Since 1998, Veteran Owned - BuyBrakes.com has been fully engaged in guiding enthusiasts, racers, driving instructors and consumers in the complex subject of purchasing brake and suspension upgrades and delivering those components from dozens of the best brands in the world at the best pricing possible. When you connect to our sales team, you'll actually be talking live to real brake experts ready to discuss and provide solutions regarding your vehicle's braking and suspension challenges.Having a complex component, order or delivery problem that you feel you need to talk to the company founder about? He's at ext. 459 at our toll-free number where you could reach him live or he'll return your call the next business day. Who does that? We do.There is no better company at having complex conversations regarding the dozens of brake and suspension brand offerings as it relates to thousands of year/make/model vehicles on offer in North America. BuyBrakes.com is the go-to resource for automotive technicians and auto repair facilities to call when they are not exactly sure what Brembo, Stoptech, Wilwood or other brand Brake Caliper is hanging off the spindle on the car/truck or SUV that just pulled into their shop. Yes, they call us to find those tricky bits. Are we always correct? Only 98% of the time. The other 2% we're digging deeper within the hollowed halls of engineering staff inside the brands themselves.Are our vendors struggling with supply chain issues in 2021? Yes
BuyBrakes.com (buybrakes.com) has 511 customer reviews on Five Star Index, with an average rating of 4.1 out of 5.
Website
buybrakes.com
Category
Auto Parts & Wheels
Location
Bellingham, Washington
Listed on Five Star Index
2026
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The company replied to 20% of reviews.
Latest
Most recent review: October 2026.
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Their word means nothing commit to ship at a date than I chase no call backs finally get response and they blame it on the factory! Try stocking what you sale and mean what you say simple business ethics! Not to mention their ridiculous pricing on hats and rotor! Their better quality stock style rotor are no better than stock when I told them the rotors had fisher cracks after the first weekend they said that is normal and no warranty on parts used on track. Be warned stay away
Response from BuyBrakes.comFeb 14, 2019
Greg weekend races a Porsche and his factory drilled rotors cracked. He called us to replace those factory drilled rotors and insisted on having drilled which we always advise against when racing. So when he went racing again, yes, the drilled rotors cracked... just like the original Porsche rotors and just like any Porsche stock factory rotor that is at the race track, fine fisher cracks develop.
We, and most pro teams either run slotted rotors or slotted rotors. Regarding the price point, the rotors were $158.36 each from us, a fraction of what the Porsche dealer charges. When racing, pads and rotors are consumables like fuel.
RA
Raymond
Restocking fees, miserable return process, and an exhausting experience
Updated 11/30/2018: I replied via email but the gist of it is this. My concern is not just strictly based off my "Frankenstein" car. Answer my question. How does your existing policy address situations where the customer simply changes their mind? I'd love to see how you address this scenario rather than simply focusing on me buying for a "Frankenstein" setup. I'm sure Jeff Bezos is an interesting man, but i don't care to have him on the phone. Ironically, you mention "brake expert" but at the same time, I don't think your "brake experts" on the phone are capable of handling phone calls on "Frankenstein" cars either...lol. Obviously I don't expect you to know about "Frankenstein" cars, but my request as a customer was for a return of a new unused product...that is the essence of my request and thus, my review, yet you persist to bring the focus solely on the "Frankenstein" aspect; what about when your customers change their mind? I expect, based off your reply, that I will surely pay a restocking fee as well except this time, my mistake is that I changed my mind.
You have the right to determine your business model (direct shipment), and I understand the restocking fees, but at the same time, it is a cost of doing business and you (freely) choose not to absorb these fees, while other vendors do. Amazon is not the only company that I have purchased from that does not enforce a restocking fee for customers that request returns. Restocking fees are archaic in my opinion and I would posit that it is simply the cost of doing business. In order to obtain/achieve customer satisfaction, you should consider that customers change their minds in addition to making the wrong purchases (read: mistakes).
End Update
I had a terrible experience with customer service and their ridiculous restocking fees and requirements. Get your stuff from Amazon or another establishment that doesn't have restocking fees for brand new unopened items who will not make you, the valued customer, jump through ridiculous hoops just to get a product returned.
I purchased rotors, pads, and SS brake lines for my car. I decided to just return the front rotors since I wanted to upgrade them. I learned about the 15% restocking fee and the extremely silly return requirements (if the box is opened, do these steps and label it this way- if the box has not been opened, do different steps...blah blah blah). I didn't want to deal with this company any more so I opted to return my entire order and never even opened up the box since returning an unopened box was the easier (read: less anal) approach to getting this returned.
In the end I paid $52.50 in restocking fees ($350 x .15) for an order that I never even opened up the box and had numerous back and forth emails with customer service.
My time is worth much more than dealing with this ridiculous company. The VOC (voice of the customer) and the customer experience is the most important thing...ultimately, if you get this right, you will get the sale as a byproduct.
