Brake Advice 2013 Sierra
 

I am at 55,000 miles and was told the last time I had it serviced that I had about 20% left on my front pads and rotors... ^%$^& - A my original tires are still at 70%.

This isn't surprising to me... for some reason my 2013 has rear drum brakes even though my 2000 had rear discs. I'm assuming they had so many issues that they switched back. Being a heavy truck the fronts are working pretty hard. My driving is either completely highway and I never touch the brakes, or I sit in Chicago traffic for hours on end, presumably heating everything up and wearing them down at an accelerated pace.

In addition, nobody I know has ever gotten a lot of life out of stock GM brakes. 2013 Malibu I test drove the other day needed new brakes at 38k.


What should I do? Put standard GM crap back on and replace them every year? Buy the "Premium" pads from Midas?


I've always been a "cheapest option from napa and I'll do it myself" guy, but now I'm driving 45k/ year I'd prefer to go quality

I would buy the best brake pads available. I think the ceramic pads are considered the best. My understanding as to why GM went back to drum brakes in the rear is due to problems with the emergency brake. It is a small drum brake system in the disc rotor. I think they have since gone back to disk. My 2004 GMC Z71 has disc all around and I had a problem at first with the rear emergency brake but it was fixed and has been OK for the last 125,000 miles or more.

I had a '09 and it had drums on the rear. My son is still driving it at approx, 60K miles with the same brakes. He is like me, anal, on keeping his vehicles in top shape. The 20% estimate may have been off and you may still have plenty left.
I have always been a DIY type and have always done all the work on all my vehicles. I'm getting older now and I just don't enjoy it as much as I used to. I still do minor repairs but I don't see myself doing brakes anymore. I have a dealer now that does decent work at a fair price. Even gives 10% off for seniors.:) I'm going to keep this truck pure GM and not mix and match the parts. Good luck with yours.