Rotors/Pads - spirited street driving

[NRDALRT]

I’ve found a couple threads but nothing really decisive. Hoping more time has passed and there’s a general consensus on replacement front rotors/pads. I love the virtually non-existent dust from the oems but I don’t particularly want to spend $4k on oem replacements.

I don’t track the car, I rarely do street pulls anymore either. I know you’re asking “well wth do you have an rs3” and the answer is “because I need to always have the option of going fast” lol

Hoping you guys have a good recommendation. I hate brake noise and don’t particularly love excessive dust.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. ✌️

[DrMerl]

Try some floating rotors from Girodisc, 034 Motorsport or AP Racing by Essex. Reduce unsprung weight and help with heat transfer. I've been using the OEM pads on S2E58 and they cannot handle heat even with frisky street driving. Have some Carbotech 1521 pads waiting for install to get a bit more tolerance. There is a slight "chuff" noise from the J-hook rotors if you echo near a wall at low speed, can't hear it otherwise. I think the OEM pads are dust monsters, rims dirty after a few hundred miles.

[mtwallace85]

A little confused, what do you have on the car currently and who is quoting you $4000 and for what? That’s way too high for just brake pads (steel or carbon) and it can’t be for carbon rotors and pads since the rotors alone cost about triple that.

I have to imagine you’re running stock steel brakes even though that’s a crazy price?

If you order stock off of genuineaudiparts.com it’s about $2000 in parts. ECS has probably the highest price at around $2500 (both before shipping and tax).

You can literally change both front rotors and the brake pads in an hour; so you’re paying $1500-$2000 for an hour of labor with that quote.

There are several options that are better, price and performance, in the aftermarket.

[bucolic]

https://www.529innovations.com/

Talk to Pete, RS3 owner on these forms, about options available from his website above.

[NRDALRT]

A little confused, what do you have on the car currently and who is quoting you $4000 and for what? That’s way too high for just brake pads (steel or carbon) and it can’t be for carbon rotors and pads since the rotors alone cost about triple that.

I have to imagine you’re running stock steel brakes even though that’s a crazy price?

If you order stock off of genuineaudiparts.com it’s about $2000 in parts. ECS has probably the highest price at around $2500 (both before shipping and tax).

You can literally change both front rotors and the brake pads in an hour; so you’re paying $1500-$2000 for an hour of labor with that quote.

There are several options that are better, price and performance, in the aftermarket.

My apologies for not being clear. That quote was for OEM rotors and pads with labor from the dealer.

[NRDALRT]

https://www.529innovations.com/

Talk to Pete, RS3 owner on these forms, about options available from his website above.

Thanks I’ll give him a call.

[NRDALRT]

Try some floating rotors from Girodisc, 034 Motorsport or AP Racing by Essex. Reduce unsprung weight and help with heat transfer. I've been using the OEM pads on S2E58 and they cannot handle heat even with frisky street driving. Have some Carbotech 1521 pads waiting for install to get a bit more tolerance. There is a slight "chuff" noise from the J-hook rotors if you echo near a wall at low speed, can't hear it otherwise. I think the OEM pads are dust monsters, rims dirty after a few hundred miles.

I was sort of leaning Girodisc based on wanting a set of theirs for years even on other platforms. I thought I read that the carbotech pads were slightly more dusty than oems but could give them a shot. Thanks for the recommendations.

[xeonoex]

If you get replacements from FCP Euro, they come with a lifetime warranty. That means you can replace used parts forever. I believe you just pay shipping. This even include if you track your car.

I have an 8Y and I do track my car, so I haven't used it. I need new rotors soon, but I'm not a fan on the OEM drilled. I'll probably go Girodisc. But for street use I would definitely just buy from FCP Euro, if they have the parts.

[NelsDMAX]

I have Essex front rotors on Carbotech 1521 pads, AP Racing rear rotor kit (larger than OEM) running OEM rear pads.
I do track my car (with different pads), as well as back road rips.
Great breaking package with a significant decrease in break dust than OEM.
Braking performance is way better than stock, with zero brake fade, and larger rear rotors have created a flatter body position while breaking (vs stink bug action)

The 034 front and rear kit is also a very nice setup, with J-Hook cut rotors.

[Potatohead_RS3]

Whichever ones that don't have the red hats that turn pink

[brobst]

I just bought the replacement brembo pads, oe equivalent of the oem pads with the sensors for like 25% of the price. Rotors, get whatsoever you like

Sent from my SM-S901U using Tapatalk

[S3DUDE]

I have for sale a set of low mile perfect condition Neuspeed 2 piece rotors (7 lbs lighter each) and Carbotech pads. I am not using it because I had it on a 8V and now I have 8Ys RS3. Stock replacement is pricey and heavy.

[NelsDMAX]

I have for sale a set of low mile perfect condition Neuspeed 2 piece rotors (7 lbs lighter each) and Carbotech pads. I am not using it because I had it on a 8V and now I have 8Ys RS3. Stock replacement is pricey and heavy.

Also, stock rotors are not directionally veined, which limits their ability to cool properly / effectively, decreasing their overall braking performance, especially when the car is driven hard.

[redline380]

I know you’re asking “well wth do you have an rs3”

Under no circumstances should you have to rationalize to anyone else how or why you spend your own money. Damn do I hate it when people say "Oh, you don't drive your car in the winter. Keeping it the miles low for the next guy? That's like refusing to bone your wife so she's fresh for the next guy."

Unless you're paying for my car, you can fuck right off.

Now, onto the meat here. I got my car off Carvana and they agreed to foot the bill for new brakes. I went with Griodisc and Carbotech 1521 pads. I'm not particularly impressed with the performance. I mean, the car still stops. So that's a big plus. It stops about as good as they did on OEM pads and rotors. The pads do keep dust low, so that is a big plus.

I have Disc Brakes Australia rotors in my B5 S4 and absolutely love them. I wanted to get those for the RS3 too but didn't want to have the shop wait to import them. Had I done the job myself I would have waited, but I needed to have a shop do it for the warranty claim.

[xeonoex]

Rotors and pads won't do much in terms a of making a car actually stop in a shorter distance. Really only tires and weight affect that. Pretty much any pad or rotor can lock the wheels.
What performance brake parts help with is mainly heat management, and possibly weight reduction. They won't melt or boil your fluid on track. How they feel is mostly the aggressiveness or bite of the pad. Then there is trade offs on noise and dust as you move to more performance oriented pads. The 1521 is really just a nice version of the street pad. It should last a long time too if it's anything like my XP10s.

Personally I hate pads that are too aggressive. On my last car I tried to pick and street/track pad, and went with the hawk pads geared for autocross. They were terrible on the street and on the track. No control over the modulation. Even on track I was struggling to brake smoothly. It wasn't until after about 8 sessions when they softened up enough for me to work with them.

I would be pretty happy about getting free carbotech brakes and girodisc rotors though.

[NRDALRT]

I mean, the car still stops. So that's a big plus.

Can confirm that is indeed a plus lol.

Thanks everyone for chiming in. Truly appreciated. Likely going with the Giro/Carbotech combo based on relative cost effectiveness and really just needing to stop 👍

I’ll post a couple updates after install and break in period