What Brand Brake Rotors Should I Buy?

Brake rotors are a key part of a disc brake system found on most modern cars. As a vital part, you need quality ones. So, what brand brake rotors should I buy?

The brake rotors are a critical part of the disc braking system for a few reasons. First, they provide the surface on which the pads press to create friction and stopping power. If the rotors are of poor quality, they can easily warp or wear under the heat and friction. In fact, this often happens with generic brands.

To determine the best brake rotors for your car, it is first important to make a decision. There are to ways to go with this choice. You can go with the OEM issued rotors or you can upgrade your brakes with a better quality rotor. Let’s take a look at both issues.

The idea that a car is built in Japan, America or wherever is somewhat archaic these days. Nearly every car is built in a host of countries. Your Ford has some parts built in Mexico and some in Canada. Heck, it even has a few made in America, but not many. So how can these cars be called “American”? Well, they are assembled in the country for the most part. Regardless, the “OEM” title for a part refers to the actual company that built the part and shipped it to the car company for assembly with the rest of the car.

OEM means original equipment manufacturer. This is the standard issue for most cars. If you want to buy a brake rotor that simply mirrors the performance of your old one, you should buy another set of OEM rotors for your vehicle. You can occasionally identify the OEM by looking in your owner’s manual, but more often then not just need to contact the parts section of your dealer to get a quote. Don’t buy from the dealer. They mark the parts up like mad, so you can get a much better deal online for the same exact part.

OEM does not necessarily mean good. This should be obvious given the fact you are replacing the part! Brakes are very finicky and this is one area where upgrading can make a huge difference in the performance of your car. Heat is the biggest problem with brakes and high quality rotors and pads dissipate heat much better than OEM rotors. Your car can literally stop on a dime! The best brands include Hawk and Brembo.

So, what should you choose? If you can afford it, high performance brakes are the way to go. OEM are a good fall back position, but avoid generic brands as much as possible. You can search for brake rotors by brand and your car model here:

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