Duralast is a parts brand exclusively sold at Autozone. I've found that their brake pads are of low quality and greatly prefer Wagner and Raybestos as they stop far better.
A friend of mine tried the Duralast Gold brake pads as they come with a lifetime guarantee. He said that they stopped "OK" but after 10K miles his rotors were all worn down and needed replacement. He went to the Autozone Store and spoke with the manager. The manager said that the Gold Pads are of a very hard metallic composition so that they would last. My friend told him but my rotors are now worn out. The manager said that this is typical with hard compound Duralast Gold pads, afterall we are giving you a lifetime waranty so what do you expect? He had to purchase four new rotors that cost him $180 for the four. "Smart guys" run that Autozone. They sell you a lifetime pad that wears out the rotors in short orfer and then youv'e got to spend $150 or more to fix the damage that they cause. Can you believe that sh*t?

------------------
" THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, 3.4" Pulley, N* TB, LS1 MAF, Flotech Exhaust Autolite 104's Custom CAI 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite.
"THE COLUSSUS"
87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H
" ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "

[This message has been edited by Dennis LaGrua (edited 05-10-2009).]

When asbestos was banned, in order to meet required stopping distances, brake pads were made softer. They wore out faster, but they stopped in the required 60-0 distance. Because there was then a need to replace the shoes or pads more often, harder compounds were offered and now, we plop down $180 every couple of years to keep from buying a couple of sets of $35 brake pads. It's not just AutoZone. When it comes to friction, something's got to give.

That's pretty much expected really. You have two wear components, if one of them is going to last forever then the other one must fail.

Since most people "go to the dealer" these days anyways, it doesn't really matter, which component fails. The expensive part is labor.

I've been screwed over by Midas, a few times (better than what the dealer tried to screw me over with) before I learned my lesson, and now do all my own brakes.. And friend's brakes, and girlfriend's brakes.

btw.: my favorite brakes to change so far are MINI Cooper S. So quick, it's like they thought of rally/track/autocross use when they designed the car.

(disclaimer: I haven't done Fiero brakes yet, so I'm not sure how they stack up)

Can't wait for Wilwood calipers though. With the right size rims, one can change the brakes in 15 seconds, if I understand that correctly. (Just remove the cotter pin (dynalite), or cotter bolt (superlite) and pull out the pads, and pop new ones in.) People with Wilwood's please chime in if it's really that easy..

So buy lifetime warranty rotors, too. Problem solved.

quote Originally posted by Austrian Import: btw.: my favorite brakes to change so far are MINI Cooper S. So quick, it's like they thought of rally/track/autocross use when they designed the car.

My favorite was a 2000 Mazda 626, one of the caliper bolts acts as a pivot for the caliper, so you don't have to worry about kinking the hose.

I have Duralast Gold pads on the rear of the Fiero when I did the Grand Am upgrade, haven't noticed any abnormal wear, but MAN do they stop well.

------------------

1984 Fiero SE

quote Originally posted by Formula88: So buy lifetime warranty rotors, too. Problem solved.

That was my thoughts. Just buy them from autozone and keep them paying for them.

Steve

well, you must also look at the average driver/car owner
do they notice pads wearing down?
or do they drive it until it will not stop anymore?
and - at that point - they need new rotors.
so - replace pads & rotors every year - or replace pads & rotors every couple of years?

quote Originally posted by JumpStart: That was my thoughts. Just buy them from autozone and keep them paying for them. Steve

Not sure if they have lifetime warantees on brake rotors. Even so you'll still need to supply the labor and produce your sales receipt at the time of the claim.. The sales receipts at Autozone are printed on thermal paper.. With age the writing disappears and you then have a blank receipt! They've got it al figured out! The only guy that I knew that beat em took a photocopy of the receipt and brought that back with the aged blank receipt. Then they had to honor it! That place is run by scoundrels and most of their parts are low quality imported Chinese garbage.

------------------
" THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, 3.4" Pulley, N* TB, LS1 MAF, Flotech Exhaust Autolite 104's Custom CAI 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite.
"THE COLUSSUS"
87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H
" ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "

I think the lifetime rotor suggestion was a funny ha-ha.

