Brake Replacement for CX-5 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Brake Replacement for CX-5

kurtrules

kurtrules

Well-known member
I have a 2018 Mazda CX-5 which has around 102K on it. I got the rear brake set replaced at 70k last year. OEM. On the last service, I was told that the front brakes would need replacement next time. The time is due. The front pads and rotor are original parts; from when I bought the new car.

I was quoted $600+ tax for OEMs. Asking around for aftermarket, they are almost 2.5 times less the cost. What I wanted to ask is, are OEMs worth the premium? If not, where can I get a good set of front brake/rotor/shims?

Thanks!
 
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You can definitely get good quality aftermarket brakes. I personally favour Raybestos' Element3 line of parts. You can definitely get crap too. I think the OEM brake pad manufacturer for the 2018 CX-5 was Sangsin? That's not necessarily what you would get from the dealer today - they switch manufacturers for consumable parts all the time.

It gets trickier when it comes to calipers, wheel cylinders, etc. You can absolutely still get good aftermarket replacements, but there's more to go wrong - at least in this case, OEM would legitimately reduce chances of headaches instead of just throwing money away.

If you're not doing the work yourself, you want a middle ground - a shop that employs competent techs (i.e. probably not CT) but doesn't specify OEM parts for absolutely everything (i.e. not the dealer). Trustworthy local shops can be difficult to come by - good luck
 
TwistedKestrel said:
You can definitely get good quality aftermarket brakes. I personally favour Raybestos' Element3 line of parts. You can definitely get crap too. I think the OEM brake pad manufacturer for the 2018 CX-5 was Sangsin? That's not necessarily what you would get from the dealer today - they switch manufacturers for consumable parts all the time.

It gets trickier when it comes to calipers, wheel cylinders, etc. You can absolutely still get good aftermarket replacements, but there's more to go wrong - at least in this case, OEM would legitimately reduce chances of headaches instead of just throwing money away.

If you're not doing the work yourself, you want a middle ground - a shop that employs competent techs (i.e. probably not CT) but doesn't specify OEM parts for absolutely everything (i.e. not the dealer). Trustworthy local shops can be difficult to come by - good luck
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Thanks! Yes, I am not doing the work myself.
 
And to elaborate a little - technically a brake job where it's just pads and rotors is very simple and any licensed mechanic in the country SHOULD be able to do it safely. It's more worrying about anything else that the mechanic sees & touches
 
I like OEM brake parts for domestic cars , I think they just last longer , but don’t be surprised if the factory pads are “ better” than replacement. They almost always outlast warranty but never go the same mileage again.


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An important thing with brake pads is that they fit into the caliper properly. A risk you run with aftermarket pads is that they (and the hardware they come with) don't 100% fit into the caliper. Which means you need to grind/shave/adjust the ears of the pads a bit to make it work. Not a huge deal but it can be annoying.

If your calipers are fine, i.e. not seized, then the job will be very straightforward. IMO for peace of mind I would get OEM pads and save a bit with an aftermarket rotor.
 
If you decide to go aftermarket, try partsavatar.ca. Unfortunately, I have difficulty identifying the Japanese manufacturers OEM's, so you're on your own there unless someone else here knows the secret. If it were a BMW, the good online vendors identify them for you (OE vs OEM vs third party).
 
I have a 2020 and did fronts earlier this year. Bought aftermarket Power Stop rotors and pads from Eazy Auto Parts in Scarborough. Everything fit perfectly. Great product. I did do them myself. Took less than an hour.

I have only done service at Ajax Mazda and Scarborough Mazda. I find the former better than the latter. Scarborough spent a lot of time trying to upsell me. I find that aggravating.
 
Any 1st line rotors and pads are good, stay away from white box they are usually 3rd line crap
 
bitzz said:
If you're gonna compare parts price you gotta argue that Rock Auto is cheaper
Cheapest front rotor is $36 CDN
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Yeah, but most of the time the shipping cost to Canada negates the savings. It is nice that they build in everything so there's no surprises. And they also have a larger selection of brands. I choose to pay a little more to get a set of Raybestos coated rear rotors from them for my daughter's 2019 Jetta along with Bosch pads.
 
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