Ceramic or Semi-Metallic? Which to choose?

[dud]

I am planning to replace the front brake pads on my 04 Frontier and 07 Civic this weekend. I usually replace OEM pads with semi-metallic ones but a recent search at my local auto parts store shows that the price difference between metallic and ceramic pads is negligible.

Hoping for recommendations as to which direction to go on brake pads. I've always used semi-metallic but the industry seems to be heading in the direction of ceramic. BTW, we do not race nor pull a trailer.


Thanks for your advice ...

 

[jtvang125]

When I went from oem semi-metallic to ceramic on my bmw I immediately noticed the loss of the strong initial bite. I don't think this decreased stopping distance anymore than the linear feel of the ceramics but it does give you more confidence in your braking. I believe ceramics are less prone to fading at repeated hard braking.

 

[JCH13]

It's not the technology that you should be worried about, but the execution. I'm sure that there are great semi-metallic pads and ceramic pads. I'm also sure there are terribly semi-metallic pads and terrible ceramic pads. Check out reviews and ratings on the specific pads you are considering.

My fiance loves the Porterfield R4S pads I installed on her 2009 Civic.

 

[Jimzz]

Ceramic is fine for street cars and normal driving. Less dust and noise but a little less performance.

A GOOD semi-metallic is good for towing and performance driving. Good high temp performance but more dust and noise on average.

I put metallic on my truck and my 73 Chevy, my wifes cars I put ceramic.
Wagner thermoquiet brake pads have a rebate right now. Check rockauto.com and amazon.

In your case a ceramic would make sense and should work great.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

Napa ultra premium or OEM is all I use on the street anymore.

I've tried so many different pads over the years... EBC, ferrodo, hawk, track versions street versions, all the way down to autozone 'lifetime' and the dual compound at advance (inboard pad is semi-met and outboard is ceramic)...

To me, on the street, every pad had some downside except napa ultra premium.

I use them for everything from the brembos on my cts-v to the ancient brakes on my ranger.

They don't squeak, they don't fade up in the mountains, they don't have a ton of dust. They just work.

Unless you're doing trackdays, go with napa ultra premium.


Please do not buy the shitty 'lifetime brakes' from advance or autozone. They're garbage. Including the rotors.

 

[Jimzz]

Napa ultra premium or OEM is all I use on the street anymore.

I've tried so many different pads over the years... EBC, ferrodo, hawk, track versions street versions, all the way down to autozone 'lifetime' and the dual compound at advance (inboard pad is semi-met and outboard is ceramic)...

To me, on the street, every pad had some downside except napa ultra premium.

I use them for everything from the brembos on my cts-v to the ancient brakes on my ranger.

They don't squeak, they don't fade up in the mountains, they don't have a ton of dust. They just work.

Unless you're doing trackdays, go with napa ultra premium.


Please do not buy the shitty 'lifetime brakes' from advance or autozone. They're garbage. Including the rotors.

What are those?


More BS and proof that no one should listen to anything SpatiallyAware says.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

What are those?


More BS and proof that no one should listen to anything SpatiallyAware says.

Go troll in P&N, ATG is not the place for it.


I think they're called adaptive one. I've used them on a small nissan and tried them on my bmw.

 

[Jimzz]

Go troll in P&N, ATG is not the place for it.


I think they're called adaptive one. I've used them on a small nissan and tried them on my bmw.

adaptive one is sold at napa, not advance.

Again stop posting in Garage, you know nothing of cars.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

My point still stands. The hybrid pads are junk.

Stop dragging your trash drama in ATG. If you disagree, say something in a reasonable fashion.

 

[Jimzz]

My point still stands. The hybrid pads are junk.

Stop dragging your trash drama in ATG. If you disagree, say something in a reasonable fashion.

You try and bad mouth brakes, you've done it before, yet then say how napa is great yet take a guess what, the same pads made for napa are in your list of junk pads.
Do you even know who makes those great napa pads? Or who makes those awful ones?


Again stop posting in garage, you know nothing of cars and post like a stupid teenager fanboy.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

 

[Jimzz]

So you don't even know who makes those great pads or the awful ones do you. :whiste:

 

[SpatiallyAware]

So you don't even know who makes those great pads or the awful ones do you. :whiste:

At the risk of taking your trollbait......... I am fully aware that only a couple of manufacturers make all of these mainstream pads for the retail market.

