Pagid from ECP - Everything they’re cracked up to be?

[Bossworld]

I got rid of my MK3 MR2 and ended up with a Golf Cabrio (mk6). Car is nearly five years old and high miles, but had full VWFSH. Unfortunately it looks like it was stood at the dealer for about 8 months prior to my purchase, so the discs and pads were looking a bit scabby.

I changed all four discs out for Borg and Beck, and got Brembo pads from ECP. Same combo I had on the MR2, and a stab of the brakes is enough to put your face through the windscreen.

But noticed on the Golf Facebook groups, there are lots of people singing Pagid’s praises and slagging off Brembo. Comments for the former seem to be ‘they’re OE equipment for several brands’ and comments for the latter are ‘they’re cheap rebranded Chinese crap’.

A bit of digging suggests that may all be apocryphal Facebook nonsense. Brembo seemingly have their own Chinese manufacturing plant.

But interestingly, it seems Pagid is possibly licensed to EuroCarParts (in the UK at least). Similar to some Kenwood products at Curry’s - they’re just using the brand name.

Can anyone shed any light on either? Can’t be arsed to argue back seeing as mine have been fine, but genuinely curious to know if ECP Pagid is actually the same as OE Pagid as allegedly fitted by some marques.

Another thread for reference: https://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/index.php?threa...

[Scrump]

I understand Pagid to be an ECP brand.
I have had a few bad experiences with Pagid over the years, I have no similar bad experiences with Brembo (purchased from ECP).

[stevieturbo]

What are they cracked up to be ?

[Bossworld]

stevieturbo said:

What are they cracked up to be ?

The second coming of Jesus, going off the FB groups (though that’s not saying much, it’s the same people repeatedly replying due to other’s inability to use the search button). Always the same daily questions about oil/brakes/head units.

On a more serious note, as above, apparently they’re the same thing fitted to lots of cars out of the factory.

Great, fast moving resources that make it easier to share troubleshooting pics/videos, but should never replace the accumulated knowledge on forums.

Edited by Bossworld on Sunday 7th March 18:06

[g3org3y]

Scrump said:

I understand Pagid to be an ECP brand.
I have had a few bad experiences with Pagid over the years, I have no similar bad experiences with Brembo (purchased from ECP).

Pagid said:

Pagid is an OE brand of TMD Friction, and part of the Nisshinbo Group – the world’s biggest manufacturer of brake friction

Link: https://pagid.com/about-us/#:~:text=Pagid%20is%20a...

I've only used them once for 'fast road pads' on an old E36. They were decent enough, quite dusty though.

[Bossworld]

g3org3y said:

Link: https://pagid.com/about-us/#:~:text=Pagid%20is%20a...

I've only used them once for 'fast road pads' on an old E36. They were decent enough, quite dusty though.

I think the crux is whether Pagid supplied by ECP, is the same as the stuff being touted as OEM equipment or not. This site says not necessarily: https://autotechnician.co.uk/stop/

"Some factors have introduced their own brands, as a means of achieving economies-of-scale and building customer loyalty but, potentially, this courts confusion even further. Euro Car Parts (ECP) told us that it arranged to distribute the Pagid brand exclusively a decade ago, after it was acquired by TMD friction in 2002. Its reasoning was to combine the company’s widespread network and rapid delivery service with Pagid’s OE heritage. The strategy appears to have worked, with ECP reporting that the brand has grown phenomenally, although it is worth adding that the Pagid range extends beyond the friction components alone. "

Avon tyres (which I have on my Mini, and had on the MR2) trade off their reputation as historically being factory choice for Rolls Royce/Bentley. Just wondered if we've got a similar thing going on here - not alleging that Pagid are bad, but just find it interesting the Brembos get such a bad rep in comparison for the same thing (that ECP Brembo, isn't the same Brembo as the stuff found in four pots and the like).

Edited by Bossworld on Sunday 7th March 18:34

[alpha channel]

Personal experience wise, on my old '98 Rover? not bad, no worse than anything else I've used but that car has fairly poor brakes by modern standards (you really have to have strong legs to stop quickly).

On my XK on the other hand wouldn't touch them. Popped a set on the front, got steering wheel wobble after three months, swapped the discs (thinking they had warped and started using the electronic handbrake more), got a bit better, then got much worse when it progressed to the whole front of the car wobbling like hell when I was gently slowing from seventy to sixty. Chopped them in for Brembo disc & pads and it hasn't reared its head since.

Why the difference? No idea, I can only guess (wrongly probably), I just know I won't use Pagids on the XK again plus there's not much in the way of price difference anyway... these days anyway.

[stevieturbo]

Bossworld said:

The second coming of Jesus, going off the FB groups (though that’s not saying much, it’s the same people repeatedly replying due to other’s inability to use the search button). Always the same daily questions about oil/brakes/head units.

