"Certified" brand brake pads?

[curls]

Canadian Tire has the Certified brand pads on for 60% off this coming week.  My wifes' car (a typical commute car, no performance required!) needs new pads.

Anyone have experience with these pads? Decent? Lowish noise?

Opinions appreciated, thanks!
Eric

[Squishy]

I think they are the low-cost line of Satisfied brake pads, with some odd pad models imported from Wagner.  It's what I run on our steel-wheel cars (no worry about brake dust) and I have no problems to report.  They are harder on rotors, but that's to be expected from an economy semi-metallic.  I haven't had any BAD issues with them like chewing up rotors or shims falling off.  The Lancer exhibits a bit of brake squeal when cold, but the Trans Sport and Escort are both running quiet.

[mrthompson]

(Looks at Squishy's sig)

Since when did you acquire 4 vehicles in addition to the Escape?   

[Squishy]

They magically fell down with the snow 

[curls]

I think I'm going to pass on the Certified pads -- lots of negative reviews (smell, dust, poor performance) on another car forum I'm on.

Probably going to support my local parts counter guy and get the pads that we're currently running on the car -- F1 brand.  They've been good! Although more expensive, probably a much better investment.

[EV Dan]

I heard many times, even from some mechanics that cheap pads are "softer" so I will need to change them more often but they are also easy on rotors. 

[Squishy]

It depends on the composition of the pad.  Organic pads are inexpensive and relatively soft and may be what you're hearing about.  I'm...70% sure that Certified pads are semi-metallic though, which has good stopping power, good wear, but bad noise and bad rotor life (think metal-on-metal).

As a general rule, these are the characteristics of common pad materials:
Organic - low noise, easy on the rotors, but bad stopping power, quick to wear down, (sometimes) dusts heavily, and susceptible to brake fade
Semi-metallic - good stopping power, long life, but hard on rotors, usually comes with a slight to loud squeal, and dusts heavily
Ceramic - whiteish or clear brake dust, easy on the rotors, decent life, decent stopping power once warmed up, but stopping power is not as good as semi-metallic and is even worse when cold.  You also run into the issue of just how much ceramic content is in those pads - some cheaper brands will throw in a minute amount with organic or semi-metallic "filler" for the rest of the pad and still market them as ceramics.

I don't think you find very many streetable carbon fibre pads, although I could be wrong.  Semi-metallics are the most common OEM pad.

[tortoise]

Curls, I've been very happy with the Hawk HPS pads on my P5.

[curls]

Curls, I've been very happy with the Hawk HPS pads on my P5.

Had those on my Integra at one point and I agree... great pads.  But they're expensive and unnecessary for a daily commuter I think.

[tortoise]

I can't remember what I paid for them.  I just read a bunch of reviews and decided on them.  Didn't even compare prices.

[2hondas1BMW]

I wouldn't cheap out on brake pads, IMO.

We usually stick to OEM parts (brakes, suspension, etc.)

[EV Dan]

Thanks for the thorough summary, Squishy. Seems like I will get ceramics for the next change. Which make has a good % of ceramic content in them?

[Squishy]

I honestly have no idea.  It's not information that most manufacturers make public, for obvious reasons.  Personally I use Satisfied Pro Ceramics from PartSource which don't give off visible dust on my wheels and have good stopping power.  I can't really say for certain that they have a good amount of ceramic content, though.  I chose them 75% based on forum reviews and 25% based on the fact that they are locally based.

[articsteve]

Akebono; can not go wrong.  OEM on Lexus if that matters.   

Akebono Brake Corporation is a leader in advanced brake and friction material development and production, with a focus on noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) analysis and control. The Akebono Group operates technical/R&D centers in Japan, the United States and France, with 30 wholly owned or affiliated manufacturing facilities worldwide. Akebono launched U.S. brake sales and production operations in 1980. Worldwide, Akebono employs 6,800 people, with 2,000 in North America. For more information, visit www.akebonobrakes.com.

[EV Dan]

Something tells me when Cr.Tire sell smth at 60% off it gets painfully close to what the product of similar quality would normally sell at walmart 

Steve, where does one look for soles you mention?

[curls]

I installed the F1 pads yesterday on the rear of my wife's Protege5.  My first DIY brake job.   All went smoothly and the new pads grab really hard compared to the worn out ones that they replaced.

I passed on the Certified ones and am glad I did.  The price I got on these F1's was great (from my local guy!), and he threw in the big can of brake cleaner and a packet of synthetic brake caliper lube.  No Limits Auto Parts in Ottawa, ON!!

[tortoise]

Nicely done!

No Limits is a great shop, that's where I picked up my pads and rotors last spring.

[curls]

Nicely done!

No Limits is a great shop, that's where I picked up my pads and rotors last spring.

Yeah, Mike the crazy Dutchman will do almost anything to help and/or please his customers.  ALMOST.  LOL!

[maritime_storm]

Best laugh I've had in ages guys, thanks. If you're curious about one of our products you can e-mail the corporation & they will tell who makes the product. The Certified Pads are made Raybestos, vehicle specific composition(if your car came with ceramic pads then the certified's are Ceramic, etc). The reason they are on 60% off is because the product line is being replaced by a new product by Raybestos(same guys who make our Monroe pads, only the Jaspers are cheap metallic only pads). You should see the new line being advertised in a few weeks, they part of our Nascar sponsered line that's been slowly being introduced.

[Squishy]

Hmm...does Raybestos handle any of Satisfied's production?  Because I have purchased both Monroe and Certified brakes and the inner packaging, instructions, and pad/shim construction were all identical to the Satisfied stuff I get from PartSource.  I did a little searching and found others who believed Satisfied handled all of CT's private label brake pads and shoes.