How often do you change your brakes and do you change pads and rotors at the same time?

[Gixxer8989]

I live in Canada so salt is always a factor. Even my coated rotors are starting to look shabby. For me the cost of new rotors from RA makes it a no brainer to swap both rotor and pad everytime.
My Akebono ceramics have approximately 70000 km ( 45000 miles) and have LOTS of life left.
Have the Brembo ceramic on another vehicle, love the pedal feel.
Have power stops on 2 other vehicles, great performance/ price.
Have centric on another , they seem ok as well.

 

[tbm3fan]

I'm still waiting to see how long the pads and shoes go in my 2004 Focus. One knock back then was that their brakes didn't last long. Well the car is at 175,000 miles and there is still 1/3 of each pad and shoe left. Rotors, drums, pads and shoes are on the shelf in the garage. A manual has no doubt helped.

 

[corster]

I tend to replace both every 3-4 years regardless of mileage. Rust tends to get into the rotors and destroy them long before the pads wear out.

 

[pezzy84]

I don't know if VW still does but back in the day they pushed changing the rotors every brake job so I kinda stuck to that, you already have everything opened up so its just a couple more bolts and the set screw to swap the rotor out. Even 40-50k miles in Florida (not near the beach mind you) i would still have to hammer the rotors off so I couldn't imagine how welded on they would be if you left them on for double or triple that amount of time.

The rotors on the VW's I have done brake jobs on were not terribly expensive ($60-70/each) so for peace of mind and not having to worry about it I did the whole kit and kaboodle (pads, rotors and fluid). Even if the brake fluid was not needing exchanging (every 2 years) at the time I would still just knock it out and reset the clock.

 

[HonorAndHonesty]

I have a friend with 430k miles on a car, original rotors no pulsation it has had pads twice I believe. Rotors have never been machined. Honda civic

I have gotten 120k on pads on a Civic, I cannot remember if I replaced rotors or not, I dont believe I did.

Shortest I ever got out of a set of pads was the rears on my scion xb. I got 30k out of the rear pads, when I put them on they were the cheapest pads autozone had. made in india I believe.
I needed pads that night and I originally went with pads that were over 50 dollars for a set, seen those were made in India or China and told them just give me the cheapest instead. I figured if I was going to pay premium price I wanted US made pads.

I replaced those with a set of akebonos which is normally my go to pads. I have been using them professionally and personally for 20 years and never have had an issue.

Our Sienna which we purchased with 7k miles and had like new brakes at the time, it made it to 60k on its pads and rotors and that was with alot of towing. The rotors had lot rot at the time so it got new. The next front set did not make it 10k miles because I had a caliper lock up. It warped the rotor so new pads and rotors it got, I still need to find somewhere to machine the rotors I put on it which were Toyota parts, which were not really all that expensive for a premium part. I think they were 70 each.

 

[HonorAndHonesty]

The shortest I ever seen a set of pads go was 7k miles, I believe it was a 99 Grand Am Gt, 3400 V-6. Went thru all of the procedure, aluminum calipers, no sticking everything lubed and free. Replaced pads. I think it went 9k miles the next time.

Went thru it all again, went for a ride with customer, found the problem. The car had traction control and the short ride we went on it was active quite a bit due to the slush and driving style. Combine this with agressive braking and stop and go traffic and the vehicle obviously ate brakes.

We explained our theory to the customer, in a round about way encouraged them to take it easy. I left for a new job shortly after and never heard if they were able to make them last longer.

 

[JeffKeryk]

If the brake pedal shudders, I replace the rotors.
The price of turning rotors is almost half of good new ones on-line.
Plus, new rotors avoids a trip to the shop and wait for the machining to be done.

All good.