Big Brake Scam... RESOLVED?!

I was so excited to find a great deal on an AP Racing brake kit... maybe too excited. And that's how I fell for a scam that cost my almost $4,000. Without any other options, I reached out to a company Essex for help, and it turns out this kind of thing happens all the time.
Previous videos:
The time I thought I had a legit AP Racing brake kit, until I tried to install it: • Did I get scammed on u...
How I realized I'd been scammed:
• I fell for a $4K big b...

[@essexpartsservicesbrakeexperts]

Hi Josh, Great job on the video, and please keep producing more! We're hopeful that your efforts will prevent other fellow enthusiasts from falling into a similar trap. We appreciate you bringing us in on this project and for placing your trust in our products and expertise. It was a pleasure working with you...we had fun! :) -Jeff Ritter, Essex Parts Services

[@JoshVanVeld]

Thanks again Jeff, you guys rock! Can’t wait to get these beauties installed 😎

[@user-ny5ts1kd6g]

And yet when I sold the car and try to put the brake kit on another car you guys wont sell adapter for another car even if the original kit was bought from you guys. Great company. Will never buy again. Oh btw essex has some weirdest rotor size for their ap brakes since don’t want you to buy cheaper rings from Europe.

[@essexpartsservicesbrakeexperts]

@@user-ny5ts1kd6g What you’re suggesting is exactly the sort of thing that initiates the problematic cycle this video depicts. If we sold you caliper brackets and discs for your new vehicle, what would you do with the old ones? Based on my 20+ years in this business, most people put them up for sale on their favorite forum or on eBay to try and recoup some of their cost. Then those parts end up in the hands of another enthusiast (just like Josh), who pairs them with a set of AP (or other brand) calipers he found somewhere else on the used market. What if those calipers don’t have the correct piston sizing for his vehicle (even though on the outside they look identical to the AP calipers that do have the proper piston sizing)? Now he has a pile of brake parts that don’t function properly on his car. He’s frustrated, has a poor opinion of AP Racing and Essex, so he dumps them the next unsuspecting owner on the forum classifieds…and the cycle continues. When sold complete on the used market, our AP by Essex Brake Kits typically change hands for about 70% of their MSRP new. That is a superior return vs. just about all other aftermarket parts and covers a huge chunk of the cost for a new kit for your new vehicle. If you try to sell individual bits and pieces out of your old kit, their value is never anywhere close to the value of selling a complete kit used. You may only get a couple hundred bucks for them, rather than the thousands a complete kit brings. So, it makes far more sense to just sell your used kit complete and put that money towards a kit for your next car. For example, you purchase a kit for $4800, use it for three years, and sell it for $3300 when you move to your next track car. That’s essentially $1500 in depreciation, and you got to enjoy all the kit’s benefits for only $500 per year. During that time, you saved unsprung weight, always had a solid pedal, dropped your lap times, didn’t miss any track sessions, and burned through far fewer pads, discs, and bottles of brake fluid vs. what you would have spent dumping spares into your OEM brakes. IMO, $500 per year for all those benefits is a tremendous value. A single R compound tire can cost that much (and it certainly isn’t going to last three years)! As for jumping ship to a different brand, we appreciate your business and I’m sorry that you feel that way. What you’ll find however, is that our policy is not unique or particularly draconian vs. our competitors. Brembo/RaceTechnologies and StopTech for example, both have similar policies. If you call them and ask to purchase only the caliper adapter brackets required to put a kit designed for one vehicle on a completely different vehicle, they’ll tell you, “Sorry, we don’t do that.” I’m hopeful that you can see our side of the situation. Our policy is not in place as some sort of money grab, and we certainly don’t want to inconvenience our loyal customers. That’s not what we’re about. Our goal is to keep as many Frankenstein brake kits out of the market as possible, because they ultimately wind up hurting every guy out there like Josh who is looking for a quality brake kit they can trust and rely on.

[@user-ny5ts1kd6g]

@@essexpartsservicesbrakeexperts Your logic doesn’t even stand. How would someone like Josh know if the used kit he is buying the real deal or not? Just because the seller claims they are genuine Essex products so it means the kit is real? A genuine Essex kit on the secondary market is no difference to any other brand or even fake brakes to the buyers eyes. Also anyone searching for a used kit should and must compare the PN on the caliper to make sure it is suitable for their car. If they are buying a used kit they are taking the risk. If they got scammed they won’t be blaming on the brand they would blame the seller as any normal human beings do. When you get scammed by someone selling you a fake watch is your first thought oh I hate this brand now? To eliminate the bracket kit being sold on used market you guy very well could do a replacement program to recycle the old bracket. Send the bracket out for another car out when you received the old set. Charge me whatever the cost is. But you guys are either too lazy or just straight up trying to make some money off of the caliper. And used brake kit will never be 70% of its value. You get 50% at best due to being used and ring/pad consumption. If I decided to sell the car now I’m left with a kit that worth 50% of its valve and you want me to buy a new kit for another car and telling me this is bargain? Thanks to you guys I took the cp9668 caliper off of my c7 vette and put it on the e90 m3 since on your website they have the same caliper PN and ring size. Just different hat and adapter. With a new sets of hat and adapter from my Motorsport friend overseas for 400$ and now I have ap brakes on the my m3. I’ve been tracking the m3 for a while now no issue. Essex has the highest cost for AP brakes in the world. I could buy a 9665 kit from Asia with 60% of what you guys are charging. Price gouging company. Save your marketing talks.

