Why are there like no options for Ceramic Brake Pads?

[Gregory_Tolson]

Hey all, my A5 B9 sportback is approaching 30k miles and already one of my rotors appears to be warped. Lots of vibration when applying the brakes. Its frustrated me since i've never had a new vehicle where the brakes go bad at this low mileage.

Anyhow, I am about to dive into doing the job myself and I went online shopping for Rotors and Pads. Found a nice Zimmerman Z-coated rotor set for not too much $$ (like you S5 owners). That was a win for me. The only thing that has pissed me off is that I cannot find a brand that sells front and rear pads. Constantly finding people that sell just rears or just fronts. Only companies i've seen that sell front and rears are TRW with their NAO organic compound. I really want ceramics and not some odd organic compound. Akebono appears to only sell rears. I think on ECS tuning they sell EBC for front and rears?

What brand do Audi owners gravitate towards? My BMW experience has been all akebono.

[choy188]

Maybe hawk performance ceramic, not sure if they make them for the a5s though


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[Kyokio]

Hey all, my A5 B9 sportback is approaching 30k miles and already one of my rotors appears to be warped. Lots of vibration when applying the brakes. Its frustrated me since i've never had a new vehicle where the brakes go bad at this low mileage.

Anyhow, I am about to dive into doing the job myself and I went online shopping for Rotors and Pads. Found a nice Zimmerman Z-coated rotor set for not too much $$ (like you S5 owners). That was a win for me. The only thing that has pissed me off is that I cannot find a brand that sells front and rear pads. Constantly finding people that sell just rears or just fronts. Only companies i've seen that sell front and rears are TRW with their NAO organic compound. I really want ceramics and not some odd organic compound. Akebono appears to only sell rears. I think on ECS tuning they sell EBC for front and rears?

What brand do Audi owners gravitate towards? My BMW experience has been all akebono.

https://akebonobrakes.mypartfinder.com/ - lists the EUR1894 for the fronts and the EUR1898A for the rears

[Gregory_Tolson]

https://akebonobrakes.mypartfinder.com/ - lists the EUR1894 for the fronts and the EUR1898A for the rears

These don’t appear to be the correct pads for my ‘19 sportback premium plus. The ones on my car have very long ears

[Smac770]

The image of the EUR1894 on that mypartfinder appear to be pads for the larger 350 and 375 6-piston fixed caliper fronts by Akebono, on the S models. Not for the 318 and 338 4-piston fixed caliper fronts by ATE, on the A models.

The rears are the TRW single piston floating caliper design, so completely different from the multi-piston fixed caliper designs up front.

The front 338x30 pads are 8W0698151BB (for 1LE) or 8W0698151BC (for 1LF). BB should be semi-metallic, BC should be "ceramic" or such for less noise and dust visibility. Which PR code are you?

[bpd]

Try Rockauto.com, so many choices. For my '23 S5, I could no longer tolerate brake dusting at 250mi on the odo. Listing of pads are more limited due to rear pad design changed in mid'ish 2020. I ended trying out Dynamic Friction Euro 5000 ceramic pads. Only had them on for a week. I really like them. Initial bite is not like oem, but they are just like the Powerstop Z26 or even better for stopping. If oem is a 10 for initial bite, Id say these DF's are a 7. Im very satisfied with my choice so far.....as for dusting, its still early, but there is less dust so far. I wanted to get the Powerstop brand, but they don't make the rear for the 9.5. If you do end up buying from Rockauto, there is always a 5% off promo code you can do a search for.

[Gregory_Tolson]

I've discovered the car seems to of come stock with semi-metallic brake pads from the factory, which must explain why the car's rotors must be starting to warp at 30k miles. Doing more investigation i noticed Brembo sells ceramics for the the audi on front and rears. ATE also seems to sell ceramics (or semi metallics) for front and rears but their product finder is very difficult to navigate. Just sucks they dont seem to be available on FCP Euro's site since id love a lifetime replacement warranty.

I wanted to know if making the switch from semi-metallic to ceramic if I'll really notice a difference in braking performance with this car? I like the idea that ceramics will help my rotors last longer and that there will be significantly less dust. Just wondering if ill lose significantly braking performance. I have a feeling ceramics will help my car's brakes twice as long.

