Thems the brakes?

I recently bought an 06 Mustang convertible with the V6.  So far my biggest disappointment with the car is the brakes/brake pedal feel.  My other car is a P71 that feels like it could stop on a dime.  This Mustang?  Feels almost like the pads or rotors are glazed or that the brake lines are " ballooning ".

Car was previously owned by a little old lady and I had to replace the tires right off as they were almost 8 years old.  I am wondering if the brake fluid needs to be replaced, or if an upgrade is going to be needed.  

After the fluid, can someone recommend a good brake pad?

Check the pads. Lil ole lady may have been dragging the brake or just using them so lightly they glazed over. fluid replacement probably a good idea since it's hygroscopic and absorbs moisture which rusts the system internally and lowers the boiling point should you get involved in any spirited driving/Auto-x or track usage.

If the pads are glazed you can sand the pads & scuff the rotors then bed in the pads and may get much better brake performance. The "feel" of the pedal is a different matter if you're experiencing long pedal travel but I'd check the pads first.

In reply to NOT A TA :

When you apply the brakes the feel is nothing spectacular, it doesn't get firmer or sink to the floor.  Another way to describe it is " wooden ".  It just doesn't feel like the car is slowing appreciably.

Unfortunately, I haven't driven a lot of other cars recently, so this could be within the realm of normal.  I told the mechanic I bought this car from that I barely drive it in part because of the brake feel and he looked a bit amused...though I did sort of let him off the hook by saying that the P71 may have spoiled me.

GT calipers and rotors are a bolt-on but you'll have to run 17" rims. That will help. In fact, calipers are the same between V6 and GT, just the brackets changed to accommodate the GT's larger-diameter rotor.

And I'd run Hawk HPS or Porterfield R4S if they're made for that caliper

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

Luckily, this V6 is the top trim " Premium " so it already has the 17 inch wheels.

Flush the fluid and the stock brakes with fresh rotors and pads will be fine if you're just driving it, the Hawk HPS would be my recommendation.  But if you're driving it find a set of GT500 Brembo's.  Over 30ft reduction in stopping distance from 60mph in my testing.

Patientzero said:

Flush the fluid and the stock brakes with fresh rotors and pads will be fine if you're just driving it, the Hawk HPS would be my recommendation.  But if you're driving it find a set of GT500 Brembo's.  Over 30ft reduction in stopping distance from 60mph in my testing.

The only way Stopping distance improves with brake changes is if the old brakes weren't capable of providing enough clamp force to engage ABS. 

In reply to AngryCorvair (Forum Supporter) :

The stock brakes aren't enough to lock up 315 BFG Rivals.  There is video of the testing in my thread.

As the brake fluid gets old enough and absorbs enough moisture, it will begin to crystalize. It's certainly not great for the components in the brake system, but I also can't imagine the fluid slowly turning to slush helps feel either. Do a good system flush.

But it sounds mostly like you're really looking for the pads to have a bit more bite. Have you tried 're-bedding' the current ones to see how it effects their performance?  This may actually help, depending on the pads. Otherwise, it's time to upgrade.

Thanks everyone for the advice, especially about the pads.