My whimsical curiosity impelled me to enter this thread. I've had a lot of work done on my Old Trooper during the past 2 1/2 years, and done a formidable amount of other work myself.
Back in 2018, when I was naively allowing independent mechanic shops to take care of my SUV, I was searching for a new local outfit to replace my retired mechanic and shop-owner. I visited A**-T*** T***-U* down the road -- a father-son shop I'd actually visited once for a smog-test 18 years ago. [They still had my records in their database!] I called for an oil-change. They didn't follow my preference for synthetic oil, but I asked them to look over the car and find anything begging for maintenance.
"Ball joints upper and lower", "power-steering high-pressure hose" (it was leaking), "a control-arm bushing" and a CV-Joint-boot -- now the common practice to replace the whole transaxle. I'd been planning for new KYB MonoMax heavy-duty shocks anyway, which I insisted adding to the shop-order. I later nixed the shop from the potential list to replace my last guy: A check with my tire reseller, who also does front-end work, gave me an estimate for the same parts and labor that was $700 lower. Live and learn. But, for some reason I don't quite remember, they offered to replace my front brake pads "for FREE". Maybe the junior partner felt guilty for his greedy father. I told them I wanted "the best, heavy-duty" pads.
Reviewing the 2018 shop order, I see that they used "Posi-Quiet Ceramic Brake Pads" from Centric and APC Automotive Technologies.
When looking for reviews of "Ceramic Brake Pads", I don't see them in a review list of "top ten".
They seem to be fine. Summit Racing sells them, and their customer reviews -- which are a bit sparse -- sing their praises. One guy had installed them himself, and had a stuck caliper -- a brake was frozen.
Does anyone know anything further about "ceramic" pads and particularly Centric Posi-Quiet Ceramic pads?
My tire reseller suggests that I exercise wisdom in my braking behavior, so my pads last longer. I pump the brakes before stopping, and avoid quick stops.