# Altima break pad replacement **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 14, 2021, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/altima-break-pad-replacement/939992 "2021-04-14T18:35:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2021, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/altima-break-pad-replacement/939992/1 "2021-04-14T18:35:07Z")
Getting inspection and while the pads are somewhat worn down they will pass and mechanic said they were just above the level where he would normally recommend getting them replaced. So I would say maybe 4/5 of the way worn down. And since these pads normally last 30-70 k miles (pretty wide range) I am going to guess I could get another 10k. Sound about right? I do not drive fast or break hard. I drive like the old man I am becoming. ---
**Author:** ![Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@Tired\_and\_Cranky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tired_and_Cranky)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2021, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/altima-break-pad-replacement/939992/2 "2021-04-14T18:59:24Z")
Your mechanic said that they will pass inspection and are above the level where he recommends replacement, so trust that you can keep them for a while. Why not ask him when they should be re-inspected or replaced? He saw the brake pads; we didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2021, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/altima-break-pad-replacement/939992/3 "2021-04-14T19:06:10Z")
he wouldn’t give me an exact number of miles. When I pick the car up will ask what the measurements were ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2021, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/altima-break-pad-replacement/939992/4 "2021-04-14T19:19:27Z")
Do your pads have squealers? The sound that you’ll hear (when you’re not braking) will tell you when it’s definitely time to get the pads replaced. Also, when you get them replaced, ask for brake pads rather than break pads. The break pads never last very long. Sorry, sorry! ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2021, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/altima-break-pad-replacement/939992/5 "2021-04-14T19:39:11Z")
they do have squealers, mechanic said they are not always reliable. VA requires inspection once a year, and I’ve read the average miles per year people drive is 13,000. I’m sure that would be factored in. ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/altima-break-pad-replacement/939992/6 "2021-04-15T01:16:08Z")
I would not worry about it. As mentioned, the pads should let you know when they need to be replaced. And going a bit too long isn’t the end of the world. You didn’t say how many miles are on them, that would be a useful bit of info. ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/altima-break-pad-replacement/939992/7 "2021-04-15T14:29:30Z")
> [@Mike\_Mabes](#): > > I do not drive fast or break hard. I should say your brakes should last longer than average in that case. I’d be curious about your brake rotors. According to a conversation I had with my mechanic, these days, with ceramic pads, you might find the rotors needing replacement when the pads are worn out. In the past, you might get 2 or even 3 sets of brake pads for every brake rotor, hence we’re attuned to thinking we can just replace the pads. If you are able to do (just) pad replacement, well, good for you! ---
**Author:** ![OldOlds](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a3d4f5/32.png) [@OldOlds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldOlds)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/altima-break-pad-replacement/939992/8 "2021-04-15T14:47:24Z")
I’m not a mechanic, but I am a pretty accomplished DIY guy. Here’s my take on rotors: They used to be really heavy- I remember my 78 Buick rotors felt like they could be part of a free weight set. To save money, they’ve really slimmed them down and it’s hard or impossible to get them cut today. It’s hard to find a shop that even does it anymore. As the rotors got thinner, there came this idea that every brake job needed new rotors. I use mechanics a lot more than I used to (old & lazy), and I get this all the time. I’m sure that’s more profitable for everyone but the consumer. However, my experience is that if you don’t let the rotors get damaged, you can indefinitely put new pads on, even today, without needing new rotors. Across a number of cars, I’ve never experienced a problem with this. One more However, the much lighter and thinner rotors are much more susceptible to warping, sometimes for no apparent reason, and I have on occasion had to replace rotors for that reason alone. Just my two cents, and I’m open to being disabused by one of our resident mechanics. ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2021, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/altima-break-pad-replacement/939992/9 "2021-04-15T15:28:11Z")
> [@OldOlds](#): > > I’m not a mechanic, but I am a pretty accomplished DIY guy. Me too. That said, I’ve not done enough brake jobs on my own cars to be able to verify the mechanic’s claims about modern rotor longevity with respect to pads. Maybe in about 10 years I can post an update 😉 ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2021, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/altima-break-pad-replacement/939992/10 "2021-05-10T18:45:06Z")
It depends on how you drive too. My state has a yearly inspection, and almost every year my mechanic tells me that my pads will probably need replaced by the next inspection. But here’s they thing, they almost never do, I think I’ve only ever had brake pads replaced in maybe 2 of my last 4 vehicles that I’ve driven to 150,000+ miles. I drive manual on rural roads and mostly just coast and downshift to stop.