I'm looking for a "How To" on changing the brakes on my 2002 Protege 5. I purchased the car brand new, and the brakes just started to squeel a little. I have about 65k miles on it. How long do brakes normally last? What would be some good replacements for the OEM? Anyone recommend a online store to purchase from?

 

I've never heard anyone get the stock brakes to last 65k miles. bravo!

As for replacement pads/rotors, I don't think any vendors on here do that stuff..

I bought Hawk HPS pads and brembo (blank.. no cross drilled or slotted garbage) rotors from tirerack.com

link to brake page for Protege5: http://www.tirerack.com/brakes/resul...3&autoModClar=

$62.00 front brake pads
$60.00 rear brake pads
$70.00 front rotors (two)
$58.00 rear rotors (two)
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$250.00 plus shipping

The Hawk HPS is a decent high performance pad but it doesn't create crazy brake dust like a more serious track pad would. It's totally 'streetable' (meaning you won't hate to own them), low noise, etc. It also won't wear down your rotors quickly like a 'for track use only' pad would.

I can't recommend a lesser pad because I've never used one. I had KVR CF pads before but they were kinda crap. Much more noise than the Hawk HPS and they didn't last very long.

Anyone have any decent OEM replacement pad suggestions?

 

Ditto! Hawk FTW!
i have them on the rear only (right now) and the difference in dust between front and rear (even accounting for brake bias) is quite noticable.