Hi MissyK

I recently had my service and mazda told me that i need new rotors and pads because they are both worn down to almost the minimum.

There's no real reason for me to go slotted rotors but I thought I'd take the opportunity to consider the other options out there for rotors and pads there are since they need replacing anyways.

I will probably end up getting oem parts from onlinemazdaparts.com. It will probably end up costing about $750 delivered and fitted compared to $1160 quoted to me by mazda - a decent saving.

At the same time I might get ignition coils and a new aldehyde cabin filter.

Henley

 

I think it is wise choice to go with them if you are buying something else on the same order.

 

This is an annoyance for me as many Mazda Dealer Service departments "over service brakes", why, because apart from normal scheduled servicing profits as a general rule there is not much else they can make their sales/money from as nothing much goes wrong with new Mazda's that is not covered by warranty.

SO, the good old brake rotors and pads are a good money earner for them.

In my time and in my opinion almost half of the cars (or more) they replace rotors and pads on do not really need them, or there is at least another 10,000 KMS left in the pad compound.

Machining the brake rotors while still on the car is a great money earner, $200 bucks (plus) for 10 minutes work, and then the new pads on top.

Look, in most cases unless you are REALLY hard on your brakes a few grooves and or marks on the disc face is OK as they never stay perfectly smooth, in most cases IF the pads are worn out you can get away with just renewing them, and leave the rotors alone.

But the standard answer is "we have just inspected your brakes as part of your cars service and we have found that your pads and rotors will not last until the next service".......
Then they go on to say after you have picked yourself up off the floor from their quote.." you really should not gamble with the safety of you and your cars brakes" SO they basically talk (scare) you into it.

In all my years I have NEVER seen or heard of a Mazda that is say 3-4 years old in an accident or brake failure because of the cars pads or rotors, they give you ample warning ("noise") if they are worn/wearing out.

So the moral of this blah blah, get a second opinion that is not from a Mazda Dealer.

 

I've let 2 other independant workshops look at my rotors and both came back with the same answer as mazda.

I noticed that the rotors had been machined a couple of time under warranty due to brake pulsation but my car is no longer under warranty now...

 

Hi Ash8

Tilbrooks now operate as ABS in Adelaide. Bendix Ultimate pads look like they might set me back about $200.

Hopefully I will get another 10,000kms out of my pads and rotors.

Thanks for the advice thus far everyone!

 

Have to agree with my namesake, Mazda told me i needed new rotors and pads immediately or I will most certainly die in a horrific, fireball of death. Anyway, they quoted me $1200 supplied and fitted, so i went for a second opinion, and was told that my pads still had atleast another 10k left, and the rotors could be machined but probably didnt need it. No use spending money if u dont need to i guess.

 

Speaking from experience (on other cars)

DBA

 

They do, still as Tilbrooks in the latest Adelaide phone book..
Probably just keeping the name then as a reference.

YES, I think Ultimate are the old "Metal King", name change probably because the word "Metal" put people off.

Bendix ARE a VERY GOOD Pad.

 

Yeah no surprises there!!!

Then there is the scheduled "large" services that they knock over in 30 minutes and charge you for 2.5 Hours PLUS!

 

It is no wonder most Mazda owners never return to their dealer once the warranty expires...

 

Ultimate are not Metal Kings. Bendix Ultimates are very good pads ... but they are also pretty dusty.

 

I've owned Bendix Ultimates before on my previous car (S15 200sx). In my opinion, they're very dusty pads. But I haven't tried a hell of a lof of other brake pads to compare. I'm sure there are much worse out there.

Grip was a bit better than the stock Nissan pads, but the dust and squealing wasn't worth it. Not sure how it would compare to a standard OEM RX-8 pad though. I think the standard mazda pad would be better.

 

not DBA, but I heard RDA (or is it RBA???) is better.

DBA (the kangaroo paws one) tend to crack under a lot of heat (i.e. track works)

 

Actually, its not the kangaroo paw ones that have that reputation, its the DBA 4000 series that do. I think they had a bad manufacturing process a while ago which has been fixed. The 5000 which have the kangaroo paw are being used on the V8 Ute series and from everything I have read they hold up just nicely. Unfortunately they are stupidly expensive.

 

A little birdy told me that when Mazda Australia want to sell consumable parts such as brake pads for a cheaper price (or more profit) they deal with Bendix Australia.

So I am not sure if the Mazda Australia pads are sourced from Japan or from Bendix Australia........???

However, after a little research here is what I have found............

Bendix Ultimate - via my local "Better Brakes" outlet

Fr = $138
Rr = $138

Total............ $276

Mazda Australia - via a mates stealership for trade price

Fr = $153
Rr = $095

Total............ $248

Online Mazda parts - same place as the US$27 coils

Fr = US$80
Rr = US$49
Postage = US$25

Total............ $190 (approx)

Me thinks the Online Mazda parts wins again here...............

REgards

 

In regards to the DBA disc I dont think is just the 4000 series problem, is more related to "drilled" disc that cause cracks... with little circles crilled through the disc.. it greatly reduce the structural integrity of the one piece disc... compare to slotted.. where u just have grooves on it.. the cracking usually occurs on the edge of those drill holes.... at least this is what happens to the most that cracks i've seen..I think If your disc is just slotted then crack is much less likely.

RBA is another brand in Australia.. Race Brakes Australia I think is their name.. they have a workshop in Kensington area where they sell a lot of AP / Endless / Feredos... I tried their RB xxx (x is a number) which has excellent first bite.. but it locks up very very easily.. and chews down disc like no tomorrow..

i think.. just replace it with aftermarket average grade parts.. which is cheaper..and is more then enough.. specially if u just drive ur 8 in a civilize manner and dont track it.. but if u insist on getting OEM gear.. get it off onlinemaz..

 

I ended up getting DBA 4000 series rotors and Bendix Ultimate pads.
Parts all up approx. $620

Hopefully it ends up being a good set up.

Thanks for everyones help.

 

I have been told that DBA4000 Slotted rotors are hard to get and have been supplied with DBA4000XS (slotted and crossed drilled) instead, should be picking them up today. They look pretty nice on the dba website hopefully they don't crack or warp.

Also my supplier can't get Bendix Ultimates anymore because they weren't a popular pad and they ceased stocking them. I may endup going for endless pads intead.

Are Bendix GCT/ceramics any good or are they a waste of $65 (another option i have)