Brake pads and rotors — How to tell good from bad
Whether you do your own brake jobs or rely on your trusted mechanic, you need to know what’s going on in the brake parts industry. Somewhere beyond the sea (China), unknown manufacturers are flooding the U.S. market with economy brakes parts that do not meet the minimum Federal standards for new cars. That’s right, cheap brakes parts are everywhere. Any shop can buy economy brake pads for as little as $10/set and rotors for as low as $9. Worse than the low price is the fact that the offshore manufacturers are labeling their products as “premium” goods. Independent lab tests have shown that these low quality parts have a shorter life span and result in longer stopping distances and greater noise.
To combat the influx of cheap low quality parts, the Brake Manufacturer’s Council (BEEP) and an independent testing laboratory (D3EA) have developed a certification program for brake parts manufacturers. Most of the top brand U.S. manufacturers have already submitted their products to these testing labs and now advertise their CERTIFIED status.
Demand B.E.E.P. or D3EA CERTIFIED brake pads and rotors from your auto parts store or local mechanic.
Bendix Brakes
Raybestos Brake Parts
Wagner Brake Parts
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© 2007 Rick Muscoplat
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