[@zexiali6483]

@@essexpartsservicesbrakeexperts I think 大爹 does have a very good point. I currently runs AP on my car and Josh actually drove it. It is amazing product but paying 400 per rotor is way too pricy vs. OEM. Since other markets have better solutions for this, why can't you guys do the same or at least learn and try to cut this cost down for us grassroot drivers.

[@jax1079]

Holy crap, dude! Not only is this a great video, but what an awesome experience with a major automotive company doing right by customers. AND they filmed for you?! Super impressed with the response and authenticity of this experience. Great video!

[@fredeb67]

You are totally correct as most companies are worried about liability backlash and not the customer. My hat is off to this organization for sure.

[@therealjoshtodd]

That's impressive that they sorted you out like that. And I was sitting here wondering why you wouldn't go with a carbon ceramic kit, but Jeff articulated nicely how their kit is just as light and way less expensive

[@JoshVanVeld]

I know! It's really eye-opening when you talk to real experts. I know who I'll turn to if I have future brake questions 😁

[@kiwihame]

AP are a class act. Always have been. And obviously, so are Essex. Great PR job , we all learned something, and now, who would buy anything else? Well done Jeff and Josh.

[@ArnoldVette]

Wow, Essex went above and beyond on this one. Also very valuable information on how to spot suspect parts! Thanks Josh and Jeff!

[@Ghost-Trek]

Jeff is an absolute class act. Thanks for the update on the process.

[@loganstuddert9424]

What a great follow-up video. Yeah it's great marketing for AP but so many good lessons in here. Also speaks to the legitimacy of the channel with AP taking the time to put together a full break-down video and help you out. Can't wait to see how you feel about the kit on the track. Buy once, cry once!

[@JoshVanVeld]

Glad you enjoyed it, and glad somebody thinks this channel is legit 😅

[@patrickwalker2509]

Buy cheap buy twice!

[@Radron26]

Awesome Video! Jeff is one of the best in the industry. Looking forward to the next video!

[@cncaliguy09]

Essex is a known authentic AP Racing distributor and top notch company. Like they said, they work with professional teams. Glad you gave them the platform to show the level of service they provide.

[@jers132]

Shout out to Jeff and Essex, for fixing the slip-up that most of us could fall into. Over-all, great video. Loved it!

[@SupercarSeany]

Only dipped my toes in with Essex and upgraded to their 2 piece floating rotors in my car - but Jeff and his team are fantastic. So fortunate to have access to them in our market. Will be my 1st stop anytime I upgrade in the future.

[@BushmasterM4A3]

1st "stop" 🤭

[@mchristr]

Thanks Josh for bringing this to light. Racing brakes are so expensive and that's given less than scrupulous people an opportunity. Good for AP/Essex for helping out.

[@maintenancethrottle]

That’s fantastic customer service - huge kudos to them! Great video. Glad it all worked out in the end.

[@Edde2016]

Wow! What a classy company! I have a C6 in need of a brake upgrade and will certainly be looking closer at AP brakes after this.

[@JoshVanVeld]

I know! I knew the parts had a reputation for quality but seeing the people side really sold me on the company.

[@CruzanRastamon]

Something you said hit it on the nose. It’s who you buy it from is just as if not more then what you’re buying. As a person that’s been in the internet car game since the late 90’s and I can say it people a long time to learn what that statement meant. They will always fall for the scam. I think it’s also important for the members of a forum, group chat to warn people who are thing about buying from someone. All it takes is a search of that guys sale history. Even write in the forsale post if the guy is legit. If the seller knows he’s in good standings he’s counting on this question. He could use the buyers feedback for the next sale. Kudos to Essex.

[@evcass69]

Jeff's a great guy. I wish they made a kit for my car, but not enough demand.

[@rrassoc]

I've always said, Don't 'mess with' brakes, or anything related to steering. Do it right. Safety first. Losing control can be more than just scary.

[@dwightmurray9763]

You learn something everyday this company I will buy from just by listening to Jeff and Josh thanks my Corvette Brother…..

