Hi
I would suggest you should get the dealer to make the car work properly with the car manufacturer standard parts under the manufacturers warranty, (particularly if they have been doing your routine service work which should have included checking and cleaning the brakes).
Probably just needs a good clean up around the pad/caliper mechanisms and some brake grease on the anti-squeal shims where they contact the pads(if shims are fitted). This is based on my servicing of my own 1998 with 100K miles & 2004 with 70K miles UK model Foresters.
In short, it sounds like a typical stealership poised to rape ya bank account while smiling and appearing to be being ever so helpful. (i.e. how would you ever know the real cost price of the ceramics pads and how much labour they really normally charge for a brake pad change).
my opinion based on sad experience is that for about 70 to 80% of sales & service dealership staff you can tell when they are lying, it's because you can hear their voices.
Final thoughts, if your vehicle needed ceramic pads the tech wizards in Subaru engineering design would have specced them for the vehicle originally plus they will also almost certainly wear the standard brake discs down faster (another income stream win for the stealership service dept. when they need replacing early!!! )
Best Regards Marcus
I have a 2010 Forester which we have driven 43,000 km in the first year. The vehicle has developed a brake squeak that is constant, it does not go away after the first several stops for the day. The dealer cannot figure out the cause and is suggesting that I have ceramic pads installed on the vehicle. They will provide the pads at cost and will charge me 50% of the labour for installation. Are ceramic pads a good value? What are the pros and cons? Does anyone else have a brake squeak problem with a Forester?
TIA