[F87source]

Hey guys, I just had a question for anyone interested in low dust brake pads. I know that the Akebono euro ceramic brake pads are pretty popular with alot of bmw owners on here because they produce little to no brake dust. However, I know that alot of users also don't like them because they fade way too quickly even on spirited driving and don't really offer a very good initial bite.


Upon speaking to Paragon brakes I think there may potentially be a significantly better alternative brake compound to the akebono's and other low dust ceramic brake pads - and this is the paragon p2 brake pad. These p2 brake pads are based off of winmax's brake pad compounds and I assume these are very similar if not just a rebranded winmax w2 pad. So for those of you who don't know what the W2's are, they are extremely extremely good and well reknowned pads in the JDM car world (I came from the FRS world and that is where I experienced alot of winmax pads, but I didn't get the chance to try the W2's but I have heard they are excellent) and the W2's are supposedly the best low dust street pads you can get. They offer extremely low noise (supposed to be OEM levels) and low dusting (on the level of ceramic pads) but they offer significantly better initial bite compared to alternative ceramic pads with a whopping ~0.43-0.44 coefficent of friction, and are able to retain a relatively high coefficent of friction in respect to temperature. So despite fading they should retain more friction than any alternative ceramic brake pad and not be completely unuseable with hard driving on the street. So pretty much you shouldn't be able to fade these pads to a level where they are unsafe/unuseable on the street.

Here's a graph to show it's coefficent of friction vs. temp:

Credit: paragon https://paragonbrakes.com/paragon-pbp1548-brake-pads/


So the only issue is Paragon doesn't stock these pads because they don't think there is any interest, so that's where you guys come in. If you guys are potentially interested in buying these style of pads reply to this thread and vote in the poll to show paragon your interest. Paragon has told me If enough of you guys want these pads then they'll stock it.

[jefe2000]

These look like good options! I’m really interested in reduced-dust pads that will still give me enough performance for street (not track) drives — canyon/mountain runs, that sorta thing. And it’d be a bonus if these pads ended up being carried by a reseller like FCP Euro.

[ZM2]

Maybe interested for my AP 9660 front and rear Paragon BBK. Altho, that probably doesn’t help your production volume issue.

Thoughts on P3 vs P2? I could fade a DS2500 (P3 comparable) on the street with hard driving, more dust, tho.

Currently running Porterfield R4-S on the street, which have better mu/temp than even the Paragon R5 and they're silent which is awesome, but they're really dusty!

[inTgr8r]

Definitely interested in a low dust pad now that my car is no longer tracked.

How would these compare to the Carbotech 1521?

[F87source]

Originally Posted by jefe2000

These look like good options! I’m really interested in reduced-dust pads that will still give me enough performance for street (not track) drives — canyon/mountain runs, that sorta thing. And it’d be a bonus if these pads ended up being carried by a reseller like FCP Euro.

Yeah me too! I want a street pad that is low dust as well, but currently I will be trying out paragon's P3 compound (should be able to handle dual duty use like street and auto x and super super super light track use) and paragon's r5 compound. The p3 will be super nice when it is auto x season as I won't have to always change out pads, and then it would be super nice to have a p2 pad for all other times when im only on the street so I don't have to deal with dust.

Originally Posted by ZM2

Maybe interested for my AP 9660 front and rear Paragon BBK. Altho, that probably doesn’t help your production volume issue.

Thoughts on P3 vs P2? I could fade a DS2500 (P3 comparable) on the street with hard driving, more dust, tho.

Currently running Porterfield R4-S on the street, which have better mu/temp than even the Paragon R5 and they're silent which is awesome, but they're really dusty!

Haha yeah it wouldn't help those of us still on the stock calipers but what can you do. I will be trying the P3's out and I'll be doing a review on them so currently no thoughts on them yet except I hear they are very good. I can't remember if I used them on my frs or not because I used some winmax stuff (only difference is we had the entire winmax range from w1 to endurance compounds, so there were alot of pads that paragon didn't carry), but either way it's not entirely comparable since the frs is ~700 lbs lighter than the m2 and had no braking issues (once you added pads and fluid) because it was so light.

If you could fade out the Ds2500 on the street (which is crazy how you managed that, haha you do brake super hard) you'll likely fade out the p3's as well. They're pretty similar to the ds2500 in terms of performance only cheaper. $536 for ferodo vs. $324 for the p3's.

Yeah i'd love to have a low dust pad for street use when im not actively auto x'ing or hitting the track, so really hoping the p2's get stocked

Not sure they'd work for you if you brake that hard, but maybe give it a go if paragon has it for the ap racing calipers.

Originally Posted by inTgr8r

Definitely interested in a low dust pad now that my car is no longer tracked.

How would these compare to the Carbotech 1521?

Carbotech doesn't have any published mu vs. temp data so idk. I do know the carbotechs cost $524 vs. p2's $324 so it's $200 cheaper which is quite a bit of money for pads. So honestly i'd always go with the p2's given the chance. There's no way I'd spend $524 for street pads. Akebono's cost ~$228 from fcp euro and the p2's would cost $324, so for $96 more you could get a significantly superior pad.

[medphysdave]

I'd certainly be interested in hearing more about how it compares to the C1521, 2500, and stock m performance compoud.

The stock compound is quite good, even for mild track, but as we all know, it dusts like crazy.

I don't think the carbotech is considered a decent mild track pad. I think it's low dust, quiet, street pad.

The 2500 pads seem close to stock performance?

I'd love a lower dusting, quiet pad, that I'd feel confident running hard in the hills, but I don't think that exists. Something that work for all public road driving.

As is I'd run my track pads on track and mountain drives, and run streets pads for DD. I'm still running xp12s on the street despite the horrendous squealing. Too lazy to swap pads so I still haven't bought street pads.

[F87source]

Originally Posted by medphysdave

I'd certainly be interested in hearing more about how it compares to the C1521, 2500, and stock m performance compoud.

The stock compound is quite good, even for mild track, but as we all know, it dusts like crazy.

I don't think the carbotech is considered a decent mild track pad. I think it's low dust, quiet, street pad.

The 2500 pads seem close to stock performance?

I'd love a lower dusting, quiet pad, that I'd feel confident running hard in the hills, but I don't think that exists. Something that work for all public road driving.

As is I'd run my track pads on track and mountain drives, and run streets pads for DD. I'm still running xp12s on the street despite the horrendous squealing. Too lazy to swap pads so I still haven't bought street pads.

The p2's won't be any bit track capable but should allow you to drive the car spiritedly on the street without dusting. IMO they are likely akebonos but better at not fading, and when they do fade it won't be completely useless because they start at such a high MU.

P3's will be comparable to the DS2500 which is superior to the stock pad and pretty much allows you to push extremely hard without fading, the DS2500 is an insane pad. The P3's should be able to do the same and take auto x and street duty without issue, and very light track duty (not really a track pad).


The carbotech 1521 are street only if im not mistaken and are meant to compete against the P2. But at $200 cheaper I would probably always choose the P2's because it is hard to swallow $500 for street only pads.

[F87source]

Ok quick update: Paragon has informed me that they will be ordering a couple sets of P2 pads from winmax Japan. The new pads will take 1-2 months to arrive. I'll keep you guys posted when they arrive, and I do hope to get a set for myself to test and provide additional data for but we will see.

These should be a great option for everyone looking for a low dust pad that should ideally outperform the akebonos and are cheaper than other low dust brake pad alternatives.

[F87source]

I got an email from Paragon last night and they told me the P2 pads have arrived. It doesn't show as in stock on their website yet but the pads are indeed at Paragon's warehouse. So if anyone wants to purchase a set, I believe you can do so now.

[medphysdave]

Originally Posted by F87source

I got an email from Paragon last night and they told me the P2 pads have arrived. It doesn't show as in stock on their website yet but the pads are indeed at Paragon's warehouse. So if anyone wants to purchase a set, I believe you can do so now.

Are these for the blue brakes or also the comp brakes?

[F87source]

Originally Posted by medphysdave

Are these for the blue brakes or also the comp brakes?

The 4 pot front, 2 pot rear blue brakes. So if you have the 6 pot front and 4 pot rear 2nh calipers, unfortunately paragon doesn't support those brakes just yet. I believe they have plans to support these brakes in the near future.