[@ssoffshore5111]

Its good to see they are taking care of you. Unfortunately most folks that get burnt like this don't have a YT channel to get the same level of treatment in return for the good publicity.

[@JoshVanVeld]

Truth. I will say that I got the genuine impression that the opportunity they saw was to educate and hopefully save a few people from falling in the same trap, not just to look good by helping me out. Either way, I'm grateful that they decided to help. I didn't fully realize what a bad spot I was in until I talked to Jeff on the phone.

[@felixhousecat2566]

I'm so happy that Essex/AP Racing helped you out the way they did. nice job josh!

[@mrch33sehed93]

Not a video I was looking for but definitely one I needed. Thanks my good man! 😃👌

[@ghostracingchannel]

So amazing for them to help you out and for Jeff to get on a zoom call and explain in depth what was going on and what the do and don't do should be when buying a big brake kit . Now get them new brakes on and take down the gt3 josh

[@EuroAutoEnthusiast]

This information was super helpful! I am shopping for brakes as my next service item and AP Racing has jumped to the top of my list to consider and research. Also, it was great to see that they value you as an enthusiast and content creator 👍🏽💯

[@matthewfuller1129]

I've had limited contact with Essex (trying to adapt a C5 front competition setup to an oddball application), and they are good people.

[@Zach_Horvath]

Great to see this get sorted out. I have zero regrets about my AP racing brake kit and it definitely helped give a little more confidence slowing down the car. Once it's installed I'd be interested to hear feedback on the overall brake feel. I've always thought the pedal on my Z06 was a little light compared to other cars I've driven on track. There's no problem slowing the car but I had to retrain my brain on how much pressure to apply. ABS activates with anything more than moderate pressure.

[@JoshVanVeld]

Interesting. I noticed with my last track session (when I set my new PB) I was activating ABS going into every braking zone. The Atom didn't have any brake boost (or ABS) and it was really easy to modulate the brakes and you got a ton of feel through the pedal.

[@Zach_Horvath]

@@JoshVanVeld Good to know it's not just me. Stickier tires will help reduce ABS activation a little, but I think most of it is just down to muscle memory.

[@CodeBlueNurburgringAtom]

Great video! Looking forward to how different they feel on the track.

[@Firebert79TA]

Thank you for buying a good quality brake system and not settling for junk wilwoods.

[@opieg7333]

I concur with the statement on spending on brakes. Go defined kit - or get a properly engineered system. Skimping leads to disappointment. And proper design is glorious and meaningfully better on track. Plus, stick with the major players, the biggest cost benefit of high end systems is the rebuild ability and parts supply chains are critical to realizing those savings. Last word, bedding matters... most the best systems are not at there best until you get them nice and hot and fitted to the rotors.

[@brandonhunter2760]

It's great to see a video like this- a manufacturer and customer coming together to discuss real world problems. It was awesome to see that Essex & AP Racing really stepped up to help Josh out. A lot of companies wouldn't go as far. Can't wait to hear how Josh likes the set up. For a lot of us, track days are still a dream- something on the bucket list. But as our dream becomes closer to reality, we must start preparing for that day. Brakes and tires are probably two of the most important aspects to setting up a track car. After everything I've been reading about AP, they seems like the obvious choice for my car, though the pricing still makes it a considerable commitment. Of course, when evaluating the options out there for my e46 M3, Stoptech and Wilwood are two competitors that are always in the mix. I'm still trying to decide what system will make the most sense for someone with my usage- mostly street, but a couple track days per year? Any suggestions?

[@JoshVanVeld]

If you're just getting started, track pads and fluid will go a long way. It took me a lot of track time before I was capable of getting anywhere near the car's limit. Once you're ready to really lean hard on the brakes, you don't want to skimp on that component, but the AP kit is a big investment. When you think about race cars vs. street cars, street cars are almost always quite a bit heavier and therefore ask more of the brakes. Once you're ready to start shopping I'd strongly advise you give Jeff at Essex a call.

[@Jan2594tax441]

Really cool that you shared this, loved the info from Essex!

[@JoshVanVeld]

Thanks dude! Hope you’re well 😀

[@neversettle7666]

Solid video full of some really useful information. Looking forward to the next video

[@_slipAngle_]

Another great vid Josh, thanks yet again! I got burned buying some factory c6 wheels from a guy across the country. Two of them had cracks. Too far and costly to return them, so his problem is now mine. Like you, I could have asked more questions and done my due diligence rather than just trusting his word. Live and learn! Glad to see you got it sorted!

[@JoshVanVeld]

Thanks Rod! Sorry to hear it happened to you. Too many people out there willing to pull that type of garbage.

[@McR45]

Thank you for posting this.

