duralast semi-metallic or gold ceramic

[dichotomous]

I am going to be buying some brake pads, there are two styles available at autozone, I have read recomendations in here about the gold ceramic pads, but I wonder if the semi-metallic are bad, or if they are just like stock, and whether or not its worth the extra money (during a whole slew of car and motorcycle repairs straining the pocketbook) to go with the gold pads instead of the semi-metallic.

any thoughts?

[FCobra94]

I put the Ceramic version on my brothers Accord last year. Those are pretty suprising pads actually. Stop/feel much better than the stockers and they kick out zero dust.

Either should be better than stock and the Ceramics will probably produce less dust, so if you see value in spending the $10 extra bucks, I would definitely go for those.

[silver hatch]

I have the Duralast semi-metallic. They had a little brake squeek at first, but went away pretty quick. They seem to be holding up well after 10k mi. Either one should be ok, since they have a life time warrenty, you can't beat that!

[oldschoolimport]

don't get parts store pads, especially the hard ass lifetimes.

[antisocial]

don't get parts store pads, especially the hard ass lifetimes.

amen. hell, you can buy the oem honda pads real cheap on handaaccessories.com. or the million aftermarket options we have.

[FCobra94]

don't get parts store pads, especially the hard ass lifetimes.
Have you tried either of the parts mentioned?

If so, you'd realize that they are most definitely a step above stock. The OEM pads are not that great at all IMO, especially when it comes to pedal feel.

[dichotomous]

I got the gold, with OE replacement brembo rotors ($40 on tirerack.com right now, thats about half price!) and will be installing tommorrow, I'll report back then and every now and then for updates as to their performance.

[oldschoolimport]

Have you tried either of the parts mentioned?

If so, you'd realize that they are most definitely a step above stock. The OEM pads are not that great at all IMO, especially when it comes to pedal feel.

in 18 years of driving, I've tried about every pad on the market. I didn't suggest going stock either. for the money, I put hawk HPS on every car I touch, my g/f's altima, mom's avalon, bro-in-law's element, my 02 Si, and my 86 Si. for the money, I'd put them up against any street pad!

[dichotomous]

well thats nice but they are twice as much money and I thought the original ones on it were fine, so I consider this an improvement

[MugsyTheGr8]

well thats nice but they are twice as much money and I thought the original ones on it were fine, so I consider this an improvement

how much did you get the brembo blanks for?

[dichotomous]

$40 each

[dann_04]

I'm trying the morse ceramic pads on the back(at autozone), 20 bucks with lifetime warranty, i'll let you know what they are like, but i garuntee they will be better than those freakin' raybestos that were on there, broke off the backing and ruined the rotors(all under warranty though). I figure i'd try them for the back, they didn't have front at autozone, and if they didn't work well i'll just get better ones...it's 20 bucks.

[oldschoolimport]

well thats nice but they are twice as much money and I thought the original ones on it were fine, so I consider this an improvement

thats like saying, "why try a ritz, coz the saltine was fine". the difference between $30 brakes and $60 brakes, seeing as you only change them every other year, is well worth the extra money. I'd just hate to know that I could have spent just a little bit more and got a great pad, rather than just a better pad. but its your money.

[dichotomous]

thats like saying, "why try a ritz, coz the saltine was fine". the difference between $30 brakes and $60 brakes, seeing as you only change them every other year, is well worth the extra money. I'd just hate to know that I could have spent just a little bit more and got a great pad, rather than just a better pad. but its your money.

yeah, but it stopped just fine before and should stop even better now, I really can't see how having 700% of needed stopping power is better than having 500% of needed stopping power..... I belive these pads will be way more powerfull than the tires' could ever grip, the old ones I could engage ABS at almost any speed, anything more than that seems fairly unnessisary. I mean, if its more power than you can use because of the final friction delivery (tires) then its wasted money. Considering I dont have much money right now it doesnt seem to actually be worth it to go with pads that stop 2x better than pads that already stop 2x better than what I was used to which were already stronger than the tires ability to stop...... the logic just isnt there. if I were racing and had racing tires with tons more grip than better pads would indeed be a better thing. but this is a DD driven at the speed limit or even below (60mph saves a lot of gas over 70, really does) on mostly cruising roads and rarely in anything most would call city.

seems having the best or strongest brakes for me would only be bling, and the bling I'm buying lately is the kind that fits on a ladies finger(I want carbon fiber wedding band inlay, she wants frosting, at least its the same element)

[FCobra94]

yeah, but it stopped just fine before and should stop even better now, I really can't see how having 700% of needed stopping power is better than having 500% of needed stopping power..... I belive these pads will be way more powerfull than the tires' could ever grip, the old ones I could engage ABS at almost any speed, anything more than that seems fairly unnessisary.
I'm glad to see that someone on here is making some sense...then again, there are still people around here who think braking is 100% related to what pads you've chosen or how big your rotors are.

[squeak04si]

my last pair were the oreily's top pad, cant remember the name, but they lasted me about 30k. thats actually decent considering all the brake boosting and hard stopping i do.

[dichotomous]

got them all up on the car last night, along with a new lower ball joint on the pass side, boy was THAT a beotch to get off...

they stop just fine, very smooth, tons of grip, modulatable very easily, I can make the tires howl right to the point of ABS and not go over the threshold, spent about 50mi doing progressively faster almost stops, some hard, some gradual, to build heat into the system and let it cool, and I imagine once I flush my lines it will get even better too, and thats just the front brakes.

so I give it a thumbs up

[dichotomous]

just got new tires put on, nice summers in 215/60 r15, and aligned, and tested out the brakes again, and I cant imagine wanting or needing more power, they are eye-popping-out-of-the sockets good at stopping.

[FCobra94]

Glad everything worked out man!

Congrats on the new setup! :msmile:

[dichotomous]

Glad everything worked out man!

Congrats on the new setup! :msmile:

I cant wait till I get the new rear shocks (tokico hp) and springs (rsx-s) on there to replace the stock shocks and weak-ass broken nuespeed drop springs and maybe some reasonable camber in the rear (I dont consider -3.0driver, -2.5 pass to be reasonable). THEN my setup will be nice, and backroads efficient too

[MugsyTheGr8]

why so much rear camber?

[dichotomous]

why so much rear camber?

nuespeed drop springs, likely the race kit. no upper camber adjuster. one of the springs actually broke, I'll take a picture when I pull off the shocks

[MugsyTheGr8]

lol reading > me i thought you had that much camber on purpose.

[dichotomous]

lol reading > me i thought you had that much camber on purpose.

gawd no, not as a DD rarely driven aggressively. I'd prefer the better braking and accelerating and longer wearing nature of less camber over the better turning nature more camber. My sportbike is for fun on the road..... my EP is for when I can't take the bike