This is one of those questions that crosses the minds of drivers now and then until it gets to the point where the answer is a loud "NOW!" from their car's brakes. Don't let that happen to you by asking yourself just a few questions about your vehicle and what it goes through.
Always know who is driving.
Not only who, but HOW do they drive? Is it the loving grandma taking her time to enjoy the breeze? Maybe it's the next rally car driver who thinks every turn and curve are an opportunity to test the tire treads. This is one of the biggest impacts that degrade brake pads long before they should be.
Thankfully grandma won't need to worry for some time. Slower speeds mean less work from your brakes to bring the car to a halt, whereas speed racer hugging the corners will be slamming on the brakes to maintain speed until the last moment, ultimately grinding the pads down in record time.
Think about your location and adjust.
Answering this actually requires two answers, the local area as well as the destination. If you live in a heavy traffic area with lots of starting and stopping, or in the mountains with steep inclines, your brakes will be put through their paces constantly every single day. Add that on top of frequent trips 100's of miles long and you'll be at the auto shop frequently.
Often times areas with a hot climate come with sand that works its way onto the pads to wear them down faster. Similarly, rock salt used in colder areas to de-ice roads like to bounce around and wedge between pads and rotors. One way to combat this is with different material on brake pads, namely ceramic. Organic brake pads wear quickly while metallic ones pressure rotors more. Ceramic takes the best of each but at a higher price point.
If you need brake repair, or even just have concerns and want a second opinion, we invite you to bring your vehicle down to our auto repair shop today for an honest diagnostic!