Anything I've bought under Warranty at Autozone was entered into the computer with my information. I've been able to return items, without the receipt, to Autozone stores I did not buy them from for a replacement. They just looked in the computer and saw the purchase I had made with the warranty info.

[This message has been edited by Xanth (edited 05-11-2009).]

If you're paying someone to install your brakes, find out where they are getting the pads from, usually repair shops that have accounts with several parts stores will favor the cheapest supplier, you will not see the savings. If they list their pads for $65 and they get them from Autozone for $15 as opposed to say premium ceramic from Carquest for $40 you loose unless the salesperson shows more concern about the quality of the parts and doesn't want to see you within the next 3 months for squeaky new brakes.

It's not so much a conspiracy as it is an effort to keep profits up. It's also a hard call as I've noticed the most common European imports (my oppinion), BMW, Volvo and Mercedes seem to have soft metal rotors because sometimes they require rotor replacement with the first or second brake job using OE parts and their brakes rarely squeak that's why I say soft metal as opposed to hard pads.

I always inquire about an organic product because although they don't last as long they are quiet and easy on the rotors.

All of the economy priced parts stores use vanishing ink receipts, not just Autozone and info is only kept in the computer at the store you make your purchase at.

quote Originally posted by Xanth: Anything I've bought under Warranty at Autozone was entered into the computer with my information. I've been able to return items, without the receipt, to Autozone stores I did not buy them from for a replacement. They just looked in the computer and saw the purchase I had made with the warranty info.

Thats what we would like to believe. But I have brought parts back with no receipt and they say "Sorry we can't find that transaction" . Its either clerk error or every once in a while some info is lost by accident. We have a simple solution, no Autozone for brake pads. We use only Wagner Thermo Quiet or Raybestos Premium pads. They cost more but when you do a brake job with them it will last a long time.

------------------
" THE BLACK PARALYZER" -87GT 3800SC Series III engine, 3.4" Pulley, N* TB, LS1 MAF, Flotech Exhaust Autolite 104's Custom CAI 4T65eHD w. custom axles, HP Tuners VCM Suite.
"THE COLUSSUS"
87GT - ALL OUT 3.4L Turbocharged engine, Garrett Hybrid Turbo, MSD ign., modified TH125H
" ON THE LOOSE WITHOUT THE JUICE "

quote Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua: But I have brought parts back with no receipt and they say "Sorry we can't find that transaction" . Its either clerk error or every once in a while some info is lost by accident.

Given the experiences with AutoZone clerks and computer systems, either one of those is highly probable

I have noticed that when I go there, they have 3 or 4 different listings for me because they entered them in wrong each time, and gotta check each one to find the part I'm checking the warranty on.

[This message has been edited by Xanth (edited 05-11-2009).]

quote Originally posted by Joseph Upson: All of the economy priced parts stores use vanishing ink receipts, not just Autozone

yep...
I make photo copies.

Check this out.
Purchased parts at O'Rielly's in Kansas.
Had to return the part for replacement in Arkansas. I had the receipt.
The counter person just asked me for my name, entered it into their computer system, verified my former Kansas address and gave me the replacement part. Didn't even look at my receipt.

BTW Anyone who owns a Fiero & pays to have all the work done on it must have deep pockets.

[This message has been edited by 30+mpg (edited 05-11-2009).]

I use either Wagner quiet stop or Pro Stop pads from Pep Boys on all the cars I work on. I never get any complaints about noisy pads, squealing or rotors that wear prematurely. I do a lot of brake jobs, as I work at a garage part time, and I have noticed that there can be a tremendous difference in rotor quality. A lot of the aftermarket rotors today are from china. They generally suck too. I've seen them where they runout right out of the box. The other issue is they are not easily turned when they need to be. They have hard spots that seem to come due to braking and they can really give you a hard time cutting on the brake lathe.
Our cars, particularly non-'88's with non-vented rotors can really have problems with cheap rotors too. I've had OEM and Raybestos rotors for Fiero's that can be cut but the chinese crap is often not cut acceptably.

quote Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua: ....most of their parts are low quality imported Chinese garbage.

