I have found Mazda Value Line pads for the rear for $39 and change but I need to know before changing out pads what the safe limit is for rotor thickness before rotors need to be changed out. Our vehicle, like I see a lot of posts of the Mazda 3 (2004), has more brake pad wear on the rears than the fronts. Took it into dealer a week ago and fronts have 80% left and rears 30% left on pads with 99K on car. Any help on the rotor thickness would be appreciated. Thanks

 

Out of the service manual for a 2007 mazda 3 / 3speed, so double check rotors to see if they use the same part number for all years, i'd assume they do from 2004-2009.

Front rotor min thickness = 23mm (0.91")
Front rotor min thickness after turning = 23.8mm (0.94")

Rear rotor min thickness = 9mm (0.35")
Rear rotor min thickness after turning = 9.8mm (0.39")

min pad thickness for front and rear is 2mm (0.079")