Help with new brake pads

[osama1234]

Hello all,

I’m looking to find replacement brake pads for my 1995 Corolla. FYI, I don’t know which rotors the previous owner had on the car and I am located in Vancouver, Canada. I am looking for economical city use pads, nothing performance oriented. I just want normal/typical car setup that Toyota probably had in mind.

I went to Lordco and got the cheap pads they offered, for $50 which when I got the box turned out to be Raybestos Service Grade SGD562. My brother had a bad experience in the past using Raybesto pads which wore down his rotor, so I did some research.
As I got home, I checked on the internet, and I found them sold on Amazon. The things I noticed is I obviously paid way too much for these and also according to the Amazon they’re semi-metallic (which I think is wrong after I looked at Raybestos site). Looking at Raybestos site, this is the chart I found:

So Questions. Whoever can answer any, please feel free.:

1) This should be easy: Am I correct in trusting Raybestos website which says the original car came with Ceramic pads.

2) Has anyone any experience with Raybestos? Is the service grade something I should skip and shell out additional $50 to get premiums. The box says they are quiet, but does anyone have any knowledge of them being squeaky? Should I just be content with service grade ceramics (SGD562C)?

3) I’m leaning towards getting PGD562C on Amazon for $35.79, except they won’t ship to Canada. Anyone know a cheap place to get them?

4) Would you just recommend some other brand?

Thank you very much.

Chart Attached:

[GTChink]

I've used Raybestos on other vehicles before and they're ok. Now I use Hawk HPS pads with Brembo blank rotors and the car stops on a dime, but does produce more brake dust than before. You can check which ones you like on www.tirerack.com, that's where I get mine. Not sure if they ship to Canada but I wouldn't see why not.

http://www.hawkperformance.com/performance/hps.php

http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/brands.jsp

[speedy25]

there are oodles of choices for pads and materials. My personal opinion of raybestos is they were GREAT in the 60's and never really caught up to modern technology.

Best bet for simple city driving is lifetime warranty pads from the local discount store. They work OK and of you wear them out you just go get another set.

-SP

[Bitter]

Wagner ThermoQuiet are generally good pads for normal use.

[mvftw]

I agree with Bitter...

[Yuko]

^+2 (or 3)

My ThermoQuiet barely wears the rotors and I'm hard on the brakes. I have installed Raybestos on other vehicles with no problems. Ceramic pads in general are better than semi-metallic or organic in wear and stopping power.

[osama1234]

I'm sorry for bumping this thread again, but I'd like to thank everyone for their responses. As a consequence, I've ordred Wagner ThermoQuiets from Amazon for $35.50, and there's a $15 MIR, which turns out to be a pretty good deal. I'll just have to go down to Point Roberts in USA to pick it up.

Thanks again.

[Bitter]

$18 for a set of ThermoQuiet is a good price, you'll like them. Just follow any 'bed in' instructions that come with them. Follow those instructions to the letter as best as possible and then drive them gently for the first 100 miles or so if you're also replacing the rotors (which I recommend, atleast have the rotors cut)

[1jzdreamer]

A mid grade pad would be best. The thermoquiets are just that and they are not as hard on rotors. Cheap pads last long but will chew up rotors.

[REN69]

no automotive shops like Canadian tire in your area?? just buy the premium pads instead of the cheap ones, trust me... don't buy the $20 pads.