Honda Car Forum

I feel like I'm stirring the pot a little bit. I know this is a tough
question... anyway, for a manual car, driving in the suburbs (not New
York like traffic jam, but also not interstate highway all day long),
you know, the usual 5-10 miles to work every day, groceries, gym,
shopping, doctor, etc. so how long so the brake pads last, ON AVERAGE?
just throw some numbers. I mean, 1000 miles would probably be unheard
of, right? also, 200k miles would also be unheard of (remember, this is
mostly suburbs, not highway). I'm asking because I peeked at my pads
and there is some thickness left, need to get the caliper and measure
properly over the weekend. I am approaching 60k miles.

thanks

I had a similar question earlier, and was discussed here:

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/...94d663db93080d

On 7/28/05 10:01 PM, in article
1122603600.267210.3850@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.co m, "chibitul"
<chibitul@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> I feel like I'm stirring the pot a little bit. I know this is a tough
> question... anyway, for a manual car, driving in the suburbs (not New
> York like traffic jam, but also not interstate highway all day long),
> you know, the usual 5-10 miles to work every day, groceries, gym,
> shopping, doctor, etc. so how long so the brake pads last, ON AVERAGE?
> just throw some numbers. I mean, 1000 miles would probably be unheard
> of, right? also, 200k miles would also be unheard of (remember, this is
> mostly suburbs, not highway). I'm asking because I peeked at my pads
> and there is some thickness left, need to get the caliper and measure
> properly over the weekend. I am approaching 60k miles.
>
> thanks
>

My experiences in that type of driving on my newest couple of cars has been
about 60k-70k on the front pads and 90k on the rears. Most cars now have
little wear bars attached to the pads to warn you when they are almost gone.
If you start hearing a scraping noise (it can be subtle on some cars,
screaming on others), that is the car telling you its time to check the
pads.

If you have one of the Hondas that does not have the tiny little parking
brake drums hidden in the rear rotors (Integras & Civics), expect the rear
pads to go before the fronts.

In article <1122603600.267210.3850@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.c om>,
chibitul@sbcglobal.net says...
>
>
>I feel like I'm stirring the pot a little bit. I know this is a tough
>question... anyway, for a manual car, driving in the suburbs (not New
>York like traffic jam, but also not interstate highway all day long),
>you know, the usual 5-10 miles to work every day, groceries, gym,
>shopping, doctor, etc. so how long so the brake pads last, ON AVERAGE?
>just throw some numbers. I mean, 1000 miles would probably be unheard
>of, right? also, 200k miles would also be unheard of (remember, this is
>mostly suburbs, not highway). I'm asking because I peeked at my pads
>and there is some thickness left, need to get the caliper and measure
>properly over the weekend. I am approaching 60k miles.

Somewhere between 100 and 200k miles. There is no specific answer. That is
why it is recommended you check the pads for wear at regular intervals.
--------------
Alex

well, smart guy, I asked what is the average. Imagine it is some soft
of Gaussian distribution, or whatever, and yes, some brakes wear out
faster (100 miles), some wear out very late (200k miles) as you said.
but these are UNUSUAL cases, 1 in a million or so. I wanted to know the
AVERAGE. If that concept is familiar to you, please let me know.

thanks
p.s. I am going to check tha pads tomorrow.

chibitul wrote:
> well, smart guy, I asked what is the average. Imagine it is some soft
> of Gaussian distribution, or whatever, and yes, some brakes wear out
> faster (100 miles), some wear out very late (200k miles) as you said.
> but these are UNUSUAL cases, 1 in a million or so. I wanted to know the
> AVERAGE. If that concept is familiar to you, please let me know.
>
> thanks
> p.s. I am going to check tha pads tomorrow.
>
there is no average. the variables of location, driving style & typical
journey are just too broad to generalize. all you can do, as you about
to do, is check periodically and monitor wear rate.

In article <1122603600.267210.3850@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.c om>,
"chibitul" <chibitul@sbcglobal.net> wrote:

> I feel like I'm stirring the pot a little bit. I know this is a tough
> question... anyway, for a manual car, driving in the suburbs (not New
> York like traffic jam, but also not interstate highway all day long),
> you know, the usual 5-10 miles to work every day, groceries, gym,
> shopping, doctor, etc. so how long so the brake pads last, ON AVERAGE?
> just throw some numbers. I mean, 1000 miles would probably be unheard
> of, right? also, 200k miles would also be unheard of (remember, this is
> mostly suburbs, not highway). I'm asking because I peeked at my pads
> and there is some thickness left, need to get the caliper and measure
> properly over the weekend. I am approaching 60k miles.
>
> thanks

I have a 98 Accord MT. 106K. Front pads still have 20% left, all original.

I do not downshift to brake, but often stay in a lower gear, and thus do
not brake nearly as much as autos I follow.

My 87 Accord's front pads usually only lasted 50K.

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chibitul wrote:
> well, smart guy, I asked what is the average. Imagine it is some soft
> of Gaussian distribution, or whatever, and yes, some brakes wear out
> faster (100 miles), some wear out very late (200k miles) as you said.
> but these are UNUSUAL cases, 1 in a million or so. I wanted to know the
> AVERAGE. If that concept is familiar to you, please let me know.
>
> thanks
> p.s. I am going to check tha pads tomorrow.
>
depends on your style of driving. if you treat the gas and brake as
on/off pedals, your pads wont last as long as coasting before stopping
and using engine braking correctly.

chibitul wrote:
> well, smart guy, I asked what is the average. Imagine it is some soft
> of Gaussian distribution, or whatever, and yes, some brakes wear out
> faster (100 miles), some wear out very late (200k miles) as you said.
> but these are UNUSUAL cases, 1 in a million or so. I wanted to know the
> AVERAGE. If that concept is familiar to you, please let me know.

Well, if you're such a smart ass, figure it out for yourself.
G-O-O-G-L-E if you're having trouble getting started.

> thanks
> p.s. I am going to check tha pads tomorrow.

No one gives a big rodent's rectum!

"jim beam" <nospam@example.net> wrote
> chibitul wrote:
> > well, smart guy, I asked what is the average. Imagine it is some soft
> > of Gaussian distribution, or whatever, and yes, some brakes wear out
> > faster (100 miles), some wear out very late (200k miles) as you said.
> > but these are UNUSUAL cases, 1 in a million or so. I wanted to know the
> > AVERAGE. If that concept is familiar to you, please let me know.
> >
> > thanks
> > p.s. I am going to check tha pads tomorrow.
> >
> there is no average. the variables of location, driving style & typical
> journey are just too broad to generalize.

Of course there's an average, and of course it could be helpful to know.

The distribution probably is Gaussian.

Unless one knows the standard deviation of the average is extremely high,
then the variables you name are no more too broad to generalize than, say,
adult male height. Even if the S.D. is extremely high, the original poster
could seek averages for simply his locale (and for OEM pads), and this would
reduce the S.D. and no doubt provide useful information to him.