A3 OE Brake Rotors life is expectancy

[Sv2k]

After 20K on a presumably OE brakes, rotors don’t look all that great. Currently there no performance issues like noise or vibration, but all four rotors are grooved and not smooth, some are slightly more than others. On my atlas with 30K+ the OE rotors are smooth like glass.

Per maintenance schedule they should last 30-70K. Are the OE just complete crap and this is normal or I have some other issue?


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[MikTip]

Greatly depends on the type of pads...and type of rotor.
What pads are on the car? OE Tarox?
They make rotor friendly pads...that last years and
Hardly wear the rotors.

[Sv2k]

OE pads I assume. Have not had the car for long, but service records did not list a break job and shouldn’t have needed it yet.




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[MikTip]

OE pads can be DIY replaced with better...unless you take it to the dealer...the rotors should have enough thickness on them to get turned for new pads...
I run x23 pads...as do a few others...

[bakedcorn]

After 20K on a presumably OE brakes, rotors don’t look all that great. Currently there no performance issues like noise or vibration, but all four rotors are grooved and not smooth, some are slightly more than others. On my atlas with 30K+ the OE rotors are smooth like glass.

Per maintenance schedule they should last 30-70K. Are the OE just complete crap and this is normal or I have some other issue?


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I personally consider this normal as our A3 is in the mid 40k range and both front and rears - moreso the rears look to be in worse shape. The S3 has just under 60k and the rears are the same - ridges and valleys. I believe it’s simply the nature of the metal vs the elements vs wear and tear etc.


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[Sv2k]

Here is my Atlas front rotor after 30K+ miles. Visibly better shape and it feels smooth to the touch.




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[MikTip]

Find out what pads are in your Altas...metalic...ceramic...etc...

I have the x23 pads and Centric rotors...all four of my disks are like your Atlas disks

https://www.audizine.com/forum/showt...ads-on-2018-S3

[MikTip]

OE Audi S3 front pads: 8V0-698-151-C
OE Audi A3 front pads: 8V0-698-151-G

The S3 pads are ceramic...

The A3 pads..."Organic Blended Compound"....

[Sv2k]

Found the P/N for Atlas pads, but no info on the material used of the pads.

Any opinions on the following:

StopTech slotted rotors with EVC Red pads
Or
Power stop slotted rotors with z23 pads
Or
R1 Geomet with their ceramic pads

Listed in the order of costs.


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[BecksA3]

OE pads I assume. Have not had the car for long, but service records did not list a break job and shouldn’t have needed it yet.




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My fronts look like that too and I was wondering myself. But, like you, I don’t have any issues with them either.


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[Spinnetti]

Metallurgy varies from rotor to rotor, just luck of the draw. I had a Toyota rotor wear out at 9,000 miles. I was still on original rotors at 144k on my A4 (stage III, driven hard, and those brakes were undersized). My Touareg was known for eating up rotors quickly, yet the rears were still original at 220k, and only replaced the fronts once. My R8 has monster brakes, and they are visibly worn at 25k miles and it doesn't get driven hard. You don't go by look anyway, but by wear. Measure it up, and when it hits minimum thickness, replace. Cheap ebay rotors are just as good and cost practically nothing (except for the R8 wave rotors which cost a fortune everywhere). Not something to worry about. I think I spent less than $200 for 4 rotors and ceramic pads for my wife's A4 off ebay.

[AlexQS]

I’m coming up on 75k miles. The Sunset-Audi Tech who had inspected my car agreed that I’m probably on 2nd set of pads on front with original rotors, and probably first set of pads in rear.

On my upcoming brake job I’ll need to replace rotors for sure on front, but rear rotors can probably just be turned.

On a past vehicle, I really liked the Akebono Euro Ceramic pads. Of course low dust and noise, and they seemed to be really kind to rotors. Some folks complained they didn’t have as much initial bite as stock Mini Cooper (BMW) pads, but I thought they were fine. They had no problem with applying enough torque/friction to engage ABS, even from highway speeds on a dead cold morning. And after they get just a little bit of heat in them, they will slow the car with less pedal effort, and remain very predictable, even in hot days with repeated hard braking.

I also felt it was easier to modulate brakes as they were so linear and I like having that level of control.

