User Panel
User Panel
User Panel
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 4:31:53 PM EDT
My 99 Chevy Truck and 99 Tahoe each went 80,000 before I needed front brake pads. My other car has gone 50,000 so far.
My wife's 2005 Pontiac G6: 14,000 miles. That's right, 14 thousand. And no squealing as a warning (from that little tab). Just grinding on the rotor, which will have to be replaced. Add to this the fact that GM has replaced every steering component between the outer tie rods and ball joints, to the steering rack, and finally their half-assed new electric power steering.....and I'm starting to get pissed. The steering still binds when the car is cold, which I consider a safety issue. Back to the dealer. And one mopre thing. The seat fabric is permanently stained from some snow falling onto the seat - kind of like the dye wasn't washed all the way out. I have shampood it several times to no avail. And the driver's side door upholstery is worn almost all the way through - it's all frayed and stuff. Remember, this car only has 14,000 miles. Next car will be (drum roll).... wait for it........ a Toyota.  This is not the first GM car I've had a stupid amount of problems with, and I didn't even list the problems with this car that the dealer managed to fix the first time. My 1999 truck had 3 transmissions, 2 instrument consoles, 1 exhaust replacement, and had the 1999 issue with vibration from a crappy pinion angle. Sheesh. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 4:36:57 PM EDT
[#1]
Sounds like a defect to me.
Isn't the G6 an import? |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 4:45:40 PM EDT
[#2]
My BMW (which trades brake life for brake power) lasted 40k miles for the front brakes. the rears last double that.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 4:46:36 PM EDT
[#3]
Our 2002 Malibu had zero warranty defects. I replaced the front brakes at about 45,000 miles The rotors were warped. We had logged about 50 trips over the mountains though, so I can't complain to much.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 4:47:48 PM EDT
[#4]
Brake pads I got about 30,000 (delivering pizzas) out of my last Saturn's brake pads before I sold the car... they had at least 50% more life to go. I replaced them when I bought the car, while I was doing all my maintenance, and never needed to replace them again.
My current Cadillac has about 30,000 miles on the brake pads and they're not very worn. I replaced them when I bought the car, while I was doing other mods. I personally have never owned a car for more than about 40,000 miles, but pads typically last in the 30-60,000 mile range depending on the driver and conditions. My sister's Mitstooshitty shEclipse hasn't made it past about 15,000 miles without needing new pads, rotors and more often than not calipers as well. She had them done once, and I think I'm going to have to do them again, within about 10,000 miles... the car is nothing but problems. My dad's Sebring gets good pad life, but he's warped the rotors once badly by romping on the brakes before a big puddle... I replaced pads and rotors. He probably had less than 10,000 miles on the car, but definitely not the car's fault the rotors warped. I wouldn't blame the car for having short pad life. Most replacement pads have a lifetime warranty. Often the issue is related to them not releasing completely, which is definitely unacceptable, but has little to do with who made the caliper. Brake components are disposable for the most part, with the exception of rotors, which should be good for at least two changes of the pads. Calipers can seize up at any point, but it's mainly due to age, and letting it sit for a long period of time will increase the likelihood of them seizing up. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 4:49:07 PM EDT
[#5]
I get about 25,000 on the front pad of '99 Mercury Villager/Nissan Quest. But the brakes groaned a lot when I step on the brakes. I've switch to Raybestos Quiet Pads at $80/axle set with lifetime gurantee and it lasts about 20,000 miles.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 4:49:14 PM EDT
[#6]
It may sound odd, but snow seems to leave a chalky stain on most any car seat fabric. It's really bad on headliners. (Don't ask how I know.
 )It doesn't seem to hurt cotton based fabrics, but I've seen literally hundreds of sytnthetic based seat fabrics ruined by snow. ETA: Never under any circumstances buy O-reilly's basic brake pads. Other pads lasted me about 20K but O'reilly's were lucky to go 6K. Also ride with your wife as she have a lead foot for the left pedal. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 4:50:56 PM EDT
[#7]
My 99 Silverado was terrible on brakes. New rear pads @ 35k and new front pads and 4 new rotors @ 65k
I have 88k on my Tacoma now and the brakes are still good. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 4:55:40 PM EDT
[#8]
Oh, I should add that rear brakes should last a very, very long time. Unless of course your sister drives your car to the mall with the parking brake on, like mine did. Though somehow the brakes weren't even in that bad of shape.