[@georgebrooks58]

I have the 9660 AP Radical on the front and the rear of my C5 ZO6 and I absolutely love my brakes. I went from changing pads and rotors every track day to 1 time a season. Heck I’m still running the original pads and rotors when I installed the system on my car!!! I track my car at least 2 times a month and it looks like u might be able to get another season out of my pads and rotors!! AP brakes kits are worth every penny!!

[@JoshVanVeld]

Awesome! There is no substitute for having confidence in your brakes.

[@mikkocarlos5913]

Thanks for this kind of video man! Gives so much value to someone like me looking for kit

[@christopherhanlon4690]

The benefit of carbon ceramic is that they handle the heat better. They also last a long long time. That being said, they cost too much, and people don't drive on the track 3 days a week. I wish they made some rotors for my Audi S3.

[@lilflx]

Thanks for your video! It's informative! Another problem with all the scam or fake that nobody covered, is the very few application that Essex offers doesn't help. Can't blame people to diy brackets to fit the brakes to their cars. Wider range of application will definitely help.

[@srmurc6zo6]

Great video! Very informative.

[@patrickcaudill2939]

Wow! Simply phenomenal look into how brake systems operate Truly enjoy your videos 👍🏼🙏🙏

[@JoshVanVeld]

Thank you!

[@richardelliott8352]

I have strictly stock needs, but will be replacing my worn brake rotors, since I have the one way only GM rotors mentioned in this video. I learned valuable information none the less through the discussion which I can apply to forming my rotor buying decision. I thank you for the information I gained. Personally I would never run the risk of buying safety equipment from anyplace less than solid. And because of the way eBay or other aggregate sellers inventory parts all together , the chances of getting a counterfeit part increase. To explain, based on what I read. A seller will send inventory to the web site warehouse, where it is stored with all the other inventory from others selling the same item. When you buy something, they go pick a part and ship it out from the common bin, not specifically the part your seller put into inventory. You might get a part from an unscrupulous seller who buys and sells counterfeit parts . Or you might be a guy that got a great deal because he was unknowingly buying cheaper counterfeit parts, and might actually get a real part, there is no control, just part numbers in inventory getting matched to part numbers being shipped.

[@JoshVanVeld]

Glad you got some good info out of the video! It was a big learning experience for me. Interesting about aggregate sellers - I've heard some horror stories and it stands to reason that people are out there scamming even the biggest online storefronts.

[@joseemperrado]

Recommend install titanium shims on rear break pads ( the. Brand is: HARD BRAKES )

[@mr.sauvage330]

This video needs all the algorithm blessing to get out to as many as possible, awesome informative video!

[@justindaniels4436]

That's awesome! Cool move on the company's part. I can't wait to see it on the track but for some reason I think it won't be so simple knowing your luck 🤞 good luck. Be safe! Have fun

[@JoshVanVeld]

Haha something always finds a way to go wrong. Thaks!

[@frankcaserta812]

Awesome video and great lesson.

[@glennverdeyen5685]

Great video for everyone starting trackday life. I've spend so much money first on trying to find stock brakes for my street/track car. To eventually going for a good kit. I've never had dangerous situation. But i aslo do co-drive a friends trackcar. And he bought a D2 big brake kit. And it almost killed us. So now we are going all in . Spending 5 to 10.000 dollars on brakes is nothing compared to your life!

[@chrisr4815]

Great video!

[@Sorry_ImTruthful]

I reckon some of the parts are for different car models and they thought “if it mounts, then it’s ok to fit on that car🤷‍♂️”.. 🤦‍♂️.. glad to see you got the proper support to fixing your problem.. great video 👍

[@JoshVanVeld]

That's probably how it went. Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

[@ssonosk]

Love the content man. 🔥🔥🔥

[@a408ridah]

Jeff is the man!

[@blairalderton2238]

That's really awesome Essex helped you out! Oh, also, that's a pretty Kuhl jacket ya got there 😉.

[@JoshVanVeld]

The choice of adventure dads everywhere 😅

[@l8tapex]

Essex responded to me ASAP . They did not have a product for me but that service! I will get with essex in the future.

[@raphaeledwards]

Another great video, well done!

[@JoshVanVeld]

Thanks!

[@alliedfroth]

Great customer service to someone who wasn't even a customer!

[@JoshVanVeld]

Couldn’t have put it better myself! I was just talking about what a great guy Jeff is. I still haven’t been able to put these brakes fully through their paces due to… engine problems, but I’m really looking forward to doing it soon.

[@jvh22a]

Also the serial number can be reused. In asia the print the same serial number on a production run. Then change to another number.

[@michaellorenson2997]

Excellent, thanks

[@RandySmith-iz1ml]

Great video, thanks. So how much was it?

[@beasyphone]

Man, im glad you got it sorted! Im just happy i just got my factory C6 Pbrs....for my 99 S10 Zr2 lol. Upgrade from the Camaro SS Brenbos i was running. These run WAYY cooler...surface area helps 😉

[@JoshVanVeld]

Dang dude, what are you doing with that S10 that you need vette brakes on it?