[Gregory_Tolson]

Try Rockauto.com, so many choices. For my '23 S5, I could no longer tolerate brake dusting at 250mi on the odo. Listing of pads are more limited due to rear pad design changed in mid'ish 2020. I ended trying out Dynamic Friction Euro 5000 ceramic pads. Only had them on for a week. I really like them. Initial bite is not like oem, but they are just like the Powerstop Z26 or even better for stopping. If oem is a 10 for initial bite, Id say these DF's are a 7. Im very satisfied with my choice so far.....as for dusting, its still early, but there is less dust so far. I wanted to get the Powerstop brand, but they don't make the rear for the 9.5. If you do end up buying from Rockauto, there is always a 5% off promo code you can do a search for.

Good Call! Forgot to check RockAuto out. Definitely see the Dynamic Frixtion Euro 5000's and the Brembo's on there. Even see Bosch's Quiet-Cast Ceramics also. Might go the Bosch route.

Yeah, you seemed to answer my question about deviating away from semi-metalic. Semi-metalic require less travel of the brake pedal since semi-metalic doesnt compress as much as organic or even ceramic. Ceramic's seem to be a safe bet so that i dont want to get the wrong semi-metalics and the wheels fill up with dust. I actually messaged FCP Euro about the Bosch QuietCast to see if they can put them on their site. I want their lifetime warranty.

[adm750]

I've discovered the car seems to of come stock with semi-metallic brake pads from the factory, which must explain why the car's rotors must be starting to warp at 30k miles.......... I have a feeling ceramics will help my car's brakes twice as long.

The stock semi-metallics shouldn't have anything to do with rotors warping at the tender age of 30k miles. Unless you have some wild driving style we don't know about...LOL. But even at that, the SM's shouldn't be causal.

Now, if you have thickness variation in the rotors from pad deposits creating brake pulsation I could buy that the semi-metallics could be an active participant there due. Maybe the have a propensity to transfer more material whereas the ceramics don't as much when parked. But that would come from something induced, like the car sits outside....my work commute is mostly highway.... I do a lot of short drives.... stuff like that. Just make sure you consider all that kind of information before making the final call, or single out the semi-m's as the root cause.

Personally I've never been a big fan of ceramics as I particularly dislike their performance in the cold and wet. but my opinion is not what matters here. Maybe they'll give you the results you are looking for. All you can do is try them and see how you like them.

BMW experience as well and Ate or Akebono have been the best for keeping that good initial bite that I like from OEM pads/rotors. I do eat that $#!T sandwich and suffer through the gawdawful dusting but I will take it for the returns I'm looking to get.

I do hope you find something that you like and helps you with the pulsation issue ;)

[Gregory_Tolson]

The stock semi-metallics shouldn't have anything to do with rotors warping at the tender age of 30k miles. Unless you have some wild driving style we don't know about...LOL. But even at that, the SM's shouldn't be causal.

Now, if you have thickness variation in the rotors from pad deposits creating brake pulsation I could buy that the semi-metallics could be an active participant there due. Maybe the have a propensity to transfer more material whereas the ceramics don't as much when parked. But that would come from something induced, like the car sits outside....my work commute is mostly highway.... I do a lot of short drives.... stuff like that. Just make sure you consider all that kind of information before making the final call, or single out the semi-m's as the root cause.

Personally I've never been a big fan of ceramics as I particularly dislike their performance in the cold and wet. but my opinion is not what matters here. Maybe they'll give you the results you are looking for. All you can do is try them and see how you like them.

BMW experience as well and Ate or Akebono have been the best for keeping that good initial bite that I like from OEM pads/rotors. I do eat that $#!T sandwich and suffer through the gawdawful dusting but I will take it for the returns I'm looking to get.

I do hope you find something that you like and helps you with the pulsation issue ;)

I bought the car with 16,000 miles. I have to assume the previous owner had something to do with it. The summer tires that came on the car also seemed quite low on tread. I managed to get the lexus dealership i bought it at to take $600 off because of the tire tread. