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Hi, I have a 3/2002 NB8B and I am nearing brake pad replacement time. I was wanting low dust and noise and street performance. The car is not tracked at all.
I have had one recommended, the QFM HPX, but apart from knowing Bendix and Brembo brands, I'm in the dark about brake pads for these cars. Can someone help me with brake pad choice?
Any advice appreciated.

Cheers

While I havent personally used QFM pads, I have heard nothing but good reports about them, so far as quality, performance, and cost are concerned.
They are also locally made up in QLD (QFM = Queensland Friction Materials)


My gf used Remsa pads on her NA and said they were good, cant remember pricing of them (although since it was an NA6 it's not relevant to you)

TRW are also apparently quite good.

Hawk are another common choice for MX5s, but not sure if they do a more "street" pad, most people use them for track work.


I have Bendix General CT on my NB8A, and on my GF's current car (an old Mazda 626 wagon)
My general thoughts are that they're rubbish, the only thing they had going for them was that they're easily available at a moments notice.

On my MX5 i've noted the following:
Initial bite when cold is rubbish, they work, but they just feel like you need to push the pedal harder to actually get them to grab.
Once they're warmed up after a few good hard stops they bite better, but also tend to fade early... there seems to be a narrow window of temp where they're actually good.

To be frank, they do nothing well.
around town they would be best classified as "acceptable"
at speed in the hills etc, they briefly move to "not bad" before then overheating and going to "meh"
Basically, at low speeds they perform like a high temp pad, and at high speeds they perform like a street pad... the opposite of what you want.


I have however been in a car fitted with Bendix Ultimate pads, and they felt great, really nice pad. But, from memory they cost far more than a lot of other pads that perform as good or better.




My recommendation, go for something other than the Bendix range, their cheap pads are too crap, and their good pads are too expensive.

I've had both Bendix And QFM pads. Bendix are total rubbish - dusty and very high rotor wear rates. QFM HPX are good - lowish dust, performance adequate for the odd track day, good wear on both pads and rotors, nice feel.

manga_blue wrote:Bendix are total rubbish.

I fitted a set of Bendix SRT to my NB8A for a recent track day and was pleasantly surprised and impressed with how good they were.

Now that's in the context of them costing $50 from the Bendix clearance store. If I'd paid the RRP of around $250 I think I would have been somewhat less impressed.

CrazyRacer wrote:

manga_blue wrote:Bendix are total rubbish.

I fitted a set of Bendix SRT to my NB8A for a recent track day and was pleasantly surprised and impressed with how good they were.

Now that's in the context of them costing $50 from the Bendix clearance store. If I'd paid the RRP of around $250 I think I would have been somewhat less impressed.

If they fit and the car stops you cannot complain, you got a bargain!

I fitted QFM HPX pads and DBA (disc brakes australia) discs to my NA not long after I bought it just over a year ago. Could not be happier. They did replace glazed Bendix pads that left a lot to be desired. Bought them from Brakes Direct.

I used Mazda OEM pads on my NB - put them in and never had any issues. Not dusty either.

madmort wrote:Hi, I have a 3/2002 NB8B and I am nearing brake pad replacement time. I was wanting low dust and noise and street performance. The car is not tracked at all.

QFM HPX from Brakes Direct. They will send to you at no extra cost.
https://brakesdirect.com.au/

Looks like I will go the QFM HPX thanks for all the advice guys. They sound like what I'm looking for.

I ran Winmax W3’s for a few years mainly on the street with the occasional track use. Work very well from cold, low dust and tolerate a bit of heat. What ever choice you make change the brake fluid at least yearly and look at braided lines.

Mr Morlock wrote:I used Mazda OEM pads on my NB - put them in and never had any issues. Not dusty either.

Just returned from Mazda spare parts, OEM rears are now not available. The fronts at $427.00 are just a little out of my league.

madmort wrote:

Mr Morlock wrote:I used Mazda OEM pads on my NB - put them in and never had any issues. Not dusty either.

Just returned from Mazda spare parts, OEM rears are now not available. The fronts at $427.00 are just a little out of my league.

While the OEM pads are actually pretty good, their pricing throws them way off.

I knew they weren't the best value, but that's ridiculous...




Also worth noting, I dont believe that Mazda provide the same Sumitomo pads that the cars came with when new, I seem to recall that new pads from Mazda (these days) are another brand that is simply labelled with the Mazda spare parts stuff on the box etc.
I can't remember what brand they are now, but it was a fairly common one (that was also available direct from the manufacturer for far cheaper)

QFM A1RM

I use hawk HP+, and for brisk hills driving they'd be minimum in my view.

Used to use a1rm on other cars and found them good and cheap for a daily driver where brakes were marginal of pushed hard..

Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk

rowdytoot wrote:I use hawk HP+, and for brisk hills driving they'd be minimum in my view.

Used to use a1rm on other cars and found them good and cheap for a daily driver where brakes were marginal of pushed hard..

Sent from my G8141 using Tapatalk

I use Hawk HP+ as well. They're truly excellent all round track/street pads, but probably just a little out of the price/performance range for a daily driver.

I simply would not buy Mazda branded pads. Mazda Australia seem to be sourcing a lot of stuff from lower quality SE Asian manufacturers and ignoring the better made Japanese parts from the parent company. They come in Mazda branded packages, but that's about all.