[@metzgerf16]

That was very informative. Thanks for putting all of this together and sharing it. You coming out for MotoAmerica at Road Atlanta?

[@JoshVanVeld]

Hey buddy! I really should go, haven't gotten tickets yet. Hopefully I'll see you there.

[@paulkeplinger3565]

thank you

[@almostlastplace]

I learned my lesson on scam parts buying headlights from the infamous corvettemods. It really sucks but I'm glad I learned on those and not on something more expensive or vital.

[@JoshVanVeld]

I haven't heard about a headlights scam, what's the story?

[@almostlastplace]

They were a knock off ACA hid projector kit for my C5. The fitment was terrible and they arrived damaged and when I reached out for a return customer support was incredibly rude and would not accept a return or exchange. After dealing with it I found out corvettemods is a pretty bad business that is constantly changing names and faking reviews according to the corvette forums. Admittedly I was pretty naive and it wasn't even that much cheaper than the legitimate kit but you live and you learn.

[@JoshVanVeld]

@@almostlastplace Ugh. Live and learn!

[@revised7912]

@@JoshVanVeld All of these scam stories seem to have something in common... people trying to get a deal by buying knock offs. If you're doing business with a company that is selling parts made from stolen designs then you already know they aren't trustworthy. Don't be surprised when you also get burned.

[@talictdf4757]

Looking for a bargain is not always worth it, it can cost you a lot of time, headaches and extra money even.. you have to judge it on a case by case bases but generally speaking trying to save money on critical parts like brakes is usually not a good idea for obvious reasons.

[@JoshVanVeld]

100% agree. A lot of times I lose the battle with my inner cheapskate.

[@advantager355]

Thanks guys for the useful information. It may help me and others. Buyer beware! Oh yeah, I just subscribed and liked!

[@JoshVanVeld]

Thanks! The older I get, the more I seem to learn, it’s a lot of fun to try to share those lessons with fellow enthusiasts.

[@frederickcook87]

Way to turn a negative into a positive Bro 👌🏾 and big up to Essex 😁

[@JoshVanVeld]

Haha that’s the best thing that’s come from this channel so far - I now see every disaster as an opportunity 😂 Thanks for watching! 🤝

[@802Garage]

Very cool info, very good interview, thanks for the insights! I'm not ashamed to say I have plans to make my own terrifying brake caliper adapters at some point. Hopefully I'll have the money to get some really good stuff eventually too. Also, 100% intended as constructive feedback, but there is a lot of hiss in your audio. For some people, like me, it's very distracting. If you use Adobe Premiere, the denoise option set to 30-40% should basically completely eliminate it. Edit: Going back to your first BBK video, I see the audio is much better. Basically no noise in talking only segments. I'm guessing it was either an oversight with this vid or you didn't expect the video to do as well as it is. First vid I've seen by you. Keep up the great work!

[@JoshVanVeld]

Hey thanks! I appreciate the feedback. I was trying out a new camera and probably have the mic gain too low. I’ll try to pay better attention in the future, I have pretty bad tinnitus and I think it makes me miss stuff. I do use Premiere so I’ll try the denoise. Thanks for all the comments, hopefully you’ll like the next vid too 😀

[@802Garage]

@@JoshVanVeld Glad you took the feedback (no pun intended) the right way hahaha. I've never had the luxury of good audio equipment, so I fight with background noise to no end. Someday hopefully! Subbed with notis on. ;)

[@JoshVanVeld]

@@802Garage I really appreciate getting technical feedback, especially from other KZbinrs. If you ever want to chat about making videos hit me up on FB or Instagram.

[@joelpierce3940]

Interesting. My OEM C7 ZO6, iron brakes have almost similar slot to the “J” hook. If you can’t buy AP Racing, I would get the OEM Brembo rotors

[@xtnuser5338]

