Brakes need to be done

[Mile High VX]

And I'm all for the OEM pads, but at $250 for the entire set someone help me justify it...

[Ldub]

And I'm all for the OEM pads, but at $250 for the entire set someone help me justify it...

Ummmm...It's only money?

Did that help?...

[Mile High VX]

Ummmm...It's only money?

Did that help?...

Gosh, I feel so much better now...ROFL

[Ldub]

Gosh, I feel so much better now...ROFL

I think of it as a $50.00 a yr investment, since a set of pads usually last 4 yrs.

That better?...

[tom4bren]

Brakes are not something you should skimp on. Several members have used aftermarket pads & didn't like them from a performance perspective. That's enough for me to stick with OEM.

On the flip side, I've used aftermarket pads on other vehicles & they NEVER seem to last as long as OEM. What was saved on initial purchase was lost in re-do.

"There's never time to do it right ... but there's always time to do it over"

Words of wisdom passed down from dear ol' Dad!

[WormGod]

I actually looked into replacing brakes altogether with a Brembo kit but there is nothing remotely close to an proper ISUZU fitment for us. I suppose some brute work could be done to get some application to work, but I can;t imagine the cost of that on top of a big brake kit alone.

[RallyDude]

MSHardeman, I don't have enough experience with the VX, but every other vehicle I've owned, you would replace the front pads a few times before having to replace the rears. I can't imagine this is normal for a VX, I'm thinking a problem with the master cylinder? Do you notice poor braking?

MileHigh, Also I can't attest to the brakes on a VX, but brakes in general, are usually a fairly easy DIY project, especially disc brakes. Some require special tools. If your handy, brakes will be easy for you. I usually just inspect and repack the bearings, it's a little overkill to replace them every time along with the pads. So justify the OEM pads with the money you saved on the bearings. The first and probably most noticeable upgrade would be SS brake lines to rid yourself of the sssqqquuuiiissshhhh..
I'd like to hear from drilled/slotted rotor owners as well, I have heard that slotted rotors can build up ice in the slots, decreasing braking in the snow. Plus MileHigh, I'm guessing you make it up to the mountains, if the drilled rotors do help cool them, that will save the rotors from warping. Again, that is an upgrade, if you want to save $$, just have them turned, or if flat enough, just replace the pads.
In my experience, brake shops are the worst place to take your car. They sell you cheap lifetime pads, but you end up paying them to replace those "free" lifetime pads every year. You or your regular trusted mechanic are the best ways to repair them. I almost never take it to the dealership as it is too expensive. I always pick repair shops that specialize in the type of car being fixed. Brakes are usually the first DIY project after changing the oil, so for this project, do it yourself and I think you'll be surprised at how easy and rewarding it is.

[RallyDude]

I like the idea of a CO VX get together. Great trails start right from my house.

You don't need to change pads until you're making scraping noises. Then you need to change them right away. Usually surface rusting of rotors gets scraped off by pads when you use them. I'm surprised in CO that you have any of that at all. Glad you got good advise and have a bit of time to decide how you want to take care of it.

[MSHardeman]

RallyDude, I am surprised by the VX pad wear too, but it seems to be pretty common on all VX's. Actually my dad owns a Chevy Blazer Extreme and he is still on his original set of front brake pads at over 200k miles. He's replaced the rear pads a few times, but the front ones are still going strong.

Is this some new phenomenon in the car industry?

[Mile High VX]