On a spirited drive, it was easy to predict exactly how much pressure on the pedal will be needed to brake as hard as possible without engaging ABS.

On my Porsche, I went with OEM (Textar), as I wanted to try that awesome initial bite everyone talks about. It was very awesome, but also very abrupt. I didn’t care for it as much. Being *smooth* is the name of the game, right? Also more than once I found myself getting into ABS area when I didn’t mean to. I think maybe the Textar pads friction coefficient changed increasingly with temp changes?

At any rate, I’m an akebono fan, but can’t seem to find them for A3 8v

Are the x23 people talk about comparable? Easy on rotors, very linear and predictable in bite?

I’ve considered RedStuff too, but from what I’ve read, they need a little more heat for a cold bite. I’m way out in the country, often driving for a long period of time without ever touching the brake pedal. I worry with RedStuff I could be going 80 MPH on a 35^F morning and encounter a deer, and just simply not have enough cold bite to get the job done. This was not a concern with Akebono though.

Sorry, just kinda spitballing here as I consider options for brakes, and interpret your experiences with your fav pads. Either way, I’m strongly considering the Porsche Macan Caliper upgrade. If I go for the 2 piece floating rotors, I will for sure want a pad that’s gentle on rotors. I think we all know it’s tires that will make the most difference in reducing stopping distances, so for a street brake pad I just want something that has a decent cold bite, linear and predictable feel, and take enough heat to handle repeated hard braking on canyon runs without fade.



AlexQS
2015 Audi A3 2.0T quattro Premium
2014 VW Passat TSI Wolfsburg

[Spinnetti]

I think of rotors as disposable. Don't care at all how quickly they wear as long as it stops good. Since they are so cheap, why worry about the rotors? They are a heat sink, not much more. Pads are far more variable and more important, but all depends on how you use them. For my daily (mods below) I think the factory stock pads are rotors are just dandy. on the track I'd go Porterfield R4S and for racing Raebestos ST43.. no one right thing for every use, or even front vs. rear - except for street, I run different compounds front and rear.

[Sv2k]

Metallurgy varies from rotor to rotor, just luck of the draw. I had a Toyota rotor wear out at 9,000 miles. I was still on original rotors at 144k on my A4 (stage III, driven hard, and those brakes were undersized). My Touareg was known for eating up rotors quickly, yet the rears were still original at 220k, and only replaced the fronts once. My R8 has monster brakes, and they are visibly worn at 25k miles and it doesn't get driven hard. You don't go by look anyway, but by wear. Measure it up, and when it hits minimum thickness, replace. Cheap ebay rotors are just as good and cost practically nothing (except for the R8 wave rotors which cost a fortune everywhere). Not something to worry about. I think I spent less than $200 for 4 rotors and ceramic pads for my wife's A4 off ebay.

All four rotors are wearing the same and it sounds like other A3 owners are seeing the same from OE rotor. So probably rotor pad combination used by Audi.

I thought R1 rotors were cheap, Detroit Axle sells a set of rotors for $125 on eBay. Might just pair that up with a set of good pads to get better breaking and low dust and be done with it.


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[morris39]

Metallurgy varies from rotor to rotor, just luck of the draw. I had a Toyota rotor wear out at 9,000 miles. I was still on original rotors at 144k on my A4 (stage III, driven hard, and those brakes were undersized). My Touareg was known for eating up rotors quickly, yet the rears were still original at 220k, and only replaced the fronts once. My R8 has monster brakes, and they are visibly worn at 25k miles and it doesn't get driven hard. You don't go by look anyway, but by wear. Measure it up, and when it hits minimum thickness, replace. Cheap ebay rotors are just as good and cost practically nothing (except for the R8 wave rotors which cost a fortune everywhere). Not something to worry about. I think I spent less than $200 for 4 rotors and ceramic pads for my wife's A4 off ebay.

From SAE paper:
This study has found that variations in gray iron material can considerably affect brake fiction coupling behaviors and hence the overall brake performance. Rotors that meet both physical property and chemical composition requirements in general can deliver very different brake performance due to variations in rotor friction surface characteristic and microstructure of rotor material. The suitability of microstructure and control of friction surface characteristics are the most important aspects for gray iron material in dictating overall rotor performance.
I.e. standards matter and can vary.

