Quella has decided she doesn't like her front rotors (Infiniti OEM) and has warped them out of spite.

Looking for some good advice on what's available out there. I'm not necessarily interested in slotted/drilled. Should I drop the $85 each for OEM? I can get Bendix, Raybestos, and some other brands locally for less than half of that, but I don't know if they're any good.

I suppose I could also have them turned, but for the hassle of R & R'ing them, I figure I may as well replace.

Why are you assumming that even factory parts are perfectly true and meet specifications after being shipped around the country/stacked etc.

We have found it a wash and we buy Auto Specialty non drilled [makers of PowerStops] then put them on the lathe to retrue them.....as this can be done when the techs have no work. The actual cost [parts labor] is the same for us vs factory rotors but we are sure of what we've got.

I'll bet money that the hubs/bearings/wheels are not in spec and the warp started there and progressed out to the rotor.Putting on PERFECT rotors will delay the onset [feelablity] of the warp.

If you want you can have the dealer use an "on the car lathe" to untrue the rotors to match the hubs!

OK - Good info. I'll probably just have the rotors cut on the car, and possibly switch out the pads while I'm at it.

Any truth to the statement that the Q should have ceramic vs. metallic or organic pads (so as to minimize heat-related warpage)? If so, is there a favored brand and specification?

Awaiting your expert response!

Factory pads are really, really good. I got all new OEM pads all the way around a few months ago, and brakes are dreamy.... quiet, great pedal feel, very sticky when I say STOP! I say not worthwhile to experiment, just money down the drain (and more noise).

Powerstop rotors are good after they're broken in, but I don't think they're a better value than OEM rotors at $85 each.

I have powerstop on front right now, but will go back to OEM rotors next time. Most people get them for the look, not the performance. If the wheels hide the rotors, looks don't matter.

X amounT of heat is generated to stop a car. What doesn't pass thru the pads into calipers and cradle must go through the rotor so ceramic pads which maybe more insulative usually heat the rotors more not less.

During the 2000 and 2002 Police Patrol Vehicles Brake Pad Test the Dana B&C ceramic tied with the NAPA as the two worst pads [high pedal pressure] of the 12 brands tested the oem Ford pads beat all brands in Hot Pursuit Driving. The Ceramic took 9.5 feet longer to stop in the panic test but the NAPA took 21 feet longer than OEM Chevolet....on the Ford all were closer except the NAPA brand which was dismal in every test!

Unless you have a special requirement [racing laps or severe mountain driving] the Infiniti Pads will be much more than satisfactory.

I take it the OEM's are semi-metallic?

As always, Dennis and Greg, thanks mucho.

Almost all cars with 4 wheel discs have been semimetallic pads for at least 15 years.Thats the problem each manufacturer has at most 2-3 compounds which they try to use on all the pads they make....they don't differentiate: the pad on a Civic is the same as a Q they hope the backing plate area is correct for the application.

They don't test pads on many cars and I can assure you they would never use a Q unless trying for the oem contract and we know Akebono has that so.http://www.akebono-brake.co.jp....html

I like to use the Police Car Tests as a reference because the cars have similiar tires [225], weight and brake design to our Q and J.....even the Impala is I30 like [FWD]. Sure our suspension are a little better but that has little to do with straight ahead braking.

Generally the factory pads provided the most balanced performance. The front vs rear pad temperatures were nearly equal whereas the other swung wildly with as much as a 500F difference and this showed up in pedal pressure and stopping distance.

The Honeywell/Bendix had a peak front temperature of 726F vs 237F for oem on a series of normal stop test then it was 1127F vs factory 730F on the pursuit test.

The point is each pad behaved differently and the worst case mountain pursuit showed a 307 pound requirement vs oem 201 pound requirement of the 5th panic stop.

I am not strong enough to extert 300 pounds on the pedal to stop, 200 maybe?

All the pads had roughly the same pressure requirements for the first two stops then the third increase from 25-30 to 100-150>200>300.

Good to see all the brake fluid replacement work since national tests have shown that 30% of all cars on the road have defective low boiling point fluid!