Product Review: Porsche Targa Driver Loves EBC Bluestuff NDX Brake Pads

Porsche Targa Driver Loves EBC Bluestuff NDX Brake Pads

California-based Bob has so far enjoyed the first 2500 miles of his Porsche Targa, however has been left feeling the brake pads could yet be improved.

Bob settled on EBC Brakes’ Bluestuff NDX Brake Pads as the solution to his issue. Bluestuff NDX is designed to bed in fast and has a reduced early life fade. It serves dual purposes as an exceptional fast street pad for premium fast street use and an entry-level trackday (lapping) pad. Its remarkable characteristics make it stand out.

Bob’s thoughts on the product can be viewed below in his own words.

“Having driven 2500 miles on the stock pads I was not overly impressed and was looking for something with a little more feel and bite without being dusty or too aggressive.

So, I tried EBC Bluestuff. The pads dropped right into the calipers a breeze and I have to say right out of the box, and even during the first few miles, these pads felt good. Now, after 200 more miles, the pads just keep getting better and stronger.

Interestingly, the dust is the same as or less than stock so far and there is not the slightest sound, which is what I was worried about. There was no hiss under slow braking and certainly no squeal. Brakes feel as smooth as silk and super strong.

In pedal feel, without being grabby, the Blues feel 15-20% stronger than stock. After a few hundred more miles, I will give them some fast stops and report back but so far these brakes are superb and for a quality car like this a very good choice.”

“Above are the standard pads that we removed before installing EBC Brakes Bluestuff. The dealer wanted $600 for each end to swap the pads out, so I decided to roll out my tools and do it myself, which is a 30 minute job each end if you’re a home mechanic.

Note the standard pads have no expansion/dust collector grooves whereas the EBC pads do. Also these EBC pads have the all-important balance – anti vibration weights on the rears (the fronts don’t have them on either the originals or Bluestuff).

Both the original and the EBC pads have wear lead receptors, but you should be able to re-use the original wear leads. EBC do sell these separately if you need them, but unless you have run the pads down to the metal, the original wear leads can be re-fitted simply enough.”

“After 200 more miles here is how these pads are progressing:

We get told that any new brake pad will exhibit its nasty side, whether that’s noise or vibration, within the first 200 or so miles so this is the point of updating this write up now. Loads of websites tell you to wait a few 100 miles if you get any noise, so far I have had none.

So, it’s as simple as this… there is no downside so far to these pads.

I have not pushed past 80 MPH as of yet (due to speed limits) but after performing 5 stops 60 MPH to 20, followed by 5 stops 80 MPH to 20, the brakes only got stronger.

Still zero noise, no hissing or grinding which is typical of some performance pads, so EBC Bluestuff for me has set a new milestone as being a decent performance pad that has no bad manners. I have used numerous EBC pads (Redstuff and Yellowstuff) in my cars before and all were good, but Blustuff is SO FAR my all-time favourite EBC Brakes (and other) compound.

Brakes feel much more progressive than the stock pads the car arrived with and are very nice to drive.

So far… Love em!

Next update after 500 miles.

Bob H, California”