She never would have told me herself. My mom was with her and couldn't figure out what the burning rubber smell was. It just kept following them and she smelled it every time they stopped. Finally my mom realized my sister left the parking brake on. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 4:59:36 PM EDT
[#9]
I have 110k on my Tacoma with the original brakes and not a single problem with this truck. I will only buy toyota from now on.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 5:01:59 PM EDT
[#10]
2000 Pontiac Montana. Had just over 13,000 on it when I started hearing the lovely metal to metal sound on the left front. Took the tire off and the stationary pad was gone, completely worn away. Off to Mr. Goodwrench and I even told them which one it was. Got a call later that day and was told that it wasn't covered under the extended warranty and what it was going to cost to have the job done. I declined and said that i was going to do it myself.
Went in to get the van and was told by the casher that the total was $35. I asked for what as all the work was covered under the warranty. She said that it was for a half hour labor to find out what the problem was with the breaks, I totally went off on the lady even though it wasn't her fault) and demanded to see the service manager. He came out and explained that they had to see what was wrong with the brakes and had to charge accordingly. I then asked him if it was as I described to the guy that wrote up the work order. He said that it was. I then told him that I wasn't going to pay for work that wasn't done and I wanted the van. He said that if I didn't pay, he couldn't release the van to me. I told him, OK I wanted to see the owner of the dealership. He said that the owner was in some kind of meeting and wasn't available. I then went into the show room and in a very loud voice I said that I wanted to see the owner about why the service manager wasn't going to give me back my van. Within 2 minutes the owner came out and asked what was going on. I explained to him what was going on and asked what he was going to do about it. I had my keys in less that a minute. ETA: the brakes i put on are still in good shape after almost 60,000 miles. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 5:21:18 PM EDT
[#11]
The reason some of the OEM pads wear out so fast is that YOU, the customer, bitched and moaned and took your new car in every time the brakes squeeked. So, to "fix" the problem they went to a "softer"organic pad which did not squeek but did not last long either.
Sometimes what you end up getting after bitching is not what you REALLY want. Brake life is still very dependant on the driver. Lead foot lucy's tend to eat brakes like popcorn. They ride them with their left foot and do lots of stab and slams. [gas it and hit the brakes] Foreign car brake pads arn't any better then US manufacturers as a whole anymore. Besides Japanese manufacturers can't even tell the truth about HP ratings. I've never trusted them because they [engines] have never felt as strong as they claimed they were. 10% or 20 HP is a lot of lying to do, no way that they did not know. American manufacturers were, on the other hand right on the button or a bit OVER their rating. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 5:22:47 PM EDT
[#12]
I won't say anything other than.......
Why would you buy one of their products again? Just checking. I got taught that lesson in '85. Fuck GM. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 5:23:41 PM EDT
[#13]
Bought my 1999 GMC sierra brand new. It now has 183,000 miles on it and I have yet to have done a brake job on it. I also tow with this truck every once in awhile. I love my truck. No problems here.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 7:30:08 PM EDT
[#14]
But... but... but they get such good JD Power ratings!
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 7:38:51 PM EDT
[#15]
I replace my pads at 40,000 miles on my 96 f150 Bought the Performance Friction Carbon Metalics. They have lasted to 120.000 miles. Just replace them with a new set.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 7:48:28 PM EDT
[#16]
If you own a FoMoCo product, the pins in the caliper bracket need cleaning, greasing and new boots every brake change or you are going to have locke up calipers. Ask me how I know. 
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 7:50:19 PM EDT
[#17]
I had an '85 Volvo DL wagon that had brakes lasting 18K miles. They must've been made out of pencil erasers.
I will NEVER own another Volvo. HH |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 7:53:49 PM EDT
[#18]
Well my mom's 2005 Chevy TrailBlazer hasn't gone through pads yet, nor has my dad's 2004 GMC Sierra 3500, nor did his 1997 Chevy C2500.
In fact neither of the 3 have had any major problems. Oh yes I am tagging this thread for the eventual Big 3 vs. import biweekly ARFCOM flamewar.
