There is a lot of press from ceramic brake pad manufacturers and distributors claiming ceramic materials are superior in comparison to semi-metallic formulations. 

Semi-metallic versus Ceramic 

It is true that nearly 30% of new auto manufacturers are equipping their vehicles with ceramic brake pads now, but this should not warrant a brake pad swap in every situation.  There are some benefits to using ceramic brake pads as well as semi-metallic brake pads, but drawbacks exist in every situation.

To understand the differences between the two types of brake pads, you must first understand how they are constructed.  Ceramic brake pads are generally composed of dense ceramic material and embedded copper fibers.  Semi-metallic brake pads, on the other hand, are made from synthetic resins and embed...