Abstract The wear resistance, braking efficiency and geometry of a mass-produced brake disc and a high-end brake disc were studied. The wear tests of the two discs were carried out using a pin-on-disc tribometer, where the material of the pin was produced from the brake pads of a van. The pin was applied to the discs with a pressure of 0.7, 2 and 4MPa. The maximum temperature of the pin, braking force and total volume of wear of the discs were then calculated. The results showed that the braking efficiency and wear resistance of the samples taken from both discs were identical for all but the 4MPa pressure, for which the braking force and wear resistance was greater for the high-end disc. The geometrical investigation was carried out analysing the main properties, as well as the ventilation and any additional features of both discs. The geometrical analysis showed that the high-end disc was much more efficient at dissipating heat and therefore would provide a much higher wear resistance over time. The high-end disc was also found to have a larger braking surface than the mass-produced disc which would result in it having a higher braking efficiency.