New brake pads - poor stopping power

[Riick]

I had local chain auto-store do all new (ceramic) pads + 2 new rotors on my 2000 Avalon (113± K miles)
They did the 1st set of replacement (ceramic) pads at about 55k, good job, everything was fine,
However, this time, lots delays, hassles, and pricing "errors".
One flexible brake line was replaced as it was "collapsed" ... however, I had no pull, no frozen caliper, when I drove in to the shop.

On top of all the cr*p, now that I have the car back, the brake pedal
has excessive travel until I feel the pads hit the rotors, and, I need to apply
more pressure to bring the car to a stop.
However, it does NOT appear to me that's there is air in the brake lines,
since pumping the pedal does not raise the point that the brakes come in.

Am I just dealing with pads that have low friction, or can something else be in play here?

Don't want to take it back to them until I think I know what's going on;
that manager was so full of doo-doo, amazed his eyes have whites.

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[ShawnM]

Im supprised they didnt try to sell you all the hoses and callipers. Its more likely that they damaged the hose somehow while replacing the brakes. From what your describing it sounds like either the pads need to be broken in or you have a little bit of air in the system. If it dosent get better in a few miles of driving take it back and have them bleed it. Or get an opinion from another shop.

[Riick]

Its more likely that they damaged the hose somehow while replacing the brakes.

My best guess is the "mechanic" (Hah!) either let the caliper just hang,
or stuffed the caliper into a crevice, and it fell out.
Bingo: you sir have a "collapsed" brake line.

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