Brake Pads Cost Guide

When factoring the price of the maintenance of your vehicle, brake pads cost should be at the top of your list. Making sure your brake system is functioning at top capacity is imperative for the safety of you and your family. It can be very foolhardy, to say the least, to travel in a vehicle with poor brakes.

A lack of functional brakes can cause a serious accident resulting in severe injuries to passengers and driver alike. Regardless of what type of vehicle you drive, your braking system should always be kept up to par to ensure optimum safety and protection on the road.

Types of Brake Pads

A car’s braking system consists of brake pads, calipers, rotor discs and brake lines. When replacing brake pads, you should take time to inspect the other parts as well. Brake pad costs depend on the type of pads you buy for the make and model of your vehicle. Pads for an economical car, for example, may be lower in price than those for a luxury car.

Semi-metallic pads may be composed of 50% metal or more, combined with other bonding materials. They are durable in construction but tend to be noisy when used. In addition, the pads cause greater wear and tear on your brake rotors, resulting in your having to replace these more often.

Generally, there are four types of brake pads as follows:

• Semi metallic pads
• Organic pads
• Low metallic pads
• Ceramic pads

Organic pads are constructed out of carbon, rubber or glass fibers. They are quiet to use, mainly due to their organic composition. However, they have a short lifespan and must therefore be replaced more often.

Low-metallic pads are constructed of organic materials mixed with low quantities of steel or copper fibers. Because of the addition of metal, the pads are noisy to use.

Ceramic pads are composed of ceramic fibers mixed with filler materials and very small amounts of metal such as iron. These pads are the most expensive of the four types, but they offer the best quality and performance.

Brake Pad Replacement Cost

Costs of quality brake pads may range anywhere between $30 to $60 a pair, depending on the product and location where you buy. When replacing these items, be sure to replace both front wheels at the same time and both back wheels at the same time, to maintain uniformity. You should also check to see if it is time to replace your rotors. Replacement costs of this item may range from $20 to $80 per wheel, in accordance with the quality and brand of the product. If you add the cost of replacing brake calipers to this list, you may spend yet an additional $30 upwards for each wheel, increasing the total cost even further.

Some vehicle owners opt to purchase brake kits and replace these
items on their own, thus saving the cost of having to pay a professional mechanic for this job. If you are mechanically inclined and have some experience in this area, this is a feasible option. Brake kits fall in the range of $430 to $1500.00 per kit, depending on the product you choose. You may find less expensive kits online through eBay or similar sites. However, you should choose your product with great care for quality and performance. By purchasing only quality brake system parts, you can have greater confidence of vehicle safety on the road.

The auto parts market tends to be quite competitive, giving you a wide variety of product options to buy as well as dealers to purchase from. Online dealers may offer better deals when it comes to pricing, but you should check local auto parts stores as well to see what they have to offer. You will have a better idea of where to buy after researching all the options where you live.

Professional Servicing

Labor costs of professional services for your brake system can be very expensive, ranging between $200 and $1000.00, depending on the work required. This price is exclusive of the cost of parts. The advantage of using a professional service center is that they will guarantee their work, ensuring the job is done right. Unless you have some knowledge or experience in this area, tackling this task as a DIY project could be dangerous. By doing faulty work or making careless mistakes, you could accidentally damage your brake part products or risk an accident if your brakes do not operate properly on the road.

The safety and protection of your loved ones depends on having the best brake system you can. Quality brake parts and proper replacement will ensure your system is in top condition. High quality brake pads cost more than mediocre ones, but they are well worth the investment for superior function and safety.