Hey i have a 2004 mazda 3gt with the gfx package and i was looking to replace the rear brake pads and all 4 rotors. I am new to lookin for parts that are better for my car (usally i let the dealer deal with it) but i am not to sure what are the better materials for brakes. can someone please give me a suggestion on what ones are the better parts and what are recomended. also i was lookin at slotted and drilled rotors, but dont know what the benift of them are. Please help

 

my opinion brembo and willwood are the best... but if your on a budget and want a good set of pads go with hawk... but on rotors im sticking with brembo if your gonna do it do it right....

 

ok, on normal brakes, when you depress the brakes, the pads kinda hover on a layer of gas, emitted from the pads/ rotors....
the slots and holes allow this 'gas' to be expelled, thus, letting your pads grip better on the rotor.

and if i were you, i get a set of brembo's
brembo make replacement rotors for the 3, and they are the same size, just slotted and drilled...
then go with what jzoomer said, hawk pads. and if you wanna go hardcore, steel braided brake lines... that way the lines wont expand when you depress the pedal.

oh, and id change the front pads too, cuz 70% of the braking is done at the front.

i hope that helps!!

 

when i put on the rims im getting brembro rotors,pads....and more than likely willwood steel braided lines should make a big improvement...and eventually im going for brembo calipers as well....just kinda expensive..

 

if u wanna go extreme, just get the mazda6 rotara big brake upgrade...
13 inch brakes, 2 or 4 piston calipes, i forget, and steel braided brake lines...
but the kit costs about $2000...

oh, and apparently from what i hear, the mazda6 kit works on the mazda3 as well....

just make sure your rims will clear the brakes/calipers