I've noticed in a couple of your videos that there is mention of rotor vane direction. I know manufactures of directional rotors make a big deal out of it, and the public (at least those who care about such things) seem to have bought into it, but I would like to comment. This is my slightly educated understanding: The engineering/development of centrifugal fans (which the vanes in a brake rotor essentially are) tells us this: Within a pretty large blade angle, either leaning forwards or backwards, the amount of airflow at low static pressures is significantly the same. And the airflow through a brake rotor IS at a low static pressure, since it isn't trying to push air through a restrictive duct system or something. And brake rotors definitely have vane angles that are well within that range of value that gives this result. The reason for this is that they are acting CENTRIFUGALLY. They are NOT scooping up air at the inside edge of each vane like a knife edge. They are moving air because they are spinning, and so the air gets thrown to the outside, which of course creates low pressure along the inside, sucking the air in to replace the air that got thrown out. And this happens the same, regardless of vane angle (well, like I said already, within a pretty large range of angles). Now, centrifugal fans ARE designed with different blade angles, but it's mostly for reasons of needing to push against a higher static pressure, or just very slight efficiency gains as regards the electric motors that turn them. NOT for airflow reasons. Lotus (yes, that Lotus) lab tested the benefits of directional rotors during the development of the Elise/Exige, and found that there was no appreciable difference between the resulting rotor temperatures regardless of vane direction. So they supplied the Elise/Exige with non-directional rotors. Why waste money on two different castings if there's no benefit, right? I guess it doesn't seem intuitive unless you're some kind of an airflow engineer that designs centrifugal fans, but there you go. Why do they angle/curve the vanes at all then instead of just making them straight out radially? Well, there are structural considerations in the application of a brake rotor. The angled/curved vanes help address those considerations.

[@JoshVanVeld]

Wow! Thanks for that write-up, it makes good sense. Next time the C6 Z06 stock rotors come up in conversation I’ll be able to trot out some trivia 😄

[@user-lg4nx1zs5h]

Hey josh just saying…have c6 z06 and mine is still stock … changed seats and put proper seat belts .. regularly shame GT3’s buuuut ! The driver experience counts for a lot …when I got car I couldn’t at all..why the original seats and belts didn’t hold me in seat so I ended up holding on steering wheel not to bang my head on window in turns … that being said my suggestion to you is first thing to change is tires obviously but also seats … after that changed y steering wheel for a smaller radius…the original was the same circumference as my Yukon..

[@palefaced1]

Ap racing brakes are one of the very best.

[@tonylyons2414]

Iv got a Golf MK6 R about to put my fully forged engine in and i was running the 18Z bembos and thought they was ok running 370hp and my close friend has a bmw M5 running 700hp running stock brakes but different good pads but still wasn’t stopping as it should of,he brought the AP racing brake kit and OMG what a difference 😅 nearly went through the wind screen 😂 so of course iv just ordered a set for mine,AP racing brakes are absolutely amazing for fast road and track,we took his M5 to Germany 🇩🇪 to the Nurburgring my friends been a few times it was my first time so i can’t wait to take my car over there But AP racing is dope

[@CamaroThings]

The intro ALONE resonated with me massively when I got scammed by a company itself of my blower kit. #pain

[@JoshVanVeld]

Ouch. Getting scammed by a company sucks. Do these people get into business planning to rip people off?

[@HostmorkeCZ]

Going through a similar case. Bought a brake “kit” for my gm1500, affordable setup but the brake mount bracket is billet aluminum with mount bolts which are 10.9 zinc plated store bought hardware. The tolerances make the pads run off the edge of my rotor my a few MM. Quite disappointed with the quality.

[@JoshVanVeld]

Ugh. I feel your pain.

[@woomdawg]

Holy heat spot!

[@donQpublic]

Go AP! 🦅!

[@SubversionGarage]

Essex has always been a class act. I hated when they moved from Cumming to NC

[@JoshVanVeld]

Wow I had no idea they used to be located in Cumming!

[@hfracing]

You will love these brakes.. i have the same set on my z06 and they WORK! :)

[@JoshVanVeld]

I'm stoked! Did you leave the rears stock?

[@hfracing]

@@JoshVanVeld mine has upgraded on all 4 corners

[@JoshVanVeld]

@@hfracing I'm tempted to do the same.

[@libertybell9392]

Josh, enjoyed the vid as I have your others but I’m a little confused, if someone did purchase a used set of AP calipers that were the correct part for a c6 z06 Essex wouldn’t sell them the other parts they need to complete the kit? Maybe I misunderstood what Jeff was saying?

[@JoshVanVeld]

Good question. My understanding (I could be wrong) is that Essex and their authorized resellers only sell complete kits that include the brackets and other hardware supplied by Essex. If you find yourself (as I did) with genuine AP calipers but without an AP by Essex kit - then most likely your calipers were not imported or distributed by Essex and came from another market, likely in Asia, making them gray market parts. This is how non-authorized sellers profit - presumably by getting their hands on calipers from other markets at cheaper prices than they can be had in the US and sometimes piecing together a full kit with brackets and other parts of dubious origin (this seems to be what happened to the original owner of my kit). Since they never came through Essex, they're not supported by Essex and purchasing caliper brackets and other hardware falls under the support umbrella. So you can't buy gray market calipers on ebay and expect Essex to sell you the rest of the kit piecemeal. Similar things happen when you buy electronics online from a non-authorized retailer and you can't make a warranty claim. Jeff did tell me that they offer support for second-hand kits, provided that the used kit you buy was originally purchased through Essex or one of their affiliates. Hope that helps!