I put their Duralast Gold pads in my daily driver Cobalt and I was surprised to see they were made in the US. No, not surprised, astounded! Don't know if they still are however or if I was just using the last of the old stuff. I like them well enough i'll probably use them again and I've saved the original box and receipt so I can get replacements.

After 10 years and 4 Fieros, I like Raybestos the best. What do you think of the semi-metallic brakes offered by the Fiero Store?

------------------
Darren J. Reale

I put new rotors on my Dakota last year and new Duralast Gold pads on it in April of this year. Just this past weekend, I replaced a set of chewed up rotors. Pads are good, but rotors were scored so badly they were unusable. I have Raybestos on 1 Fiero and Wagners on another. Like them both.

[This message has been edited by fierofool (edited 08-02-2010).]

quote Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua: Duralast is a parts brand exclusively sold at Autozone. I've found that their brake pads are of low quality and greatly prefer Wagner and Raybestos as they stop far better. A friend of mine tried the Duralast Gold brake pads as they come with a lifetime guarantee. He said that they stopped "OK" but after 10K miles his rotors were all worn down and needed replacement. He went to the Autozone Store and spoke with the manager. The manager said that the Gold Pads are of a very hard metallic composition so that they would last. My friend told him but my rotors are now worn out. The manager said that this is typical with hard compound Duralast Gold pads, afterall we are giving you a lifetime waranty so what do you expect? He had to purchase four new rotors that cost him $180 for the four. "Smart guys" run that Autozone. They sell you a lifetime pad that wears out the rotors in short orfer and then youv'e got to spend $150 or more to fix the damage that they cause. Can you believe that sh*t?

i think the duralast golds are ceramic pads, aren't they?

Aggressive friction will wear out rotors quicker than a ceramic or standard OEM replacement compound. Alway replace pads with "oem application specific" material IF you are not upgrading the balace of the braking system. I am dumbfounded at the number of people who still purchase product from the zone based on the feedback that the product quality has here. Zone is not the bargin leader you may think it is (but we do believe their adds) and the parts they sell are primarily offshore from a variety of sources. Quality? How many times do you take it back - do the work again - hopefully don't have to pay a tow bill home before you pick up a name brand product from a quality source. OBTY -- friction IS supposed to wearout! Get a quality pad - Wagner - Raybestos - Bendix froma reliable parts source.

quote Originally posted by stickpony: i think the duralast golds are ceramic pads, aren't they?

Most of them are. Ceramic pads don't wear as quickly as semi-metallics, have less dust, but don't stop as well. Semi-metallics stop better, generate more dust, and eat rotors faster.

NEVER buy rotors at Autozone, they always cost more than the competition because of their warranties, and they're ALWAYS made in China.

quote Originally posted by RWDPLZ: NEVER buy rotors at Autozone, they always cost more than the competition because of their warranties, and they're ALWAYS made in China.

Made in China, just like 90% of the items you probably own and use every day, but you wouldn't just throw them out. Being made in China isn't always a bad thing. There are just as many crappy things made in the USA or anywhere else.

Wagner thermo quiets ,,I have been recomending these pads for 3 years on this forum..

>>I recomend them because i listen to a lot of automotive mechanicalTalk shows ,,these pads are still the best all around pad,,only the most aggressive stop better ,of course they wear your rotors down quickly..
..The thermo quiets have become really popular so there are sales now ,,every 3 month Advance auto parts seem to have a thermo quiet rebate sale ..
the brakes on the 84 to 87 fiero are slooooow to stop ,simply install a set of thermo quiets on the front ..
..American demanded ,insisted on LOW QUALITY crappy, sub standard, dangerous rotors from China,, the lowest price ENJOY!! YOUR WISH HAS BEEN GRANTED MORE CRAPPY.LOW QUALITY PARTS COMMING,now I also get to use them..

GOD,, GUNS,, GUTS AND FIERO,S MADE AMERICA GREAT !!
Finally ..a few of you know what I mean::suit up,get ready to jump,, stand in the door for America ..

