Brakes Bigger rotors or just slotted and or cross drilled?

I have a 2003 Honda accord and bgrakes are getting close to be
replaced, does anyone have any recommendations on either getting bigger
rotors for the front and rear or just getting slotted or crossed
drilled?

The Reason for this is brake life. I initally had my first brakes done
at 36,000 and now I am at 75,000 and noticing that it is time once
again for brakes.

 

If you are fortunate enough to have rotors that are not warping and
you are just having to do brake jobs every 40K or so, I would run out
the service life on the rotors you have. This turning might do that.

I got, as an option, a towing package on a Chrysler T&C I have that
included larger diameter rotors. I have not gotten greater pad life,
and in fact the rotors warp out about every 25K. first set turned
once then replaced, second set needs to be turned now. I don't have
experience with slotted and cross drilled other than knowing they are
fairly expensive and it seems people who get them upgrade to ceramic
pads. Makes a brake job cost a bunch.

 

How long were you expecting your brakes to last? The brake pad you use and
your driving style will influence brake life quite a bit. 75k miles out of a
brake rotor isn't too bad. Why do you think slotted and/or cross drilled
rotors will last any longer?

 

slotted is marginally better for rain, drilled is marginally better for
rain [and allegedly a minor heat reduction]. other than that, they do
nothing for disk life unless the disk material is harder than oem. if
it /is/ harder, braking efficiency can be compromised and a dangerous
mis-balance between front & rear can ocurr.

bottom line, cars like vw, porsche, audi, etc, specify oem pads with
very high silica content. these pads wear the disks at a much higher
rate than is typical in japanese cars, and disk replacement with each
set of pads is not untypical. if you're getting 2 to 3 sets of pads to
1 disk, you're not in bad shape. if life is too low to each set, either
you're driving hard, you're driving bad [foot resting on the brake
pedal] or there's something wrong with the brake system.

 

neither. 36k is probably noramal for an AT tranny car. my 98 civic has
49k miles, and the original pads.

 

It's an AT, the first time i had the brakes worked on was at 36K, I had
the rotors turned and new pads. The reason I thought I wanted either a
larger Diameter or Slotted / Crossed drilled was longer life.

Since I have returned the rotors(@36K) I have about 40% life on the
bads up from now and 50% in the rear, I am now at 75k. I live in San
Diego with many daily trips to LA.

Another question, can you return slotted / cross drilled rotors? Is
there any reason cost wise to go that way? If I spend more on the
Slotted / crossed drilled will there be more life?

 

bigger rotors can last longer, if you can find them for an accord. but
the slotted/drilled thing will not make any difference if you're
skimming the disks on each change. unless the disks are scored, i
wouldn't touch them.