2012 Mazda5 - About time for new brakes, any recommendations?

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Orangutan

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2012 Mazda5 Sport AT
I've put nearly 70k miles (lots of highway driving) on my 2012 Mazda5 on its original set of pads and rotors. I'm going to replace the rotors and pads on all four corners soon and I'd like to do it myself (for the first time ever). A MS3 front brake conversion interests me, but I don't know if my stock 16" wheels can clear. I haven't found an answer to that question, either, since I know that 16" wheels will clear the MS3 brakes, just not whether these stock 16" wheels (same as the 2012-2013 Mazda3 Skyactiv 16" alloys) will clear. Since I'm not positive it would work and to save money, I think I'm going to just forego the swap.

In any case, I think I've narrowed down my choices to the following. I'd like something with a bit more grip than the OEM equipment, but I also don't want a lot of noise. What are your thoughts?

Front:
Rotors - Centric high-carbon 125 series vented 125.45069 ($67 each) or Brembo UV coated 09.9468.21 ($60)
Pads - Akebono ACT1044 or StopTech 309.10440 or Brembo P24061N

Rear:
Rotors - Centric 120 series 120.45065 ($37 each) or Brembo UV coated 08.A711.11 ($50)
Pads - Hawk HB478Z.605 or Akebono EUR1095 or Brembo P59042N
 
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Just call up Rich at Rotorpros; he'll hook you up with some great drilled and slotted rotors and ceramic pads, all for a little more than $200. I used Rich and absolutely love the set up he sold me. The deep zinc plating that he uses looks great, peeking out from behnd my oem 16" rims.
 
Whatever brand you go with, make sure you do NOT buy the low end tier and you should be fine. You absolutely get what you pay for.

If you want aggressive pads, you need better rotors or the pad may end up chewing the rotors.

Put your money on the front, less on the rear unless you want to mix and match for more rear stopping.

And most importantly, you are also due for brake fluid flush!

I like Centric High Carbon rotors but don't like their pads. I read good things about Hawk HPS pads (switching to these myslef come spring). Akebono = stock, but not sure which series. Avoid entry Brembo.
 
i might try the Hawk HPS pads this year. ours will need pads probably in the summer. or i might go back to OEM.

i think i have the stoptech heavy duty pads now, and they have horrible cold friction. get a little heat in them, and they grab great, however.
 
I replaced oem rotors and pads on our 2008 with Centric Premium front and rear with Centric posi-quiet ceramic pads. It's not a high performance upgrade but it's a couple steps better than stock. I also have a 2012 Mz5 that still has oem brakes and the replacement set I put on the 2008 is much nicer for stopping and pedal feel. I got it all for a good price through Rock Auto.
 
I put the kit from PowerStop on my 2012 at about 80,000 miles. They are pretty dang good and were one of the few companies that had a setup specific for the mz5.
 
Went with the Akebono pads front and rear and Centric high carbon rotors front and rear. Pads have arrived, waiting on the rotors.
 
i have just replace all 4 corners with Centric C-Tek & Stoptech street performance pads. Love that combo!

the rotors are like $20/each for the front, and $16/each for the rear, i have use higher grade Centric/Stoptech rotors before on my other car, so far i am not able to tell the difference, only time with tell about their longevity, but at the price, i can afford to change them often.

as for the stoptech street pads, i find them similar to my Hawk HPS, but seems like its giving me more dust, if you are ok with that, the stoptech is a much better value than the Hawk HPS. I bought everything from RockAuto.

Check out autoanything for the centric C-tek review, they are all positive.
 
FMJ 5 said:
i have just replace all 4 corners with Centric C-Tek & Stoptech street performance pads. Love that combo!

the rotors are like $20/each for the front, and $16/each for the rear, i have use higher grade Centric/Stoptech rotors before on my other car, so far i am not able to tell the difference, only time with tell about their longevity, but at the price, i can afford to change them often.

as for the stoptech street pads, i find them similar to my Hawk HPS, but seems like its giving me more dust, if you are ok with that, the stoptech is a much better value than the Hawk HPS. I bought everything from RockAuto.

