Are cheap brake pads worth it (valuecraft, Duralast etc....). They come with Lifetime Warranties? (see below)

Question

Essentialy I replaced the front and rear pads on My saturn. Since my car is pretty old I got the cheapest pads that I could buy. They were selling Valuecraft pads from Autozone for 12.99 for fronts and 12.99 for backs. They are very cheap, they seem pretty good I put them on and they work fine and they even have a Lifetime warranty when they wear out as long as the metal part is still good I can get them replaced. Has anybody had any experience with using these type of brakes v.s. the higher models. Is there any difference.

Answer 1

Step one...reread that lifetime warranty from the zone...if it's not on the receipt,call the zone and they will set you straight... They will replace it free with receipt the first time.. second time is 90 days from warranty date (when you return the pads for new ones).. autozone got wise to people screwing them over by wearing out parts real quick.... and that's for everything.. not just brakes etc.


The cheap pads, actually have depending upon who makes them either too much metal or too much organic material sometimes...

To most people who don't care, they are a good cheap set of pads and will put up with the noise and don't mind some fading if their is too much organic content.. Personally I like them as a cheap way to sale used cars needing brakes

But I had bad luck with zone shoes personally fading quick and causing the brake pedal to go to the floor due to the material fading..adjusting brakes and all could not solve it (and I know what I'm doing..I'm a professional mechanic).. wound up putting Napa shoes to solve the problem

Personally, I use installer grade brakes that are a little higher and sometimes have high metallic content (mainly on trucks) but I have no fade and are comparable with the factory pads.. hell I bought some installer grade pads for the same price you bought the cheap stuff for a Buick a few years ago (paid $12.99 for wagner and that's with no mechanic discount... oriley and the zone wanted $15.99 for the cheap line of pads) for a car I personally own..

On personal vehicles that are newer, I use a higher price pad made of ceramic... higher cost, but less dust on the rims..quieter, and stop better with less fade

and cheap pads eat rotors just as much as the more expensive.. depends upon the content of the pad.. high metallic will eat rotors no matter cheap or expensive

Answer 2

Duralast Brake Pads

Answer 3

These pads will work fine. They tend to squeal really bad however and will not last as long as a good pair of ceramic brake pads, but they will be safe and reliable for thousands of miles.

Answer 4

Organic pads? I bought them and had to make an emergency stop. My hair is now grey. I only buy the best pads. It's worth it.

Answer 5

Generally, the cheaper pads are organic as opposed to semi metallic or ceramic. They work just fine, but produce more dust on your wheels. Duralast is a good name brand.

Answer 6

they stop you as well as the expensive ones, the only thing is if you start noticing brake noise, before you put your next free set on, take your rotors and have them turned, new pads always last longer with a nice smooth polished up rotor.

Answer 7

Millions do. Dealers do.

If ya aren't racing, they'll do.

Getting so's it is also cheaper to replace the front rotors, than to get them turned on the lathe.
Change out the fluid, every two years... it is all hydroscopic, and the absorbed water will boil, causing the calipers to force the pads to wear out against the rotors...

Answer 8

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Answer 9

don’t go by price, go with quality. The cheaper pads make noise and the middle of the road ones at least will work well and not “chatter” go to a reliable parts house………….not one of the 7/11 auto houses

Answer 10

its like meds you bought a generic brand. all brake pads have to pass test in order to be approved for sale. nothing wrong with them.