[This message has been edited by uhlanstan (edited 08-02-2010).]

What about those carbomet pads I heard they were good but never used them yet?

As some of you know I work at advance so I may be slightly biased but.... The Wagner thermoquiet pads are the best IMO ( they are also offering a $15.00 rebate per axle currently) I have a set of raybestos on my jeep and they are equally as good. The Wagner lifetime warrantee rotors are definitely beefier and the cooling vanes are bigger, the crosshatching is well defined which helps to break in new pads. As far as warranties go all pads and rotors that have a lifetime warranty are against defects technically, however if the pads are worn evenly (ie caliper wasnt hanging up and caused one pad to wear to the base and the other only half worn) they will be replaced happily using a receipt or your history in the computer. Same with the rotors for warpage or wear. Keep in mind these will typically cost you more at the outset but as we normally keep our cars longer 26yrs and counting..... !!! it is worth it, not to mention the shorter stopping distances, less dusting ( in the case of ceramics white dust) and quieter operation. Now back to your regularly scheduled program..... John

------------------
If I only had ONE more part it will be finished...... famous last words.....

quote Originally posted by stickpony: i think the duralast golds are ceramic pads, aren't they?

It all depends on what the vehicle had on it from the factory. If they were ceramic then the golds will be ceramic, if they were semi-metallic from the factory then thats what the golds will be.

Drew

I've only had a problem twice with Duralast golds. The first one being they failed within 12k miles on a cavalier and the 2nd being where they just because brittle and flaked away. Every time I need to warranty them for a customer I just call up autozone, tell them whats going on and tada new pads. If I'm out of stock on the wagner thermo-quiets then Ill use Duralast golds. We've used them so much that autozone gives us all sorts of promo stuff., hell they even bring us Philly cheese steaks.

We will do brakes on about 5 cars every day, and only about 2 a month come back with premature failure.

------------------

All of the economy priced parts stores use vanishing ink receipts, not just Autozone and info is only kept in the computer at the store you make your purchase at.


Ive found a lot of stores now do this. Its great for big electronics stores too. When your big tv or DVD player need some warranty work, you no longer have the reciept. I found out because I always staple the original reciept inside my owners manual so I always have them. Lots of them are now blank.

If you use an Autozone Rewards Card (free), it keeps track of all your purchases online.

I am using Duralast Golds for the first time.
and, my first impression was that I like them alot.
but, now I am worried, and will inspect my rotors before winter
I really really like the smooth braking, quite braking & very strong braking.
and, the no black dust build-up
I have been in fact recommending these things, because they work so well sofar.
my only issue with these sofar is they seem to be senstive to being wet. tho, havent seen pads which are not

quote Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua: Not sure if they have lifetime warantees on brake rotors. Even so you'll still need to supply the labor and produce your sales receipt at the time of the claim.. The sales receipts at Autozone are printed on thermal paper.. With age the writing disappears and you then have a blank receipt! They've got it al figured out! The only guy that I knew that beat em took a photocopy of the receipt and brought that back with the aged blank receipt. Then they had to honor it!

Maybe it's just the Autozone stores around here, but it seems I never have the receipt when I return something on warranty. However, I just give them my phone number and they can locate it in their sales data (computer records.) I recently returned an alternator I bought 2-3 years ago and they pulled it up, no problem. While they were looking for it, I noticed they had every warrantied purchase I'd made in the past few years. I was told they can also lookup the info with your last name, store location or zipcode.

quote Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua: Not sure if they have lifetime warantees on brake rotors. Even so you'll still need to supply the labor and produce your sales receipt at the time of the claim.. The sales receipts at Autozone are printed on thermal paper.. With age the writing disappears and you then have a blank receipt! They've got it al figured out! The only guy that I knew that beat em took a photocopy of the receipt and brought that back with the aged blank receipt. Then they had to honor it!

