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Basically trying to find the most sensible way of not getting abused by a Mazda dealership, their quotes are the best way to get a laugh on a bad day.
I did the brakes at around 80k and I literally pulled some guys off Kijiji who did decent job and all I remember was that it was cheap as hell. They sort of figured out what parts to get at some local parts shop. This was all like 7 years ago + or something so its all foggy now. In my personal connections I don't have anyone who'd refer me to this "trustworthy person" or so and so. Like for example when I got my tires changed and one superior tire joint told me my brakes need to be done yet I got another 3 years out of them since that suggestion....
The other thing is do I just need to replace the pads or other parts, that sort of thing I don't have the knowledge to navigate myself either.
There are a lot of options available. If you are not looking to do auto crossing or track racing then OEM or OEM equivalent is all you need. I get most of my OEM parts form https://www.realmazdaparts.com which has rotors and pads for $250 front $215 back (plus shipping).
Well.. for starters dealership or independent you're paying for their knowledge and know how. Which you admit to not be strong in that category. My recommendation is to use yelp and look for a mechanic shop that does a broad range of foreign cars. The Rx8 brake system is incredibly simple, any mechanic can do it.
Here is an example of a mechanic I use for when I don't have time to work on it myself. https://www.yelp.com/biz/a-and-d-autowerks-san-diego. They actually specialize in Volvos but are able to work on my Mazda np.
For parts I recommend just sticking with OEM if you're not really going to push the car. The OEM Mazda components are good quality. MSRP for Front and Rear pads and rotors is $795. Labor to do the job is probably about 3 hours... I'm guestimating on that.. but in San Diego factor in another $300 ($100 per hour). All in you're looking at $1100. What was the dealership quoting you?
Edit: "Additional info"
you can look at mazmart for OEM parts that are a bit cheaper than MSRP. Then when you find a local independent mechanic, you can supply your own parts. You get the benefit of saving some money. However you usually forgo any "warranty" period for the work if you have a faulty part you supply.
How much did they quote. Uh probably around 1500 Canadian. Thing is at this point I need to replace the rotors, which is what is boosting the cost beyond what I did in the past, which I'm assuming is pads. Which was at 80k, that's typically what would be replaced at that mileage?
I did some looking around already, my interpretation is : found a place advertised on Kijiji to put on pads and rotors for a 100 $, and yea I looked up mazmart and the other Mazda parts vendor, which indicated about 300 for front rotors/pads and similar for rear. I'm in Canada so shipping across the border would be a pain in the *** and take time. I'd be happier getting non oem aftermarket parts locally which I'm sure is possible if one knows where to look, it's not like I drive the car as if I stole it.
So yea correct me if I'm wrong and thank you again
How much did they quote. Uh probably around 1500 Canadian. Thing is at this point I need to replace the rotors, which is what is boosting the cost beyond what I did in the past, which I'm assuming is pads. Which was at 80k, that's typically what would be replaced at that mileage?
I did some looking around already, my interpretation is : found a place advertised on Kijiji to put on pads and rotors for a 100 $, and yea I looked up mazmart and the other Mazda parts vendor, which indicated about 300 for front rotors/pads and similar for rear. I'm in Canada so shipping across the border would be a pain in the *** and take time. I'd be happier getting non oem aftermarket parts locally which I'm sure is possible if one knows where to look, it's not like I drive the car as if I stole it.
So yea correct me if I'm wrong and thank you again
80k seems like it could be about right. I bought an R3 from Canada and at 69k the front pads were dangerously low. Speaking from experience.. you can try any pad you want.. but for the rotors, I'd stay with OEM, and yes.. that is the most expensive portion of the maintenance. Pads oem or aftermarket seem to hover around the same price. If you're not pushing the car I highly recommend just sticking with OEM pads. Every one has a different opinion as to how brakes should feel. For a street car I like a strong initial bite, however that usually means you give up on other parts of the pad.. like dealing with higher heat for extended periods of time. The pads I run now with OEM rotors have a less of an initial bite but are consistent for higher areas of load.. but they aren't race brakes... having 3 rx8's I have them setup as "race, aggressive, and street". If this is a street car I can't preach enough on how good OEM is. Again I run OEM rotors on all 3 setups.. the only differences are the pads on the "race" and "aggressive" setups.