Amazon has disrupted the entire marketplace and set the standard of how the customer experience should be. The thing is, they didn't invent the wheel. All they did was understand the customer's needs (great products, competitive prices, super fast delivery, painless return process -no restocking fees, no return shipping, can drop off as Kohl's without even needing to package your returns- and in some cases an item can be delivered in a matter of hours!!).
Why put yourself through misery shopping at BuyBrakes.com...it is evident that they have not adapted to the changes in the marketplace.
To BuyBrakes: Adapt or die
Response from BuyBrakes.comNov 16, 2018
Here's the background:
Raymond | Jul 23, 2018 6:55:05 PM Quote Request Hi, It is more complicated but ill give you a quick summary. I bought a 2000 civic DX which comes with rear drum brakes. Previous owner said he changed all brakes to 99-00 civic si but only the rears are 99-00 civic si. The fronts look like they are actually stock civic DX setup. Hondas/Acuras have a lot of parts that are interchangeable. Im going to return the front and research exactly what i need. Sorry for the headache and confusion. Please provide me a return authorization and ill return some of the items i purchased. I havent opened the boxes and they are in brand new condition. I went to start the installation and realized that my cars rotor sizes arent correct. 2000 civic si's have 10.3" rotors up front. Mine measured 9.4" so I stopped and didnt even begin the install.
From BuyBrakes:
Sometimes vehicles that have been modified (like yours) are a bit tricky and people don't really know what they have. The industry calls those vehicles "frankenstein" vehicles. All the big companies, Brembo, StopTech and the rest all charge restock fees ranging from 15 to 25% if a part is returned because the customer ordered incorrectly.
If we at BuyBrakes.com made the mistake, we would have paid for shipping back to us and also paid for the shipping of new parts to you. But, when you're guessing and just ordering parts and hope they work, we should not pick up that tab.
You may love Amazon, but you can't talk to Jeff Bezos nor any brake expert. Brakes are highly technical and you really need to know the category front to back. Profit margins on this category are slim and we're highly competitive, but we'll take the time talk with care and in-depth on the phone and guide our customers to the exact right product or we pick up the tab if it doesn't fit.
SE
Sergey
Awful customer service
Awful customer service, fake warranty. The experience with Buybrakes was cost 1800$. It was Buybrakes mistake in a parts finding and no warranty, no support.
Never more
PS You know - it was mistake of your "specialist". BBK was ordered for specific car. You inappropriate comment about "frankenstein" - excuses to cover up for your incompetency. No more
Response from BuyBrakes.comNov 13, 2018
When you order from Russia and you don't know exact fitment of vehicle and you're building what we call a "Frankenstein" vehicle by using brakes/rotors/pads from different vehicles, you end up getting parts that don't fit. On out of country orders, we can't have a money back policy because vehicles that arrive in different countries often have different brake components even though the year, make model may be the same.
RI
rick
They sold me the same "Made in Taiwan" crap That I had before Under a different brand name
I specifically told cust ser that I did not want to purchase Centric brand rotors so, together, we picked out a StopTech brand - when I got them they were Centric(Taiwan) brand in a StopTech box
MA
Mike A.
Terrible Customer Serivce
I received shipment of two front Power Slot rotors and two Hawk pads. I ordered based on a recommendation from my mechanic and his company. I opened immediately. All looked well, I failed to inspect the second rotor (they were stacked in a box) I go to install the product a few months later and come to find the driver side rotor was originally damaged on the corner in its packaging. I had/have picture proof, it's obviously the issue from the warehouse prior to packaging "UPS". Their response was basically sorry about your luck, too much time has gone by to process a "UPS" claim. Well, I'm sorry to say, this isn't a UPS issue the condition of product that was put in the UPS box was sub par prior to being shipped. No QC? The products are still in their original packing. Their solution was 15% off my next purchase? After spending $312.00 or so on damaged merchandise? No thanks. Days have gone by with my displeasure being known by customer service with no response. I'm sorry, but all companies that do great business would step up and do something. If "Amazon" messes up 1 shipment they are falling over themselves to make the order right. My business to "Amazon" is minuscule in the grand scheme. I purchased the pads and rotors through a link a local reputable tire establishment sent me to as a favor. I was told the next time i'm in for an oil change and rotation (every 5k) that I would need new pads and rotors. I decided to be proactive and purchase that day. I did. Shame on me for waiting to install them only to find they were originally damaged. But after very detailed picture proof of the damage brand new in the box, 15% off my next purchase? I'm a very loyal repeat customer, does any one need my $312.00 order the next time I purchase? I'm 90% city driver in a large vehicle, I'm fairly tough on brakes. I'll be purchasing rear pads and rotors shortly... not from Buybrakes.com. I will never recommend ordering through buybrakes.com - unless proven otherwise.
