Originally Posted by ludeboom
yes u should upgrade the pads if u can afford it.
Hawk HP+ is the best choice. More initial bite and much better heat control over stock.
i have slotted rotors also, which helps eliminate brake fade since it cleans the pads when the get glazed over (what causes fade).
if i were u go for the Hawk HP+, under $100 for the front set. and WELL worth it.
a lot of people dont think the AEM or Axxis pads are worth it, including myself, since i didnt see any difference, just less dust.
~kris
fade can actually be caused by a bunch of things. there's pad fade, which is when the pad surface gets too hot for the material and it loses its friction properties, there's fluid fade which is when the absorbed water in the brake fluid boils due to heat soak from the brake assembly or the fluid itself boils because of the heat (generally around 400-500 deg. F), and there's pad glazing which happens if a pad isn't properly bedded, or simply because the pad craps out (like EBC's might on a track). slots do scrub the pad surface to help with initial bite, personally i think blank rotors are fine for 99% of the driving world (even club racers and auto-x'ers.)
the HP+ are a good pad, as are the cobalt friction GT Sports, carbotech panthers, and porterfield R4S's. These are the "A/X" pads of choice, since they offer better initial bite than OEM, but they will dust more, and some will squeak. So if those things bother you, get an extra set of OEM pads to daily drive, and one of the above 4 for competition. I know brake pads have no bearing on cars in the STS/STX/SM/SM2/SP classes, however, i'm not sure if they are allowed in stock classes.
AEM pads are pretty much OEM pads, with a tad bit more aggressive compound. They're not worth the extra money. Axxis Ultimates are a decent pad, though they dust alot.
Right now i'm on the last of my OEM pads, i've got a half used set of AEM's that will be finished on the street, and i've got cobalt friction GT-S's that i love for A/X. however, the cobalt's haven't always held up in HPDE/Open lapping environments, so eventually i'll prob move to the CF Spec VR's or hawk blues for the track.
i've had my CF GTS's for about a year and change now. they're about halfway done with roughly 10 a/x's, 5 track days, and 15,000 street miles on them.