Tim, The G6 is one of those "shared platform" cars. The G6 shares its platform with: -Chevy Malibu -Saab 9-3 -Vauxhall Vectra IIRC(a car that's sold in Britain.) |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 8:23:35 PM EDT
[#19]
Same here. In the ten years I've worked here, I don't think we've had to do any brake work on any of our GM trucks or vans. We've had a lot of other problems, but never anything with the brakes. DeltaAir423, a friend of mine that worked on Fords for years says that you should always replace the pins. He says cleaning them is not good enough. A couple of the guys at work had trouble with the front brakes on their F150's sticking after a brake job, but after we started having the pins replaced any time the calipers are removed, we haven't had any problems. The Ford trucks seem to have much softer brake pads than the GM's since they wear-out so quickly. Even though we've given-up on every Ford we've had before they hit 30k miles, I've still had to replace pads on several of them.z |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 8:42:31 PM EDT
[#20]
I have 100,000 miles on my '98 Neon. I've taken it autocrossing, and I'd say I drive pretty hard on a daily basis. I'm probably within 20,000 miles of needing to replace my front pads. Looks like I have about 75% left on my rear brake shoes, so I will just plan on replacing them between 300,000 and 400,000 miles. Summary: 120,000 miles on front shoes between replacements, and about 400,000 miles between replacements on the rear brakes. For every time I change the front brake pads, your wife's car will go through eight sets. For every time I change the rear shoes, your wife's car will go through 28 sets. Ouch. Jim |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 9:01:52 PM EDT
[#21]
Uhhhh.... Where did PeteCO mention anything about taking the car in for squeaking brakes?? And, if you're talking in generalities, why do so many other car manufacturers brakes last so long? My 1997 Malibu had the brakes go out at 20,000 (and I didn't have any "squeaks" fixed). I typically get 60-90k out of my brakes on a good car. My Nissan Sentra has 85,000 on original pads now and I still have some left. You can drive like a fucking saint, and a shitty brake pad and an bad system can blow out brakes prematurely. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 9:44:31 PM EDT
[#22]
That's what I thought....an import. Kinda blows the hole in the idiots that thing an import is automatically better. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 9:50:45 PM EDT
[#23]
Living in NYC my little Jeep Cherokee went thru front pads every 2 years.
Living in rural Minnesota my 99 Dodge Stratus had the pads in 2003 replaced (60K) but only because I went to slotted rotors. The originals still had plenty of meat on them. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 9:54:35 PM EDT
[#24]
I dont know about the cars,but i put 120k on a 2000 Chevy truck at work and it stil had some brake pad to go.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 10:26:40 PM EDT
[#25]
The brakes on my 1994 Silverado are OEM and still feel like-new...!
Also note it just turned 29,000 (TOTAL) miles... |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 10:30:58 PM EDT
[#26]
I cut down your post to point out the problem in the system. Note: The brakes and gas are not "on/off" switches. 
|
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 10:34:11 PM EDT
[#27]
My Bronco hit the metal at 27K. A little detail like the facory failing to lube the caliper and retaining pins.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 10:41:30 PM EDT
[#28]
 You bet. JD Power ratings are as you know about as meaningful as a campaign promise, there only to let the manufacturers brag about how they didn't screw up putting it together in the first place, so they should get an award for DOING THEIR DAMN JOB THAT THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO DO ANYWAY!!!!!! Sorta like: "Hi honey -- don't you love me? I didn't burn dinner too badly!!!" |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/15/2006 11:05:12 PM EDT
[#29]
92,000 on the pads that came on my 2000 Z71, the last time I had them checked they still looked very good and I was told they should last me over 100k.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/16/2006 8:07:41 AM EDT
[#30]
I've got a 2000 Mustang with 130,000 miles on it, and it's on it's fourth set of rear pads (yes it took me that long to figure out what was wrong with it). Now it's on it's 3rd set of pads on the front, but the only reason why I changed them for the third time is that I was doing work on someone else's mustang, and they specifically said that they want ceramic pads. When AutoZone quoted me a price of only 25.00 for ceramics (normally 50.00), I picked up two sets and did my front pads. |
||
|
|
|
Posted: 3/16/2006 8:11:20 AM EDT
[#31]
i find mid/small cars need pads MUCH more frequently. on the saturns/hondas/toyos and others i have owned 25k was usually the best i could expect on front pads.