On a more serious note, as above, apparently they’re the same thing fitted to lots of cars out of the factory.

Great, fast moving resources that make it easier to share troubleshooting pics/videos, but should never replace the accumulated knowledge on forums.

Edited by Bossworld on Sunday 7th March 18:06

One thing you can be sure of, they will not be the same as fitted at the factory.

Rarely are any aftermarket brakes/pads etc even with the same brand name....exactly the same as the actual OEM use. Although often they claim to OEM specifications etc. But they're almost never the same.

[tr7v8]

Got Pagid discs & pads on my Cayenne V8S from Halfords of all places. Mechanic who fitted them said they are fine but quite soft, so good bite & poor wear. They also give out a ton of dust. When it all get changed again I'll probably go with EBC pads as I have used them successfully in the past. And they give less dust.

[Tlandcruiser]

Brembo and Textar are what I use.

[hi court]

stevieturbo said:

Bossworld said:

The second coming of Jesus, going off the FB groups (though that’s not saying much, it’s the same people repeatedly replying due to other’s inability to use the search button). Always the same daily questions about oil/brakes/head units.

On a more serious note, as above, apparently they’re the same thing fitted to lots of cars out of the factory.

Great, fast moving resources that make it easier to share troubleshooting pics/videos, but should never replace the accumulated knowledge on forums.

Edited by Bossworld on Sunday 7th March 18:06

One thing you can be sure of, they will not be the same as fitted at the factory.

Rarely are any aftermarket brakes/pads etc even with the same brand name....exactly the same as the actual OEM use. Although often they claim to OEM specifications etc. But they're almost never the same.

This. 100%.

Even the pads fitted in the ford factory are different to the pads you buy over the counter in the ford dealer.

Sometimes there is/was a police spec brake pad available, an "OE spec" pad and a "manufactured to OE spec" pad. So 3 different set of pads all in ford boxes all available over the counter. And not one set match the engineering spec number on the factory fitted pads.

[Chris32345]

Brembo have two lines
There higher end performance stuff

And the OEM everyday stuff
The OEM stuff many parts of which are made in china obviously not all but certainly not anything special quality wise but certainly good enough for 90% of people
Pretty much a case with most other named brands pagid mintex (as same group btw)

Obviously they will be variations in pads compound and disc material but short of heavy duty tests and computer data logging you'd notice minimal difference between them all



Only my current car
Have pagid discs and pads on the front
The rear has OEM pads with febi discs


Previous to those it was factory parts all around

Can't say there was any noticeable difference after fitting to the braking


Last car had pagid discs and pads up front and Bosch shoes on the rear

These were an improvement but mainly as only half the inner front pads were touching the discs due to rust rather them better material's


So short story is as long as they a genuine parts from aknown brand don't worry who's mades them

Edited by Chris32345 on Monday 8th March 19:59

[HustleRussell]

Pagid are one of the two brands I have encountered most in club level motorsport. They make some serious stuff.

However, every brand seems to lend their name to a rather mediocre ‘budget’ product line, the likes of which you’ll find at ECP.

Brake pads are about the only thing that I will go straight to the OEM for, I have simply had too many disappointments with utterly crap, brand-name ‘OEM equivalent’ stuff.

Yes, the brake product manufacturer will very often supply a different product/compound to the car’s OEM compared to what they will sell to motor factors.

[DeeTurbo]

I'd been using Padgid pads and discs for years and I've never had any issues with them. I used to do 36k miles a year in my car so I've been through a few sets.

I've not used them on track but fast road they've been great.

[stevieturbo]

DeeTurbo said:

I'd been using Padgid pads and discs for years and I've never had any issues with them. I used to do 36k miles a year in my car so I've been through a few sets.

I've not used them on track but fast road they've been great.

Funny thing is...when I was doing 90k a year in my van using OEM parts.....I'd change discs/pads all round once a year.
Yes, they really did last 90k, and even at that there was more left in them, but it just made sense to change regardless.

[ChocolateFrog]

It's frustrating from a consumer point of view not knowing what stuff is good and what's a bit crap.

The only horror show I've seen recently are Eicher.

But I've had mediocre stuff with Brembo and Pagid on the box from ECP.

Edited by ChocolateFrog on Friday 12th March 20:55

[Klippie]

Years ago ECP used to sell some decent brake parts (ATE) now I'am not so sure...the last Pagid lot I bought warped within no time.

I've fitted a set of drilled Zimmerman (Made in Germany) disc's and pad's to my Proceed GT which are a noticable improvement over the OEM which were very poor, I did consider Brembo's but read a few comments about lots of brake dust from the pads which put me off.