So the car (2003 Mercury Marauder) has developed a noticeable vibration/shimmy when stopping from speed. Presume it's warped front rotors, so I'll be getting them turned (assuming there is enough material there to do so), no big deal.

The question lies in the fact that I'm going to go ahead and replace the pads while I'm at it. I've heard recommendations that the OEM Motorcraft pads are significantly better than the most of your generic replacement pads, and they're certainly priced like it ($98 for the pads from advance, lowest I've seen is $80 from fastpartsnetwork.com). Is there truth to that, in either stopping performance or decreased rotor wear? For the same price or less I could get some carbon metallic or ceramic pads; would I see better stopping performance there? The stock brakes are by no means inadequate, but it's a 4100 lb. car so I'll take increased stopping performance where I can get it. I just don't want to chew up the rotors seeing as how they're not cheap either. Ideas?

8/5/2008 9:01:32 PM

how much are the rotors? and turning them is just a stop gap

8/5/2008 9:07:22 PM

just get some bendix or raybestos carbon metallics, they will be as good or better, and chances are that one of the two makes motorcraft pads

8/5/2008 9:19:24 PM

frozen rotors + Hawk HPS pads = winner

http://www.frozenrotors.com/search/index.php?makeId=28&modelId=450&modelSelectedIndex=3
http://www.hawkperformance.com/performance/hps.php

8/5/2008 9:25:15 PM

This is at Rockauto.com mind you.

CENTRIC Part # 12061072
Front; Vented

$51.99x2

RAYBESTOS Part # ATD931C {Advanced Technology; Ceramic; 2.420" X 7.290"}
Front; Ceramic; Originally Equipped With Ceramic

(they also offer a motorcraft SEVERE duty semi-metallic pad, but they dust badly).

$55.79

Total cost: 159.77 - %5 discount 1006284885071 ($7.99) = 151.77 + 28.58 shipping = 180.36

I purchased those exact items for my car and they work GREAT. Much better than stock.

8/5/2008 10:14:58 PM

new, good rotors will help just as much as better pads will.

Hawk does make damn good pads. I just put Pagid's on my ride, and they stop like a brick wall, but they arent cheap and I don't know if they make pads for non-sport applications.

8/5/2008 10:16:25 PM

So is the consensus that getting the rotors turned isn't worth it? What is the average service life of a rotor, anyway, as I just realized I have no idea... The car has ~67,300 miles on it. Not trying to be a cheapskate, but considering I need to do a couple other things too (rear tires are getting scary low tread, and that's going to run $400 installed), $30 for turning rotors sounds a lot better than $110-$250 for new ones. Should I just bite the bullet?

8/5/2008 10:46:02 PM

If you are doing the service yourself, getting them turned for $30 seems like a good plan, but when they warp again, which they will, you'll have to go through it again.

Service life for rotors is different for each car/manuf. Some spec the cheapest shit and some don't.

There really is no point to turning a rotor unless it's slightly out of spec. Otherwise you are cutting away material that it needs to conduct heat away.

Quote :

"Should I just bite the bullet?"

Don't skimp too much or you'll regret it.

[Edited on August 5, 2008 at 11:04 PM. Reason : when is the last time the rotors were changed or turned?]

8/5/2008 11:04:13 PM

Quote :

"when is the last time the rotors were changed or turned?"

I haven't done it in the 20 months I've owned the car. Not sure about beforehand.

Good point.

8/6/2008 12:12:59 AM

just replace the rotors and see if you can get some VGX pads.

8/6/2008 12:18:04 AM