Maybe it's just the Autozone stores around here, but it seems I never have the receipt when I return something on warranty. However, I just give them my phone number and they can locate it in their sales data (computer records.) I recently returned an alternator I bought 2-3 years ago and they pulled it up, no problem. While they were looking for it, I noticed they had every warrantied purchase I'd made in the past few years. I was told they can also lookup the info with your last name, store location or zipcode. [/quote]

Thats works when the clerk can find your purchase in the system. They can usually find it but not always find it. Regardless, I still feel that most everything sold at Autozone is cheap low quality Chinese garbage.

quote Originally posted by uhlanstan: ..American demanded ,insisted on LOW QUALITY crappy, sub standard, dangerous rotors from China,, the lowest price ENJOY!! YOUR WISH HAS BEEN GRANTED MORE CRAPPY.LOW QUALITY PARTS COMMING,now I also get to use them.. GOD,, GUNS,, GUTS AND FIERO,S MADE AMERICA GREAT !! Finally ..a few of you know what I mean::suit up,get ready to jump,, stand in the door for America ..

If you want to go on and on and on about ridiculously irrelevant political propaganda, please go to Totally O/T to do it. Your incoherent nationalistic fervor has nothing to do with whether or not a certain set of pads installed on anyone's car is of a certain quality or not. I've seen just as many low quality crap "made" in America, as I've seen that was "made" anywhere else, in my life. Hell, most of the high quality products I own, were made in Taiwan, China, or Japan. If you want to be a nationalistic rasist psycopath in your posts, please do it in Totally O/T, which was made for things like that. I'd much rather know about real technical issues with any brake pads, than your love for the second amendment here, as I'm sure many would prefer.

That said, I have several vehicles, and don't drive them all that much, since I work from home. So I don't have to change the brakes except for maybe once every 6+ years or something. I recently had to replace the pads on the front of my S-10 though, for a state inspection, though they weren't exactly gone yet. I put the Duralast Golds on it, and haven't noticed anything bad yet, but it's only been a couple months, and I'm usually light on the brakes anyway (all my cars are manual, save the parts car I just got, which will be a manual when I restore it). I'll probably have to replace the pads on my Mini soon though. In the Mini crowd, there seems to be a lot of favor toward the *Stuff pads. Has anyone used any on a Fiero? I'm thinking of trying the Green Stuffs on my Mini.

I'm about to do a total rebuild/upgrade of the brake system on my Fiero though, and am not sure yet what pads to get for that.

quote Originally posted by Dennis LaGrua: Thats works when the clerk can find your purchase in the system. They can usually find it but not always find it. Regardless, I still feel that most everything sold at Autozone is cheap low quality Chinese garbage.

yes, this is the case for Pepboys/Autozone/Advanced Auto
bottom of the barrel
NAPA/Carquest for the good stuff

quote Originally posted by RWDPLZ: Most of them are. Ceramic pads don't wear as quickly as semi-metallics, have less dust, but don't stop as well. Semi-metallics stop better, generate more dust, and eat rotors faster. NEVER buy rotors at Autozone, they always cost more than the competition because of their warranties, and they're ALWAYS made in China.

are you saying chinese steel is bad??!!! blasphemy!

quote Originally posted by Fiero_Fan_88: I've only had a problem twice with Duralast golds. The first one being they failed within 12k miles on a cavalier and the 2nd being where they just because brittle and flaked away. Every time I need to warranty them for a customer I just call up autozone, tell them whats going on and tada new pads. If I'm out of stock on the wagner thermo-quiets then Ill use Duralast golds. We've used them so much that autozone gives us all sorts of promo stuff., hell they even bring us Philly cheese steaks. We will do brakes on about 5 cars every day, and only about 2 a month come back with premature failure.

Those weren't Philly cheese stakes, those were BRAKE PADS!

I am using red stuff on my fiero with 96 corvette brakes all the way around. i really like them! Definitely will use EBC again. They clamp like nobody's business and supposedly get stronger the hotter they get. I have not gotten a chance to race with them yet thought so I have not exactly worked them too hard.

When the time is right I will probably even use their rotors when I do a full brake job. Anyway, I try to stay away from the super cheap stuff although I would not spend the money on EBC's for ever vehicle but definitely the performance oriented ones.

I don't mind Duralast ..they typically last me about a yr then I return them for another set for free
I have no problem with them stopping the car and they are easy on my Corvette rotors