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Ceramic vs semi-metallic pads: a Jacksonville answer

Written by David Shields

The internet is full of pad-material debates written by people who don't drive in 92-degree August heat, ten miles of stop-and-go on Philips Highway, followed by an afternoon downpour. So here's a Duval County answer.

Semi-metallic

Higher friction coefficient when cold, better initial bite, cheaper. Wears faster in humid climates, dust is heavier and clings to wheels, more prone to surface rust after the car sits through a thunderstorm.

Ceramic

Quieter, lower dust, longer life in city driving, slightly less initial bite from cold — negligible for a passenger car, meaningful for a work truck.

Our default recommendation

For 8 out of 10 vehicles that leave the shop, we install ceramic. Exceptions: F-250-and-up work trucks under load, tow rigs, and cars driven aggressively at track days — those get semi-metallic or a hybrid compound. The Florida coastal environment (humidity, salt, dust) rewards ceramic every time on daily drivers.


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