Brake pads Carbotech or OEM Subaru
I have a 2017 Forester XT with 131,000 miles - have only done routine maintenance and have had to replace brakes front and rear as well as both control arms and struts, all expected with this many miles on it. I plan to keep it for as long as I can. Love it!
I do the minor maintenance myself: oil/filter, air filters, wiper blades.
I save enough $$ on the DIY portion, so I don't mind using my dealer for the other stuff: front & rear dif fluids, CVT fluid, brake fluid, brake pads, etc.
2011 2.5 Outback, just turned 255,000 miles. One set of brake pads
2022 Outback, 144k, never had any problems. Have replaced tires, brakes,and the battery. Follow all mfg recommendations for service. Always dealer serviced. Very happy with mine.
2014 impreza limited hatch — only 90K, routine maintenance (oil changes and replacing as needed brake pads, fluids, brake lights, tires, wipers).
aside from some repairs to back wheels (2 years ago) and a clog in my exhaust system that had to be cleared (7 years ago), this baby has been rollin along fine.
I had the same problem with my c8 z51, I switched to the Carbotech 1521 pads and they solved the problem. Would definitely recommend
Blew threw mine at 30K
the rear brakes did go bad at 35,000 but Subaru said that was an issue with defective brake pads from the factory and they paid for the replacements and they have been fine ever since.
We were quoted slightly over $1000 USD for brake pads and rotor resurfacing. \ud83e\udd72 Dealership quote. Going to another shop.
Bro they're trying to fuck you hard. Take that vehicle somewhere else and never go back. No way the rear pads should be at 2mm after only 30k miles
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Which brake pads to choose — Carbotech or OEM Subaru?
If choosing brake pads across many manufacturers, check the part ranking. If your choice is down to two brands, the PartReview part comparisons help.
We compare brake pads across these categories:
- PR Score.
- Overall ranking.
- Vote balance.
- Average rating.
- Number of reviews.
- Feature ratings.
- Car owners’ choice.
Which brake pads are better — OEM Subaru or Carbotech?
In March 2026 on PartReview, brake pads Carbotech were overall better than OEM Subaru.
- Carbotech received a PR Score of 91 out of 100, and OEM Subaru scored 59 points.
- Carbotech ranked 8 in the overall ranking, and OEM Subaru ranked 40.
- The average rating is higher for Carbotech (4.2) than for OEM Subaru (3.2).
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Brake pads Carbotech have better feature ratings than OEM Subaru:
- Braking - owners believe, that this property for Carbotech is better than OEM Subaru.
- Dust - drivers claim, that this property for Carbotech is outperforms OEM Subaru.
- Noise - reviews suggest, that this property for OEM Subaru is preferred to Carbotech.
Which brake pads are more popular — Carbotech or OEM Subaru?
In March 2026 on PartReview, brake pads Carbotech were overall more popular than OEM Subaru.
By vote balance, brake pads Carbotech surpassed OEM Subaru:
- For Carbotech, the ratio of positive (274) to negative (25) votes is 249 votes.
- For OEM Subaru, the ratio of positive (149) to negative (101) votes is 48 votes.
By number of reviews, brake pads Carbotech surpassed OEM Subaru:
- For brake pads Carbotech there are 97 reviews: 86 positive, 8 neutral, 3 negative.
- For brake pads OEM Subaru there are 79 reviews: 41 positive, 13 neutral, 25 negative.
Which brake pads do car owners prefer — Carbotech or OEM Subaru?
In March 2026, according to PartReview, brake pads Carbotech led more car-specific ratings than OEM Subaru:
Carbotech are chosen by owners of cars such as: BMW M2, Chevrolet Corvette, Honda S2000, and others.
OEM Subaru are chosen by owners of cars such as: Subaru Forester, and others.
Other comparisons of brake pads
If this comparison didn’t fully answer your question, there are many others on PartReview.
For example, comparisons of brake pads Carbotech with: EBC, POWER STOP, Akebono, Hawk Performance, Brembo, Ferodo, OEM Volkswagen, Bosch, STOPTECH, Mintex.
Also available: comparisons of brake pads OEM Subaru with: EBC, POWER STOP, Akebono, Hawk Performance, Brembo, Ferodo, OEM Volkswagen, Bosch, STOPTECH, Mintex.
You can also see who is better among other brake pads manufacturers: EBC or POWER STOP, EBC or Akebono, EBC or Hawk Performance, Brembo or EBC, Akebono or POWER STOP.