Check out autoanything for the centric C-tek review, they are all positive.
Click to expand...
For DD driving and you are using non aggressive pads and do not have the want/need for better braking, C-Tek or most any generic blank will "work". That's like saying why buy Ralph Lauren polo when you can buy a Charter Club or Old Navy polo. It's not just branding cost, there's high quality textile cost as Charter Club is owned by RL and Old Navy is in the same family as GAP and BR.

[EDIT: Doofus mistake. Compared rears with fronts (hand). Edit out numbers but I still stand by quality differences]

Centric family C-Teck <- Premium <- High Carbon. Without a shred of proof :p, I highly suspect the High Carbon series are the blanks used for StopTech rotors.
 
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Silentnoise713 said:
For DD driving and you are using non aggressive pads and do not have the want/need for better braking, C-Tek or most any generic blank will "work". That's like saying why buy Ralph Lauren polo when you can buy a Charter Club or Old Navy polo. It's not just branding cost, there's high quality textile cost as Charter Club is owned by RL and Old Navy is in the same family as GAP and BR.

Food for thought. Centric Rotors for Mz5:
C-Tek rotor - 11.3 lbs
High Carbon rotor - 17.81 lbs (36% heavier)

More unsprung mass :( but I'll let you google and read on rotor quality.

Centric family C-Teck <- Premium <- High Carbon. Without a shred of proof :p, I highly suspect the High Carbon series are the blanks used for StopTech rotors.
Click to expand...

OR... the C-Tek blanks are thinner and wont last as long, or give you the heat loading that you want for a heavier car like the Mazda5.

i refuse to buy the cheap-ass rotor blanks, since they have no rust coating. at the same time, i refuse to buy the expensive blanks, since there really isn't any cost benefit to be had. my last purchase was for Centric e-coated OEM replacement blanks, and they have worked great for the past 3 years.
 
njaremka said:
OR... the C-Tek blanks are thinner and wont last as long, or give you the heat loading that you want for a heavier car like the Mazda5.

i refuse to buy the cheap-ass rotor blanks, since they have no rust coating. at the same time, i refuse to buy the expensive blanks, since there really isn't any cost benefit to be had. my last purchase was for Centric e-coated OEM replacement blanks, and they have worked great for the past 3 years.
Click to expand...
Sorry, used wrong numbers. Actually this made me feel better b/c I was starting to worry it was a mistake to go with MS3 Centric HDs!. Yes, I am against cheap-ass rotors but it really does come down to your needs/use case for them.
 
I have 65K miles on a 2009 5 that is almost all city. Pads still have over half. I'd be very surprised if you need brakes.
 
Silentnoise713 said:
For DD driving and you are using non aggressive pads and do not have the want/need for better braking, C-Tek or most any generic blank will "work". That's like saying why buy Ralph Lauren polo when you can buy a Charter Club or Old Navy polo. It's not just branding cost, there's high quality textile cost as Charter Club is owned by RL and Old Navy is in the same family as GAP and BR.

[EDIT: Doofus mistake. Compared rears with fronts (hand). Edit out numbers but I still stand by quality differences]

Centric family C-Teck <- Premium <- High Carbon. Without a shred of proof :p, I highly suspect the High Carbon series are the blanks used for StopTech rotors.
Click to expand...
I'll have to check the part number for the big rotors on my S2000 to see what they match.
njaremka said:
OR... the C-Tek blanks are thinner and wont last as long, or give you the heat loading that you want for a heavier car like the Mazda5.

i refuse to buy the cheap-ass rotor blanks, since they have no rust coating. at the same time, i refuse to buy the expensive blanks, since there really isn't any cost benefit to be had. my last purchase was for Centric e-coated OEM replacement blanks, and they have worked great for the past 3 years.
Click to expand...

I bought C-Teks and E-Coated for the sets that are sitting against the wall for the 5 and the Frontier. I read a TON of reviews and feedback, along with technical info from Centric/Stoptech. They're really just added features on top of each other going into the "higher" end rotors. Base disc is pretty much the same. The E-Coated may have a slightly tighter machining tolerance on it than the C-Tek. May.
 
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