Which is why it doesn't matter napa/advance, the hybrid pads in my experience are junk.

It's also why I trust napa ultra premium, they are consistently excellent pads and rotors.

What's your issue here? Maybe it would make more sense for you to make a thread about your love affair with me rather than following me around like a lapdog trying to derail any thread I post in.

 

[Jimzz]

At the risk of taking your trollbait......... I am fully aware that only a couple of manufacturers make all of these mainstream pads for the retail market.

Which is why it doesn't matter napa/advance, the hybrid pads in my experience are junk.

It's also why I trust napa ultra premium, they are consistently excellent pads and rotors.

What's your issue here? Maybe it would make more sense for you to make a thread about your love affair with me rather than following me around like a lapdog trying to derail any thread I post in.

So in other words you "trust" something yet have no idea of its makers or design other than the name? Yet the same type pads with another name is bad?
Also you do know Napa updated their brake formulas in 2013. So are you a fan of the old ones or the new ones? Or let me guess you did not know that did you?

Again stop giving advice on things you have no real knowledge of.

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I am truly a little creeped out at your infatuation with me...

Yes, I absolutely do trust a brand. Unfortunately you can't get a list of the exact mix of materials in every pad ever made. So you pretty much have to trust a brand when you buy pads.

I trust the napa ultra premium (the best parts store's best pad/rotor) even if they changed the formula. I've personally bought at least 20 sets of ultra premium brakes, and have close friends who use them as well.

I also spend enough time reading about problems with autozone/advance cheap brakes and have yet to see a legitimate complaint against napa ultra premium.

 

[Jimzz]

I am truly a little creeped out at your infatuation with me...

Yes, I absolutely do trust a brand. Unfortunately you can't get a list of the exact mix of materials in every pad ever made. So you pretty much have to trust a brand when you buy pads.

I trust the napa ultra premium (the best parts store's best pad/rotor) even if they changed the formula. I've personally bought at least 20 sets of ultra premium brakes, and have close friends who use them as well.

I also spend enough time reading about problems with autozone/advance cheap brakes and have yet to see a legitimate complaint against napa ultra premium.

So again you know nothing of the pads you use other than name and being that name has been put on several different makers yet you think they were all the same before I told you.

I don't need to look at reviews, I look at the formulas and also have installed thousands of pads so I see them first hand from real experience.

So just stop posting in garage since at best your knowledge is nothing more than fan boy based.

 

[Zenmervolt]

I am truly a little creeped out at your infatuation with me...

Yes, I absolutely do trust a brand. Unfortunately you can't get a list of the exact mix of materials in every pad ever made. So you pretty much have to trust a brand when you buy pads.

I trust the napa ultra premium (the best parts store's best pad/rotor) even if they changed the formula. I've personally bought at least 20 sets of ultra premium brakes, and have close friends who use them as well.

I also spend enough time reading about problems with autozone/advance cheap brakes and have yet to see a legitimate complaint against napa ultra premium.

So again you know nothing of the pads you use other than name and being that name has been put on several different makers yet you think they were all the same before I told you.

I don't need to look at reviews, I look at the formulas and also have installed thousands of pads so I see them first hand from real experience.

So just stop posting in garage since at best your knowledge is nothing more than fan boy based.

BOTH of you, STOP. You've taken what could have been a useful thread and hijacked it. You've both long since stopped being helpful to the OP. The next post from either of you continuing this line will get an infraction.

Zenmervolt - AnandTech Moderator

 

[Howard]

I went with ceramics because they tend to dust much less, and I have decent wheels so it's saved me many hand washes to keep them looking clean. The ceramics do have less bite, though.

Whatever it is that you pick, in general, a pad with better performance will dust more.

 

[dud]

Thanks to all that responded to my query. I've decided to go ceramic for the front pads on the wifes car and (prob) semi-metallic for the truck.

 

[bruceb]

I haven't really tried ceramic pads, but they may have been on a rental a few years ago. I personally use Performance Friction Carbon Metallic Pads on my 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix .. fronts and rears .. they have a moderately long life, very good performance and very little brake dust. Not too expensive either.

 

[Slickone]

I always just buy whatever Rockauto has on clearance. I put Bendix Import Quiet semi-metallic on my Civic in 2009 ($25.76 shipped) and they work well.