Ive got a 03Grand Prix GT l36 and from what the walmart guy told me, my rear pads have dug a hole in the rotors and Ill need to replace both the pads & the rotors... I havent actually looked at them yet but Its about time for them to go.

so first, wtf happends to the sqealer? Arent you supposed to hear that crap before your pads dig holes in your rotors?

And second, is it worth it to go get the OEM parts over Autozone etc...

 

It really depends what pads you are looking at @ Autozone. They usually will have maybe ONE or two sets that are better or at least equivalent to OEM. If you are not sure I would stick with OEM. Preferably go with a NAPA Ceramix for an aftermarket pad that is pretty friggin good.

Not all cars have squeelers, some only have them on the front/back etc...

 

Thx for the info, if it doesnt light up I don't know anything about it so I'll stick with OEM. I might look into the ceramix if I can find a napa in zephyrhills.

btw I think its fukd up not havin squeelers on the rears if there arent any - GM engineers are definitely good smoking buddies but leave the car designing to the azn peeps. (o shit i feel flames already?!?!)

 

That or you can hold yourself responsible for never checking the pads yourself?

 

Thats the thing - they look fine to me, theres like half an inch pad on either side? what am i supposed to look for?

 

thats alot of pad life left! Squealers wouldnt have worked anyway with .5 inches left. Only whn the pad is low will the make noise.

 

I rotate my tires every time I go grocery shopping (walmart does it for free) And according to the tire changing guy the pads wore a dip in the rotor... I wish I knew more about brakes.

I can look at my brakes through the rims all day, but I just think they are shiny and kinda cool looking.

 

cheap pads have more carbon in them.. carbon is like a filler, so basicly cheap pads dont stop as well, dont last as long, and produce a lot of brake dust. honestly i say buy the best ones because if it stops 5 feet better, it could save you from hitting someone and to me 20 extra dollars is well worth knowing that i stopped as good as i could. now heres how it works. the pads squeeze the rotors and thats what makes it stop.. kinda like brakes ona bike. the rotors should be smooth and shiney.. if the surface is not smooth technicly you end up with more surface area and your brakes stop better, but most people think its absolutly horrid and you have to turn them / replace them. I would only turn them if its badddd scoring, or you are getting vibration when you stop. ps ceramic pads are made out of a better material, and stop even better especially when heated up, they dont fade (mush pedal) but the price you pay is that it eats your rotors faster meaning you will have to probably replace rotors due to the thickness after probably 4 sets of pads. but you get premium stopping and almost no dust..