Hello all, it has been quite a while since I have posted anything in any of these forums, however, I have recently encountered a problem with the brakes on my 3, and I knew this was the place to go for solutions and suggestions.
Here goes.
I have a 2004 Mazda 3s, fully loaded with every option except nav., I say that so you know that I have the 4-wheel anti-lock brake option. Reviews that I have read of the OEM brakes and their lackluster perfromance, as well as their constant squealing, I wholeheartedly agree with. I drive a considerable amount around the DC area, and in the process have put on 23,000 in 10 months of ownership. This week, I discovered that there was something wrong with the rear brakes, they were making a grinding noise when stopping. I brought it into the local Mazda dealer, and they said I needed new pads, so I flipped out on them becasue that didn't seem right. They took another look at it and decided that the rotors and pads needed to be cleaned and adjusted. that was done yesterday afternoon. I picked the car up, drove to work this morning, same problem persisted. At this point I thought, warped rotor. I brought it in, had the tech look at it, and am awaiting their news as I write this.
Consequently, I have spent 3 hours on the net here trying to find better rotors and pads (including rear pads). Also, I have been trying to find knowledgable instructions on-line for replacing the pads and rotors, and thus comes the question.
Does anyone know of good aftermarket pads and rotors (front and back) and how to install them?
Here goes.
I have a 2004 Mazda 3s, fully loaded with every option except nav., I say that so you know that I have the 4-wheel anti-lock brake option. Reviews that I have read of the OEM brakes and their lackluster perfromance, as well as their constant squealing, I wholeheartedly agree with. I drive a considerable amount around the DC area, and in the process have put on 23,000 in 10 months of ownership. This week, I discovered that there was something wrong with the rear brakes, they were making a grinding noise when stopping. I brought it into the local Mazda dealer, and they said I needed new pads, so I flipped out on them becasue that didn't seem right. They took another look at it and decided that the rotors and pads needed to be cleaned and adjusted. that was done yesterday afternoon. I picked the car up, drove to work this morning, same problem persisted. At this point I thought, warped rotor. I brought it in, had the tech look at it, and am awaiting their news as I write this.
Consequently, I have spent 3 hours on the net here trying to find better rotors and pads (including rear pads). Also, I have been trying to find knowledgable instructions on-line for replacing the pads and rotors, and thus comes the question.
Does anyone know of good aftermarket pads and rotors (front and back) and how to install them?
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