I know this has been covered and I have read I think every post on the subject...but what is the FINAL word on the best break pads? I have a 05 coupe and I was pretty happy with stock...but if I can get something better...great...price not an issue...I did want a place that overnights...any recommendations?

I'm still not sure which pads to get...I was thinking Hawk but it seems like some people dont like for daily drving. I live in LA so its all stop and go. The oem pads on my 05 have always seemed good...should I just stick to oem? Or maybe Nismo? Just not sure...any final recomendations?

 

Anyone? Should I just get OEM?

 

There is no best brake pad.
Some prefer less dust while others prefer better stopping power.
Some people drive aggressively or track their cars and others don't.
It depends on what you want and what you intend to do.

 

The stock are very good, if very dirty. For most driving conditions. Many seem happy with Hawks and several other brands for less dust with equal braking efficiency. There seems to be a sparse supply of published tests comparing different brands which would help us choose based on application.
To me, pad composition and design is no big secret. All the major mfrs can make pads to stop better under specific conditions.

The excess wear most notable on 03 and 04 models, tends to be contrary to the image of Infiniti being the brake experts some would like to believe they are. But for a production performance car they do a good job overall, and they should.

 

There seems to be a sparse supply of published tests comparing different brands which would help us choose based on application.

INTENTIONALLY

Because the temperature of initial application and the speed at which brakes are applied causes so much variation in results.

I always invite members to look at this comparison of pads for Crown Vic Police Cars.............look at how pad selection causes massive variations in pad and rotor temperature from a real scientific series of test.

They even measured the forces on brake pedal. Wear rates for the time in test. Some of pads wore rotors 4 times faster than oem pads.

Many don't like the fact that oem Ford pads performed the best........usually what happens when oem and aftermarket are compared even in pursuit type aggressive driving.
http://www.nlectc.org/pdffiles/brakepads_epr2000.pdf

Some other tests:
http://www.nlectc.org/testing/wintertires.html
http://www.nlectc.org/testing/vehicles.html
http://www.michigan.gov/msp/0,1607,7...6274--,00.html

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/ms...7_172994_7.doc

Watch out for 5.7 Charger Police cars they are as fast as my old 90 Q with mods except they are limited to 148 mph.

 

That makes no sense at all!
You just provided links to brake pad tests!!!
Narrowing down to one model of car or just one car as a test bed would
be even better.

You test them under the same conditions.
Repeated testing would be used for determining the increased distance due to brake fade, etc, etc.
Obviously, some will fare better than others.