How long does OEM brake pads last for DD?
 

I am using my 13 BRZ surely for DD, highway miles mostly. Typically on my Honda/Toyota family sedan/SUV, the factory brake pads last at least 70k miles, sometimes more than 100k. But I am not familiar with Subaru's brake system and this is my first stick shift car, so I don't have much experience. Since it is not convenient for me to take off the wheels and check, I am interested to just gather some ideas from folks with similar usage. I am now at 50k miles. So roughly when should I get read to change the pads?


Also as a separate topic, I am curious that for the same driver and under the same driving environments, whether brake pads/rotors last longer on MT cars or AT cars from experience? Any reasoning behind that? Thanks in advance.

Exactly this long >

It sounds like your type of driving is pretty easy on the brakes. The rotors should last for another 50,000 miles (unless they start to pulsate when you apply the brakes). The lines and calipers should be good for another 50,000 miles (unless they start sticking and not releasing).

At 50,000 miles you may wish to have a brake inspection place look at the pads and see how much is left. Many times they will do a brake inspection for free.

If the brake fluid has never been changed, it would be timely to do that soon.

As far as the brakes lasting longer on an AT vs a MT car, that would totally depend on how they were driven. If the two were driven the same way, I would think the MT car's brake pads would last a bit longer because many MT drivers use the engine to slow the car.


humfrz

Oh boy.
Sell car. Buy a Honda pay extra for included maintenance. You'll never have to think about working on a car ever.
Please.

Brakes are pretty universal. Even $2000 big brake kits work the same way. Stop with this overthinking on how long they would last. The only fucking way to know for sure is to either take the fucking wheel off or have a mini camera look down from the caliper window.
Better yet pay someone to do it for you while you get your tires rotated, some tire shops it's even free.

My experience is pads go faster on an AT. Most AT cars coast. You do more engine braking with a MT.

Edit: didn't see ol' Humfrz already said it.

I've seen people at 100k miles on the original pads. I'm at 105k but I'm not the original owner so I can't say if they are original or not but I suspect they are.

As for AT/MT on pads. As others have said. When you come off the throttle on a traditional AT they do not slow down must at all so you always need the brakes. On an MT when you lift off the throttle they slow significantly which saves the pads. I don't have first hand experience with the AT in the twins but I believe 2-6th are locked (as in don't free wheel) so the car should engine brake when lifting so brake wear would be similar to the MT. Maybe someone can chime in that has an AT Twin.

Correct. My original pads were changed with my 3rd set of tires, so it was at about 140,000 miles. Did need front rotors but back were fine.

My driving is what I would classify as "rural", not exactly city, not exactly highway.

Mine have about 3-4mm left. I'm at 50k miles and changing them soon. I think my first Autocross session might've taken a big chunk of them 6k miles ago too.


I noticed my brake dash indicator flash briefly, had to fill up my reservoir a bit and squealing.

I just replaced my pads and rotors at 82k. I also have a '13 with no autocross or track time. I'm also driving a '13 around.

Get out and have some fun man. AutoX is cheap and not horrible on the car.

Im actually planning on taking her for the first auto cross in the near future, I need to get rid of my mis matched tires asap. The car is not feeling that balanced at the moment since I had to replace my rears with directional tires that are much more grippy than the fronts so the car doesn't slide around as much. The car doesn't feel as agile with the mix level of grip between the front and back, do you think that I should wait on a new set of tires to auto cross on? Or should I autocross it so I can use up the tires and get a new set of matching pilot super sports?

140,000 miles.
98% highway.
Pads look to have another 100K in them yet.
Rotors still look great.
Driving type means far more for brake components than actual mileage.

The easiest way to tell is to have fresh tires on the car. If the car has trouble stopping with new tires on, then the pads are bad.

Get a new set period. Don't be running mismatched tires.