lifetime warranty break pads

I have no experience with the "lifetime warranty" brake pads sold by the auto parts chains because I always use and recommend OEM pads and rotors.

Some additional things you should ask or consider: The effect of the pads on the rotors Will they generate more brake dust on the wheels? Do they cause brake squeal or noise? Is labor to replace the pads covered under warranty? Is normal wear covered?

I bought some lifetime u-joints for my Toyota Starlet one time, 10 years later I returned them under the lifetime warranty, still had the receipt, they were amazed that anybody would keep a receipt that long for parts that were less than $10.

Yes but the labor to replace them will cost far more than the pads.

mike hunt

Fact 1: Brake Pads will wear out if you keep the car long enough Fact 2: Comapnies that sell brake pads intended to make a profit

Conclusion: One or several of the following things apply:

1 - The Lifetime brake pads are really hard (for long life) and will either perform poorly, chatter, squeal, wear out your rotors faster, or do all of these. 2 - The Lifetime brake pads are good quality, but they are charging a lot extra for them to cover the cost of the guy who asks for replacements. 3 - The company that installs lifetime brake pads is using this as a marketing device to keep you coming back to them for brake work. They sell you cheap pads. When they wear out, they "give" you new pads while charging you high prices for installation and potentially other services. 4 - The pads are actaully a quality product, but the company that makes them mysteriously goes out of buisness before you can get your replacements (been there, done that) 5 - The company that sells the pads figures only a relatively small percentage of buyers will actuall wear out the pads while they still own the car and that an even smaller percentage will also still have the reciept.

Ed

The problem with lifetime pads is that they are usually very hard and when they do wear out, the rotors are usually worn out from them too. I avoid them myself (not the stores but the hard lifetime pads)

I am curious. Warranties are usually a guarantee to replace or repair a part which fails during normal use due to a manufacturing defect. Normal 'wear' is usually specifically excluded. Is this different for these brake pads in that they are warranted not to wear out and that if they do, they are replaced free of charge except for any labour or incidentals?

Huw

Can no one even say whether the pads are warranted against normal wear with use? Some assume so, but are they correct in their assumption? Simple questions I would have thought.

Huw

I have no experience with "lifetime guarantee" pads but ads imply that they are warranted against normal wear with use so I'm assuming that they make their money on the labor charges.

I believe you're correct. A friend of mine brought his Mazda 626 to where they gave a" lifetime guarantee" on the axles. When he brought it back as they were ticking again, they wanted to charge him $120 for labor. They claimed that the guarantee was merely for parts.

A co-worker of mine, had a similar situation. Except, they told him that the manufacturer of the axles were no longer in business so they didn't even want to replace the parts for free.

Both situations are rip offs.

both stores only sell auto parts, no service.

"Raymond" wrote

Does it say on the packaging or Company literature that they will be replaced free of charge if normally worn out?

Huw