[morris39]

@ AlexQS
+1
Controllability and dependability (smooth operation) of the disk/pad interaction is what counts for cars designed for road use. Many design factors involved. llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

[AlexQS]

@ AlexQS
+1
Controllability and dependability (smooth operation) of the disk/pad interaction is what counts for cars designed for road use. Many design factors involved. llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll

Thanks, ya. Papa who taught me to drive all those decades ago held an SCCA license, so I was taught from the beginning to be smooth. Learned to heal/toe and double clutch rev-match when still had my learners permit.

On the previous vehicle on which I ran the akebono pads, IIRC it was Centric plain face Cryo treated rotors that mated very well. I think Centric and StopTech are same company. I’ve run the akebono on Zimmerman rotors too, performed equally as well.

Oh well, soon I’ll figure out what to do for brakes on A3. The way things are going, I might end up buying wheels and tires before brakes. Time will tell.


AlexQS
2015 Audi A3 2.0T quattro Premium
2014 VW Passat TSI Wolfsburg

[bakedcorn]

I personally will never have rotors “turned” or “machined”, way cheaper to simply replace the rotors with new hardware. My two cents not worth much,


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[BecksA3]

I personally will never have rotors “turned” or “machined”, way cheaper to simply replace the rotors with new hardware. My two cents not worth much,


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For the money, I never saw any advantage to turning rotors. Plus it makes it easier for me to diy.


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[Sv2k]

For the money, I never saw any advantage to turning rotors. Plus it makes it easier for me to diy.


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By the time you take it to the shop and pay for the labor to turn them, you can have a set of new OEM or eBay rotors easily. So, no, I can’t think of a scenario where it makes sense anymore these days.


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[rawrmcrawrrawr]

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-akebono-...t/eur1760~ake/
https://www.ecstuning.com/b-akebono-...t/eur1761~ake/

[BecksA3]

By the time you take it to the shop and pay for the labor to turn them, you can have a set of new OEM or eBay rotors easily. So, no, I can’t think of a scenario where it makes sense anymore these days.


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My thought was that I would end up paying the labor to turn them, only to have them be out of spec and end up buying rotors anyway.


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[40hands]

My 2017 S3 front pads and rotors had to be replaced at 27k miles.

[Spinnetti]

From SAE paper:
This study has found that variations in gray iron material can considerably affect brake fiction coupling behaviors and hence the overall brake performance. Rotors that meet both physical property and chemical composition requirements in general can deliver very different brake performance due to variations in rotor friction surface characteristic and microstructure of rotor material. The suitability of microstructure and control of friction surface characteristics are the most important aspects for gray iron material in dictating overall rotor performance.
I.e. standards matter and can vary.

Yep, exactly. In fact, on expensive cars (like the R8) they put on really soft rotors because soft rotors have a nice feel and don't squeak, and the warranty cost of a squeak is higher than the rotors wearing out fast. I've found that the typical Ebay rotors work really well - I even use them on my 24hr enduro race car, and I'll get 1/2 dozen events out of a set of rotors (though replace the pads every event which cost 5x what the rotors cost!)

[Sv2k]

OE rotors and pads replaced by R1 Geomet rotors and power stop z23 carbon pads.

Front




Rear



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[TheMysticWizard]

OE rotors and pads replaced by R1 Geomet rotors and power stop z23 carbon pads.

Looks good.

Not sure how much the drilled rotors help anything, but I am a firm believer that the slots make a bit of an improvement.

Had drilled/slotted on the rear of my C5 allroad, and I could hear the rear brakes under moderate to hard braking, kind of a woosh woosh woosh sound. Don't experience this so much with just slotted rotors in my experience.

[Sv2k]

Looks good.

Not sure how much the drilled rotors help anything, but I am a firm believer that the slots make a bit of an improvement.

Had drilled/slotted on the rear of my C5 allroad, and I could hear the rear brakes under moderate to hard braking, kind of a woosh woosh woosh sound. Don't experience this so much with just slotted rotors in my experience.

I think it’s mostly for looks. I live in FL, so driving in hot weather and lots of rain. So, the idea is that drilled rotors will help a bit with both heat and wet conditions. Hopefully, loss of surface area will be offset by those benefits. We’ll see.


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