Date: Mon, 30 Jan 2006 18:50:51 -0500
Reply-To: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: The Bus Depot <vanagon@BUSDEPOT.COM>
Subject: Re: brake pads - what is recommended?
In-Reply-To: <dad0e8a40601301255o3ba77164pbc4da5f16106926f@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
> looking at busdepot, i can spend anywhere from 15 to 60 for a
> set of brakepads. what is the difference and which brand is
> the best? gowesty stocks only pbr metal master, is that the
> best? worth paying 35 more than busdepot cheap semi-metallic?
> i dont want to be frugal on brakes, but is there a difference?
There is a difference, but in my opinion you don't necessarily need to spend
$60 either.
Sometimes in cases where there are many alternatives (we carry 7 different
Vanagon brake pads), looking for the "Hot" icon among the listings will
identify what I feel is the "best bang for the buck."
In the case of '86-up pads, our D3029A features that icon, and runs $30.
This is generally either Pagid, Meyle, ATE, or PEX, all German based
companies with which I have had very good luck in terms of wear,
performance, and quality control. The way I get the price so low is by
waiting until one of the better brands is highly motivated to cut a deal
(i.e. trying to hit a sales forecast at the end of their fiscal quarter,
overstocked on a particular part number, having a slow month, etc.) and then
placing a huge order while the price is right. So which one you get (as well
as the price) may vary from time to time, but it will be a premium product
at a cut price. The equivalent for '80-85 is the D195A, which is $25 at the
moment, and I believe either Pagid or OEM Volkswagen/Canada.
The PBR's are also quite good, but in my opinion not necessarily superior to
the above. PBR is an Australian company, originally sold here under the
Repco name. Incidentally, my price on them is a bit cheaper than GoWesty,
plus if you add another $2.65 in purchases (i.e. some spark plugs), the list
discount kicks in, making the extra $2.65 in product essentially free. As
for the $15 budget-priced semi-metallics, I believe what we're shipping
right now is Kolon, who is an OEM supplier to Hyundai. This isn't junk (it's
better than many of the generics the FLAPS sell) but it doesn't have the
reputation of the aforementioned brands either (although I suppose Hyundai
owners might beg to differ :-).
- Ron Salmon
The Bus Depot, Inc.
www.busdepot.com
(215) 234-VWVW
_____________________________________________
Toll-Free for Orders by PART # : 1-866-BUS-DEPOT
| 