That's really good to know. That's one hell of a collection you got man, I'm impressed. I called the places to get an idea what's up and how much shipping costs (for all I know shipping across the border could take forever, I called mazmart) that turned out to be 170 us, which.... I was like ok plan B
That's really good to know. That's one hell of a collection you got man, I'm impressed. I called the places to get an idea what's up and how much shipping costs (for all I know shipping across the border could take forever, I called mazmart) that turned out to be 170 us, which.... I was like ok plan B
I realize the value of oem but at this point the time frame and costs are spiraling out of control. Opinion on it?
I recently came to a similar impasse. Tire prices are creeping up and my girls car was due for new ones in 6 months. But because of the market I jumped on it early. Personally brakes are a safety item and usually last a long time. If it were me, and I was keeping the car for more than another year. Or in my case.. plan on keeping the car forever / till they are banned. I'd just drop it off at the dealer and have the brakes taken care of. You get a warranty, OEM parts, and it's just brakes.. so nothing unique to the rx8 vs any other Mazda.
When I’ve googled OEM parts in the past, there are always several dealers that have online parts sales that sell for a decent discount below MSRP. Are there any Canadian dealers that do that? If so, I’d recommend buying the OEM parts o line that way and take them to a reputable local shop for installation. Does Tire Rack have affordable Canadian distribution? My last set of pads I bought through them, and they were well priced and I got the parts within 2 days.
I'd get your parts ar NAPA or similar. Your typical Raybestos or Wagner or Akebono are fine for regular driving and don't cost a lot. The guy at the counter can usually point the way.
If you have to have it done somewhere that's not a dealer, that place will probably call NAPA for the parts anyway. Brakes are pretty standard stuff, doesn't require RX8 specific knowledge, any place bigger than a gas station should be able to handle it.
Check out brakemotiv on ebay. Their factory is in Chicago, you can only order off of their ebay store. Their rotors come zinc plated and will resist rust. Pads are composite style ceramic and will not dust like cheap autozone brakes. They come with shims as well. I recommend checking out their reviews on thechicagogarage.com forum. Muscle guys loves these brakes. I have been buying them for years with no issues.
Check out brakemotiv on ebay. Their factory is in Chicago,
I assume they do the drill/slot in Chicago, but the castings and primary machining is done overseas. I've done quite a bit of searching and I can't find a rotor supplier that does 100% of the manufacturing in the US. Centric/Powerstop will do some here, but some of their line is overseas and they don't specify what's what.
There is a company in California called Canada Brake ( strange, I know) that will custom machine rotors apparently. I was quoted $110 US each, for slotted rotors for the RX8.
The amount of brake dust is more of a performance thing, IMO. Most of the performance brakes that will at least be okay on a track will shed some dust, some more than others. The ceramic stuff is certainly fine on the streets, though.
If you are just DDing the car then I don't think there are any needs to look beyond that Chicago brake.
FWIW, I have used Powerstops on 10+ vehicles over the years, from Excursions to BMWs, Minis, and the RX8. I have one 8 with the stock Mazda brakes, and one with the Powerstop kit, and I have both on the road, so I get a good feel for the differences. The Powerstop car takes the already above average RX8 brakes and makes them more powerful, and actually more "fun" to use. I have never warped a Powerstop rotor, even on vehicles (BMW) that readily will warp their stock brakes. Also, very low, or no dust at all. I put the "Extreme" kit on the RX8.
Rockauto.com's offerings are perfectly adequate for daily driving to spirited driving for the RX-8, and absolutely will not break the bank. Likely this will be the cheapest option while getting quality parts without buying some garbage off ebay or amazon
I like the Wagner Thermoquiet brake pads all around with stock oem blank replacement rotors.
I have run these on all my cars and even have had them on an rx7 FD on track. I really like how they don't grab too hard off the initial brake pedal movement and are linear in feel. I usually don't lock the wheels up at low speed and they have enough stopping power for what I need them to do.
There are always yards (assuming you live somewhere where RX-8s also live, which not all of us do...) + DIY. Cheapest option by far, and often OEM parts. Plus, you get to do a trial run to learn how the brake system comes apart on a car that you don't care about, then when you do your own, it's faster, easier, and less prone to error. Disc brakes are only half a banana more difficult than an oil change, and don't require scooting around on your back under the car or getting oil everywhere. If you have even the slightest inclination toward learning to maintain your own car, disc brake service is an excellent place to start.
10-18-2021, 10:50 AM