[@libertybell9392]

@@JoshVanVeld thanks for responding Josh. I believe your calipers were actual Essex items? Did they say for what application and where they were originally sold? Just seems like they expect that these brake kits will be "married" to a specific vehicle which takes the used market out of the equation. I haven't tried to cross the Radi-cal caliper over but im assuming that a caliper may have multiple applications with different mounting brackets, different rotors or hats ect. but that may not be the case. It would just be nice to know that if i did purchase their setup im just not stuck with it on my c-6. Kind of like a built LS7, i can sell the car, keep the motor and put it in another car, might need different headers or motor mounts or oil pan but its not married to the car or even that platform. Hope this makes sense, I still think AP is a great product and one day I hope to have their setup on a car. What they did for you was over and above in my opinion, guess i always assumed if a person bought a used set of AP, Brembo, Stop Tech, Wilwoood brakes they would be able to call a distributor and purchase the parts to make it work on their particular application. Keep the videos coming and let me know if you are coming up to VIR anytime, ill do the same if im coming to Atlanta. Thanks

[@JoshVanVeld]

@@libertybell9392 My calipers did not come through Essex, they were imported by a shop in Canada through dubious means. Thankfully they are authentic, just not originally sent to the North American market. There were markings on the boxes that indicated it was probably from somewhere in Asia but I didn't investigate further. That's a good question about migrating calipers from one car to another, I'd recommend calling Essex directly about that. I hope it won't be too long before I get up to VIR, it's an amazing track! And if you'd like to do a guest day with me at AMP sometime you'd be more than welcome.

[@camonly849]

I'd like to in the future get an AP racing brake kit for my c6z. I will say tho I got ebc blue stuff pads for it (stock padlets) and it said my fronts are 32mm thick, but maybe that's including other material that is not part of the pad?

[@JoshVanVeld]

Hmmm yeah that might include the backing plate but I’m not sure.

[@camonly849]

@Josh Van Veld's Racing Mind that's what I'm thinking. I love how they did a video for you here too. That's awesome!

[@TravisFabel]

Is anyone else tweaked by the fact that the rotor behind the guy is missing one bolt?

[@Drainclinic]

Any discount codes for ap

[@stijnvandamme76]

tur noff the sound .. It's almost like watching the same person interviewing himself.. totally look alike

[@nickwells20]

So are they saying they can't sell you individual parts? New kit is needed everytime you need a new consumable piece? Surely if you have a authentic receipt you can get new components right??

[@JoshVanVeld]

I think they're saying that they don't offer support for kits or components that were not originally purchased through their dealer network for a lot of different reasons. If your kit came from them or one of their partners, even if you're not the original purchaser, you can absolutely get replacement parts and service. But if you buy gray market calipers with a cobbled-together "kit" like I did, you're going to be up a creek if you need support. I did not realize this at all until I spoke to them, thank goodness they took pity on me. I think they hoped that by getting the word out with the video it might avoid more people running into the same problem.

[@redtesta]

stock c6 z06 ran the "ring" in 7:22 while comparative year gt3 ran around 7:40.

[@JoshVanVeld]

I did not know that! That said, I would like to beat up on newer 991-generation GT3s 😁

[@TheWolfMatt]

So glad you got those sorted out. Looks like you'll be getting a nice boost in braking performance. Essex is a really great company to work with. What are your plans for the rear brakes on Goldie?

[@JoshVanVeld]

Good question. Right now I'll stick with the stock rear calipers. Racing fluid and pads go a long way, especially since the rears don't handle nearly as much of the braking burden... but I already feel the itch to upgrade to the AP rear kit (don't tell Nicole!)

[@TheWolfMatt]

@@JoshVanVeld If that's the case then I wish you the best of luck finding one that wont scam you for authenticity. Maybe the guys at Essex could get you a discount on a set that was used on one of their C6.R builds that Pratt & Miller have laying around. Which reminds me, perhaps getting a few ideas from the Pratt & Miller racing company wouldn't be a totally crazy idea. Worth a look at any rate.

[@stijnvandamme76]

One of the very first mistakes I made ... is not buying a 911 :D

[@vasantos-re4hb]

Oh my gosh. You should have talked to Aaron or me first before making that purchase. What people don't understand about sports cars - they can manage heat at a specific range AND be reliable. RACE parts are designed to handle extreme heat, and often won't work at street temps. In fact, most sports cars should not be driven below 40° because those race tires and race brakes will never get to operating temp.

[@Xargsify]

ST43/45/47 FTW.

[@JoshVanVeld]

We ran Raybestos pads on an endurance race Miata for a while. Not a ton of bite, but they lasted forever. Not sure which compound it was.

[@Slowmo896]

Cool to hear from AP..but he sure is taking the long way around to telling us why it wouldn’t work,?? Yeah I’m still watching, lol.

