Need Help Choosing Brake Pads for your Ride?

Choosing brake pads is not likely something you consider often, unless your brakes are telling you they need attention. Looking at new brake pads, it might be hard to believe there are so many choices. From the factory, your car, truck, or SUV came with whatever stock brakes were formulated for it, but how were those brakes developed? Better yet, how do you choose brake pads for your vehicle? Just like many parts of your vehicle, the automaker choosing brake pads results from balancing several factors, such as braking power, noise, dust, longevity, and operating temperature, which depends much on vehicle type and how it will be used.

Obviously, the brakes need to stop the vehicle, but luxury cars and economy cars don’t have the same braking requirements as sports cars and pickup trucks. Brakes on sports cars and pickup trucks are usually formulated to develop higher friction for better stopping power, which means they usually wear out faster and generate more dust. Better stopping power is a good thing, but commuters don’t want to replace their brakes every 30,000 kilometres and luxury car owners would likely find so much brake dust to be unsightly. The brakes on a typical family sedan or luxury car are much quieter and cleaner, but they cannot manage heavy braking, such as when towing or hauling.

Choosing Brake Pads for You and Your Ride

When it comes to choosing brake pads for your vehicle, stock or original equipment (OE) style brakes will give you the performance and operation with which you’re accustomed. If you need to tip the balance one way or another, quieter, cleaner, or grabbier, then you might consider another option. NAPA AUTOPRO supplies four different brake pad formulations, depending on how you use your vehicle.

• NAPA PROFORMER brakes offer the best value in reliable braking for nearly every vehicle on the road – over 99.5 percent of cars, light trucks, and SUVs produced in the last 40 years. NAPA PROFORMER brake pads are best for those who want safe stopping at budget price.
• NAPA Premium brakes are designed for quieter braking and less wear. Quieter braking is ensured by additional post-processing, such as OE-style chamfers, rubberized shims, and quality hardware. NAPA Premium brakes deliver near-OE performance with a two-year warranty.
• NAPA Ultra Premium brakes cover most vehicles produced in the last 15 years with guaranteed quieter braking in modern ceramic formulations without the extra dust. These are the ideal choice for towing, harsh driving condition and for those who drive trucks and large SUVs that want piece of mind.
• NAPA Adaptive ONE brakes are our most-advanced brake pads, developed to adapt to driver and vehicle. Inner and outer brake pads are formulated differently to maintain performance whatever the temperature, load, or driver. NAPA Adaptive ONE brakes break in quicker and deliver consistent braking performance for trucks and SUVs and for towing and hauling. Now available for Passenger cars, Trucks and SUVs (including Kevlar), Performance and R90 compliant brake pads for European vehicles.

Choose your brake pads according to your vehicle and how you use so it can deliver long-term driving satisfaction and braking performance. Whatever NAPA brake pads you choose, be assured they’ll fit as required, selecting the line that best matches your driving habits and budget. For best results, match your new brake pads to NAPA Premium Brake Rotors and NAPA Ultra Premium Brake Rotors. Check out the disc brake services available at any of our 600 NAPA AUTOPRO locations for routine maintenance and repairs. For more information on choosing brake pads, chat with a knowledgeable expert at your local NAPA AUTOPRO Service Centre.