dgrobs

Agree. Love the 3.12’s.

CME

I used the Pagid Yellows for years and loved them. Great initial bite and they stop the car no issues, until they are at about 50% thickness. They fall away fast and have to change pads more often. Switched to the DS 3.12 and I fell they less initial bit and require a bit more pedal pressure, but I am nit picking. They last longer and their operating range is longer and allows you to use up more of the pad before they fall away. I never let my pads go below 25%. I use the end of medium zip tie to determine min thickness. Once the boxy end can't go between the backing plate and rotor, I need to change pads.
Chet

Clark-ApexPerformance

I am selling the majority of the Ferrodo Pads on this website. FWIW customers tell me THe DS3.12 have the best initial bite and modulation of any of the pads. People who start using DS3.12 do not go back to what they had been using. THis tells me alot.
Pagid RS29 has problems stopping the car omce you get to 1/2 of the pad plus it shreeks all day long.
THE FCP business model is not sustainable so get all the free stuff you can when they are still in business.
.

lgusto

Some of these posts have me scratching my head. What would cause pads to be noisy on one car and quiet on another? Rotors? Bedding process? Honestly I'd have never left Ferodo if I could tolerate the noise.

Kitc2246

I have never run 3.12s, only 1.11s. While there are many DEers with much more experience than me, I've never heard anyone say anything negative about RSL29s or 3.12s. I Second hand negative comments about RSL29s from someone who sells Ferodo seems inappropriate in this forum If RSL29s at 50% had trouble stopping a car I suspect they are boiling the brake fluid. One should know that the heat load on the fluid quickly goes up as the pad wears. 50% is the min for pads with PCA, so regardless of brand they should be changed. I wore out a set of DS1.11s in three track weekends and had planned to upgrade to 3.12s when I discovered FCP started selling RSL29s. After 4 weekends I've had no performance issues. Pads look go for at least two more weekends, but will closely monitor since I know wear is not linear.

IMO track pad squeal is a combination of the rotor, pad and bedding.

De Jeeper

My $.02. I have been using the pagid r29 pad for 3 yrs now and i get about 25 de days and they r pretty quiet since i put new sebro rotors on the car. Had to beat the longevity and they r not eating up the rotors.

Clark-ApexPerformance

Inappropriate?? I sell PFC, Pagid RE-10 and FErodo. My comment is based on fact as to what customers have told me. I personally only have only used PFCs. THe downside of the RS29 have been reported to me by numerous customers. If RS29 works well for you keep using them,

dgrobs

FYI, as far as Apex goes,

Clarke has never steered me wrong and yes, I do buy a lot of the DS 3.12’s from him. I am on track between 80-100 days/calendar year, and most of those are instructing, so I am giving a lot of rides to my students as well. Point is, I go through pads and rotor rings like crazy. Clarke has always done right by me and I send a bunch of business his way as well as my own purchases from him.
Apex is 100% in my book and I will never leave them until they give me a reason to do so. I don’t see that happening. Clarke is just too good a guy and the things he does for me to keep me on track is a service I am more than willing to pay for.

I know what the FCP warranty gives to some
folks, and I get it, but how can that be a sustainable business model? Regardless, I can run the Pagids all season long with free replacements from FCP. I choose NOT to do that.

The relationship that Clarke and I have built over the years is far more important to me than free replacements. Say what you will, it’s just the way I do business.

When I need something overnighted to me at VIR or Watkins, or wherever, Clarke has always been there for me. There’s no price I can put on that.

Clarke does business the right way and develops long term relationships with his customers, like me. Until he F’s up, he is my guy and always will be. I don’t see him screwing up and that’s why I send lots of people his way. Have never had any negative feedback whatsoever.

Clarke will not replace used parts for free, but why should he? His business model works, and he has a very loyal following because of that business model, not because he’s replacing worn pads for free. And oil. And brake fluid. And and and….

The fact that FCP doesn’t sell the Ferodo 3.12’s or 1.11’s tells me a lot. Their business model isn’t sustainable as far as I can tell, but if it works for them, then good for them. Best of luck long term. That model wouldn’t work for my business, but if it works for FCP, good on them.

Im sticking with Clarke and Linda and Apex. So are the folks I send their way. Never heard one complaint from anyone concerning Clarke and/or Apex.

YMMV….(but it won’t vary by much)!!

Clark-ApexPerformance

Brucester,
Thanks for your kind words.

aryork

When I first heard of FCP I thought the same thing. But after using them for a while, it seems to me they will not go broke doing the lifetime warranty thing. The reasons why are:

• I end up buying all or most of my parts from them, many of which will never have the warranty exercised.
• While returning the oil, brake, trans fluid, etc. makes a compelling financial story, I am not convinced that many people do it compared to the number of customers they have. It's a bit of a pain to keep track of and to repackage the oil/fluid and box it up. I have a "system" set up and do the oil return thing for two Porsches, two Minis, and an Audi. I will always change at least two cars at the same time, just to save some time for myself. I am using better oil than I would otherwise. I also have a lift which makes it much easier/faster to do the fluids.

Brake pads will be a cheap/easy shipment back to CT, so I will definitely be using the lifetime warranty on those.

ldamelio

I think FCP warranty practice is sustainable for them because hyper-consuming (of parts) track junkies are a small fraction of their business. I heard in paddock gossip that their return rate is 7% - no idea if true or false, but that would seem to be easy enough to build into a sustainable business model.

dgrobs

At 7%, maybe it is sustainable, but all I hear about from FCP customers is free this and free that. Nice that it works for them, but that 7% number seems low, but what do I know.

Jim Cobb

Strong +1 on this. I don’t do the volume of business with Clark that you do, but I have dealt with him for several years now, and I have learned from experience that you can take what he tells you to the bank. His repeat business speaks for itself.. I’d also venture that his prices are as good as anybody’s.

85Gold

Prices are probably better, and shipping is immediate. Also being a Boomer I have no problem dealing over the phone which is the preferred way with Apex Performance. Also I am partial to dealing with Mom and Pop businesses.

Peter

dgrobs

Oh yeah…..