Front Rotors: Napa vs. OEM

[Boaring1961]

What are folks opinion on the OEM versus Napa Ultra Premium rotors. The OEMs are just that and I agree they are darn good, but the Napa rotors have a lifetime warranty. Any feedback is appreciated.

 

[jelag]

Look the NAPA guy in the face... . and ask him to show you the warranty information... ... what's covered and what's not covered...

Just my thought here... .

 

[Boaring1961]

Appreciated Jelag. So you're saying OEM rotors?

 

[Prairie Dog]

I had to do my brakes in a hurry last year and the quickest brand they could get was also the most expensive (naturally. . ) and that was Bosch.

I'd used them again in a heart beat. The are obviously a very high quality part plus they have a coating that has kept them from rusting at all.



They were $200 each.

 

[Motorhead]

I don't know about the OE rotors but a lot of the NAPA rotors are made in CHINA

 

[Prairie Dog]

The Bosch rotors were made in Britain if I remember correctly - I know for sure it wasn't china.

 

[cerberusiam]

It depends on what quality the NAPA store carries and where they source them. Not all lines are created equal at every store. I have been decidedly unhappy with the NAPA premium stuff and its availability.

You can get EBC slotted rotors from Summit for $150-160 per. They are better quality than OE and are a performance rotor.

 

[BIGNASTY]

As far as the life time warrenty it depends on the store. In So Ca I used Coaches Napa auto parts Mike was a franchise store so his life time warrenty was not a NAPA LIFE TIME WARRENTY. I bought brk pads for a 1970 ford 1 ton the thing just devoured brake pads didn't make a difference Mike just gave me new one's. He retired and I went to another Napa store and they gave me the LAST SET OF LIFE TIME PAD'S. It was a company store and they did not honor franchise store commitments.

 

[rscurtis]

One of the first questions that comes to my mind when I hear a lifetime warranty is, "who's lifetime- mine or theirs?"

 

[jgillott]

It depends on what quality the NAPA store carries and where they source them. Not all lines are created equal at every store. I have been decidedly unhappy with the NAPA premium stuff and its availability.



You can get EBC slotted rotors from Summit for $150-160 per. They are better quality than OE and are a performance rotor.

We have the EBC rotors on our '04. 5 and have had very good luck with them. I'd have to check, but probably several hundred thousand miles on them at this point and lots of abuse. I'd buy them again.

 

[Paychk]

One of the first questions that comes to my mind when I hear a lifetime warranty is, "who's lifetime- mine or theirs?"

Now, now you well know what they mean by lifetime "a lifetime of replacing every 2-3 years" :-laf

 

[TFucili]

Unless you are going to a performance upgrade component like Brembo, Performance Friction, EBC, I have had lousy luck with aftermarket, and parts-house brake components, especially pads. Noise, dust, poor performance, and short life every time. Brakes are too important to gamble on crap, whether Chi-Com or otherwise.