slotted/drilled brake rotors

itguy08 wrote:
I'll add a data point from actual experience....

My car is a 2010 Taurus SHO, which did not leave the factory with the best brakes. They are adequate but not really cut out for sporting driving. (it was noted in all the reviews and something they corrected in 2012.)

At 78k when the fronts were pulsating for the second time rather than have them cut I decided it was time to replace them. I installed the PowerStop drilled/slotted rotors and pads for a possible upgrade.

They went on fine. First I noticed that they were a little noisier on hard stops (to be expected with slotted rotors) but I also noticed that the car seems to stop better and with less fade when sporty driving in the mountains.

Can't say if it would have been better than new OEM brakes or not. Can't also say much about the longevity as I'm at 86k now. But I can say they give a bit better confidence in the car's ability to stop on a dime repeatedly.

The cost was not much more than 2 rotors and a good set of pads.

Pad material is most likely where you are getting better stopping, not the rotors. In fact the slots or holes in the rotors will decrease slightly the amount of friction area contact.

Factory pad material is often not as good as some aftermarket pads..

You can often get three different hardness ratings on pads.. Most stores offer economy, standard and "premium" with ceramics typically being sold as premium..

Each type has pros and cons..