is there a budget way to upgrade the brakes
Yes, and it's very simple: maintain them well and drive carefully.
Standard Minor brakes work perfectly well as long as the drums are true, the shoes clean, the cylinders move correctly, the system is bled properly, and everything is asdjusted regularly. Even the best disc set-up won't work properly if the pads are worn and the discs warped.
Then to the driving (and no criticism of anyone's driving style is intended). Driving fast until the last minute and them slamming on the brakes will cause extra wear and then if not adjusted, and less efective brake. Anticipation, and using the engine braking and gears will allow lighter use of brakes. Such precautions will then leave plenty of braking for when you need to compensate for the other idiots on the road.
Last thought on the braking: Standard brakes can lock the wheels. At that point you can't get any more braking effort, the tyres havce lost their grip; and you must releasae the brakes and re-apply them in order to stop. Discs do have advantages such as no adjustment required, and with a servo can offer easier braking. But then that just makes it easier to lock the wheels!
Now to the quality issues. Like many owners, I know most of the traders; and purchase from many different sources. I agree 100% with Jnathon's comments. I'm fed up with "cheap and cheerful" - there's nothing cheerful about having to do a job twice because the parts aren't up to scratch. As we've commented in other posts, we need a proper rating system for all spares, and a determined drive to improve quality. If I find somebody selling me crap then I won't hesitate to tell people. It's not libellous if it's demonstrably true.
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