOSEDLY they didnt hear anything. Now I am riding around in my LS looking like a BOSS and sqeakin like a mouse! Should I get new pads? I have scrubbed my wheels inside and out and even sprayed "brake dust eater stuff" on the brakes and rotors. This is a MESS!
 
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