I have a 2004 Mazda3 and I'm looking to get a big brake kit for it. So on that note I want opinions on the best 4 wheel big brake kits available. If possible I was hoping to do all 4 wheels at the same time and go full SS (stainless steel) brake lines. Any advice in appreciated.

 

My suggestion:
1) if you are not planning to go full-on stage III and turn the car into a dedicated race car/trailer queen, save the +/- $3000-$3500 you were going to spend on all that.
2) Stock, the car will pull-down from 60mph in 123', which for stock is pretty dern good.
3) Replace what you've already got with some really good pads (EBC, or Hawk) and cross-drilled rotors and you may lose a few more feet off that 123.
4) Big brake kits are really only good for increased cooling surface, which is a known advantage in race cars doing repeated and heavy foot stopping, but not in street cars and are not known for improved regular braking. In fact, if done wrong it can actually hurt the stopping distance. (See SCC Mag, c. Sept-Nov 2008.)

 

The car is going to remain a daily driver but I figured that improved braking would be important for the turbo, tuner, CAI, and exhaust.

 

Go for it!! And I agree if you are going to improve on other areas of the performance, that a brake upgrade should also be included. Some would say it should be done 1st! Before anything else. Being realists, we know that it seldom ever happens in that order.

But also as I indicated, you can accomplish that and save a lot of otherwise wasted money using the OE brakes as a starting place. I mean speaking for myself, I would rather spend $700 to upgrade an already good system than $3g's and wonder if I accomplished anything at all.

 

the big brake kit is highly unnecessary unless your making a full time circuit racer like rich suggested, the stock rotors are big enough to give great braking surface, just like rich also suggested just replace the pos stock pads and get ebc or hawk.

The thing that people dont realize is that bigger is not always better and in this case its not better your just wasting money on same diameter brakes that are cross-drilled and slotted which doesnt improve braking just keeps the temp down on the rotors, and for a dd unless your a crazy driver even still the stock ones are more than enough, also a little side note u cant resurface rotors like that or even slotted ones.

 

After improvements there you'd need to upgrade your tires to a higher performance tire or your wonderful new brakes will over power the grip your tires have on the road.

 

My bet is that he'd have to do that anyway due to the fact that a big brake kit will most likely not fit within the limited space of the factory wheels. Said another way, he'd have to buy new tires because he'd have to buy new wheels as well.

 

Two extremely good points!! I was actually thinking about possible wheel clearence issues, but forgot all about how tires are such an important part of the braking system.
There goes another $1500-$2000 (for decent quality.)

 

Just noticed the question on braided (I'm assuming) brake lines. I've been told by a retailer to not even bother. It's a lot of money for no noticable gain. I've heard others claim otherwise. Since a shop wanting to sell parts and make some money told me not to spend my money on them, I've decided they are not worth it. You're not generating pressures to rupture a rubber line. You're not offroading to kick that kind of debris into your lines. And if rubber lines expanded that much under normal braking, I would think you've got a bad line anyway. As far as internal swelling goes, the same would happen on a braided line. They have a rubber tube inside.

 

I also have heard both sides of the performance spectrum on braided brake lines. I'm just curious as to everyone's opinion. As for the tires/wheels I already have them. I'm now trying to find the best thoughts on companies for rotors and pads for all 4 wheels. Until I put in a turbo and tuner, I think stock size brakes should work.