# Brakes, what pads are best **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** mercury\ **Created:** [September 16, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-what-pads-are-best/36743 "2009-09-16T21:47:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![hvonletkemann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/71e660/32.png) [@hvonletkemann](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hvonletkemann)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-what-pads-are-best/36743/1 "2009-09-16T21:47:02Z")
I have a Mercury Grand Marquis with 75K miles. It needs new rotors and pads. One Mercury mechanic says use only Motorcraft (Ford) parts. I see that heavy duty Motorcraft pads are available, but from what I read maybe ceramic pads would be better (as well as more expensive). What do you think? ---
**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 9:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-what-pads-are-best/36743/2 "2009-09-16T21:58:28Z")
What year? (It makes a difference.) ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-what-pads-are-best/36743/3 "2009-09-16T22:01:32Z")
[www.tirerack.com](http://www.tirerack.com) has a section that rates different brake pad meterials as well as pointing out the pluses and minuses of each. I recommend a visit. ---
**Author:** ![hvonletkemann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/71e660/32.png) [@hvonletkemann](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hvonletkemann)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 10:08pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-what-pads-are-best/36743/4 "2009-09-16T22:08:01Z")
It’s a 2003. Sorry, I thought I had mentioned that. Thank you for responding. ---
**Author:** ![hvonletkemann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/71e660/32.png) [@hvonletkemann](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hvonletkemann)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 10:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-what-pads-are-best/36743/5 "2009-09-16T22:09:01Z")
Thank you, I will take a look. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 10:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-what-pads-are-best/36743/6 "2009-09-16T22:10:44Z")
If you’ve been happy with the stock pads, replace them with stock, I doubt you’ll get better performance with others. You might save money, nothing wrong with that, of course. ---
**Author:** ![hvonletkemann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/71e660/32.png) [@hvonletkemann](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hvonletkemann)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-what-pads-are-best/36743/7 "2009-09-16T22:17:36Z")
Actually, I have been quite satisfied with the original stock pads. They lasted until now, although I try to not use them any more than necessary by anticipating my actions. Do you think the heavy duty ones would make any difference? If they lasted longer that would be good, but that might be at the expense of stopping quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-what-pads-are-best/36743/8 "2009-09-16T22:18:25Z")
What worked before? The mechanic that told you to only use Motorcraft brake parts is partially right. Because you didn’t have any other brake problems other than wear. But you can purchase aftermarket brake components that meets or exceeds the same specifications of the Motorcraft parts. Now, when you start changing friction material on the brake pads to something other than what originally came on your vehicle, you’re delving into unknown waters. The new brake rotors have a specific finish machined on them so that the original pad friction material properly embeds into the rotors. Changing the friction material on the brake pads can prevent the proper embedding of the friction material onto the rotors. And this can lead to unwanted brake noise. Stick with what the engineers at Ford spent millions of dollars on testing brake components to figure out what worked best, and you’ll never have a problem with your brakes. Tester ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 10:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-what-pads-are-best/36743/9 "2009-09-16T22:21:36Z")
75k is plenty long enough for me, I’d rather stick with a known quantity. ---
**Author:** ![americar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/americar/32/42_2.png) [@americar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/americar)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 10:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-what-pads-are-best/36743/10 "2009-09-16T22:28:36Z")
Check Out [RockAuto.com](http://RockAuto.com) [http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/catalog.php](http://www.rockauto.com/catalog/catalog.php) If only for reference. It looks like Ceramic pads were OEM. ---
**Author:** ![hvonletkemann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/71e660/32.png) [@hvonletkemann](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hvonletkemann)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 10:29pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-what-pads-are-best/36743/11 "2009-09-16T22:29:50Z")
You’re convincing me. THANK YOU. ---
**Author:** ![hvonletkemann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/71e660/32.png) [@hvonletkemann](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hvonletkemann)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-what-pads-are-best/36743/12 "2009-09-16T22:31:10Z")
Thank you. I will. ---
**Author:** ![hvonletkemann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/71e660/32.png) [@hvonletkemann](https://community.cartalk.com/u/hvonletkemann)\ **Post date:** [September 16, 2009, 10:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/brakes-what-pads-are-best/36743/13 "2009-09-16T22:35:09Z")
Thank you! You explained it so I understand it, and I sincerely appreciate your doing so.