I just changed mine, and with a pair of cheap-o's. I haven't had any problem at all. Did you break them in right? You can't be too hard on them for the first few miles. And you have to make sure that when you do heat them up (enough that you can smell them) that you don't lay hard on the brakes at a stop. I believe this can make a permenant indent on the rotors from the hot pads. Just a thought though. I might try replacing the tires too before you worry anymore about the brakes. It could very well be the tires.