[@Noneofyourbusiness2000]

New video!!!

[@gigi9467]

So basically if u dont buy the system from them or a authorized dealer they wont sell u any parts right?

[@JoshVanVeld]

That’s my understanding, yes.

[@gigi9467]

@@JoshVanVeld interesting

[@JoshVanVeld]

@@gigi9467 I think the exception is that if you buy a used kit that originally came through them or one of their partners you can still get support.

[@Javi-px7jz]

i have no idea how you don’t have multi million followers lmao

[@JoshVanVeld]

Ha! That's a nice compliment, thank you.

[@phillyphil1513]

moral of the story: don't behave like a "billionaire cheapskate" when it comes to brakes (they are a safety component).

[@JoshVanVeld]

Well said!

[@THATMOFODIRT]

AP Racing 👍

[@kevinjewell3498]

Tight people pay $$$$ twice

[@ULTRA7862]

Sounds like that are refusing to supply parts to enthusiasts if they don't make the initial sale. That's not a good business model to support and a lot of bad distributors try to enforce these illegal restricted trade practices.

[@willis23jm1]

a bag of bull to justify the extremely high cost...do the knock off work compare to genuine...is it 1000s$ better?.... a studs can easilt be place in aluminium bracket too 🤷‍♂

[@robyna8995]

Jeff didn't mention it, but AP Racing drops something like 10lbs off the front and 20lbs off the rear of a C6 Z06 when you upgrade to their brakes. The calipers are pretty wild. I learned a few new things from Jeff in this video especially about the hat and the rotors + why they won't sell individual components if they didn't supply the kit itself. It's a nice compliment to the Corvette focused video on the AP Essex KZbin channel. The kit is very expensive, especially given the market value of a C6 Corvette, unless you have the ZR1. The reason I chose AP was performance and the potential for future resale value. They have such a good reputation I figured it will either make the car easier to sell of allow me to get a higher percentage of my original spend back than competitor solutions.

[@JoshVanVeld]

Right on! Reduced unsprung mass is a big deal.

[@confuse9]

If your hard enough that you need a top tier brake setup, why would you shop for a discount kit? If you need slightly improved brake feel, source an oem stock rotor (ZR1 etc.) and sometimes even OEM calipers (leverage OEM engineering - which in the case of GM is surely more than what Essex can do). Again, if your brakes aren't doing it, and its absolutely time for a serious upgrade, you go to a known vender (like Essex) and you pay the money. Saving a $1000? Your basic mechanic charges $100 an hour... You'll eat up that $1000 in a weekend - especially if your areshort a part. The ZR1 has (had?) some pretty serious brakes on it. Were you seriously exceeding what the brakes could do? ZR1 calipers are easy enough to come by (I think Amazon can source them). I have a Z51 '07 and those brakes seem fine (I have replaced the lines, the pads, use stock rotors and I flush with racing brake fluid - hubs seem fine). The car is 420hp at the rear wheels - which is pretty much stock Z06 hp. Car is driven daily (well, right now fixing radiator leak - stupid plastic side tanks).

[@JoshVanVeld]

When it comes to brakes I probably wouldn't buy used again, but I don't necessarily think it's always a bad idea to buy used. The caveat is you need to be certain that what you're buying is legit and that you can get parts support if you need it. That's kind of the point of the video. What I didn't understand when I bought my kit is that there are shops out there putting together kits with gray market calipers and other piecemeal components of questionable design and engineering and then selling them as though they're the same as what you'd get from an authorized shop. If you're capable of driving the car near the limit and you're at a track that's hard on brakes like AMP (my local track) is, you can absolutely exceed the limits of the factory setup (even with racing pads and fluid) very quickly. It's a known weak point of the C6Z that Jeff talks about in the video. It's not necessarily intuitive but sports cars can be way harder on brakes at the track than race cars are, just because of weight. Even a relatively heavy race car like the C6.R weighs more than 500 lbs less than a C6Z, and repeatedly hauling that weight down from speed is what generates heat and eventually overwhelms a system that wasn't specifically built to handle that kind of abuse. Carbon ceramics from the ZR1 don't really appeal to me. Replacement rotors cost thousands, they're fragile, and the overall system doesn't save weight or perform better when compared to AP's setup. The initial cost might be similar or less, but as soon as you have to replace rotors the AP brakes become a better value.

[@banditryder4696]

I bought the most espensive brales for my explorer. Thinking they will last. As soon as I got them on was going on a 2hr trip. Drove 30 min. Brakes were smoking and HOT! Squeeking! Absolute b.s. OEM is the way to go. Brake scam is real.

[@p__jay]

how is that a fake when the calipers and the disks are authentic 🤷🏻‍♂ the braket being someones DIY is obvious...

[@crazyprepper5400]

Or just do some research.