My buick park avenue has 50k on the pads since i replaced them when i got the car. looked at them a few weeks ago while getting the tires balanced and the damn pads had VERY little wear on them. i'd expect at least another 15+k out of them. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/16/2006 8:15:56 AM EDT
[#32]
Not exactly. The G6 is built in Michigan, the Malibu is built in Kansas, and the Vectra and 9-3 are built in the UK and Sweden, respectively IIRC. As I said before, the G6 is a vehicle that shares its platform with other vehicles. I'll give you another example: The Chevy Equinox and the Pontiac Torrent are both GM vehicles built in Canada. It doesn't really make them imports. |
||
|
|
|
Posted: 3/16/2006 8:24:34 AM EDT
[#33]
You should always service the calipers when you are changing the pads. Sticking calipers are a primary cause of reduced/uneven pad wear. You should also change the brake fluid according to the manufacturers maintenance schedule. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/16/2006 8:29:43 AM EDT
[#34]
My 99 ZR2 Blazer has 97000 miles and original brakes. I did have to put new ball joints and idler arm at around 50k but it gets off road a fair amount.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/16/2006 8:34:15 AM EDT
[#35]
David, funny you mention Blazers. My mom had a 2000 Blazer for 2 years and had no brake problems. My sister on the other hand needed pads for her 96, and also IIRC rotors, there were a few times it was down to the squealers. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/16/2006 8:51:30 AM EDT
[#36]
You miss my point completely. I said NOTHING about HER car squeeking. I said that the reason brakes wear out faster is that many manufacturers WENT to a softer organic material for the pad because of customer complaints of squeeking brakes and warrenty costs related to such. The biggest factor is still the person behind the pedal. |
||
|
|
|
Posted: 3/16/2006 11:37:39 AM EDT
[#37]
While there was a car model or two that got "revised" HP, my experience with Nissan has always been good. You ought to testdrive a 350z, Altima SE-R, Titan, V-6 Frontier or Xterra , or the Infiniti G35 with the 298hp. |
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/16/2006 1:13:41 PM EDT
[#38]
If you have a warped rotor from over-tightening the wheel lug nuts you can wear the pads out really fast. I have had cars where they needed pads (or pads+rotors) every 15k miles (including my old Subaru) and others where they never needed pads in 50k+ miles.
GunLvr |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/16/2006 1:32:07 PM EDT
[#39]
Hyundai Elantra here - Front pads went 85k but the rotor was RUSTED to the hub. No amount of Banging, torquing, or swearing on my part would make those things budge, and I tried stuff that I was not supposed to do. SO ... In order to fix it, I took the knuckles off and took them to the dealership. They had to destroy the rotor to get it off. Hyundai screwed up on their tolerances - outer edge of the hub was 0.003 inch from the inner edge of the rotor - it wasn't going anywhere after four Michigan salt winters. Rear brake shoes went 95k.
14k is crap. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/16/2006 2:44:12 PM EDT
[#40]
I usally get 3 times as many miles out of my brakes as my wife. But I had 2 dodge 3/4 tons diesels and I could get no better than 15k out of front brakes.
|
|
|
|
Posted: 3/16/2006 2:47:10 PM EDT
[#41]
Get lifetime warranty brake pads. My buddy's mom was a mail lady and went through brake pads like no other. She just kept getting new ones. Definitely worth the money.
Almost forgot the question. Yeah, man get two consecutive cars with the same brakes from the factory, give a man one, and a woman the other, the man's will last longer guaranteed. It's not their fault I guess. My old lady is always in a rush and is constantly on the gas or the brake, no rest in between. Typical of women drivers. |
|
|
|
Posted: 3/16/2006 2:52:39 PM EDT
[#42]
2001 Suburban, 110,000 miles, and I have yet to replace to replace the front breaks.
I replaced the back breaks at about 80,000. |
|
|
Win a FREE Membership!
Sign up for the ARFCOM weekly newsletter and be entered to win a free ARFCOM membership. One new winner* is announced every week!
You will receive an email every Friday morning featuring the latest chatter from the hottest topics, breaking news surrounding legislation, as well as exclusive deals only available to ARFCOM email subscribers.
AR15.COM is the world's largest firearm community and is a gathering place for firearm enthusiasts of all types.
From hunters and military members, to competition shooters and general firearm enthusiasts, we welcome anyone who values and respects the way of the firearm.
Subscribe to our monthly Newsletter to receive firearm news, product discounts from your favorite Industry Partners, and more.
Copyright © 1996-2024 AR15.COM LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Any use of this content without express written consent is prohibited.
AR15.Com reserves the right to overwrite or replace any affiliate, commercial, or monetizable links, posted by users, with our own.
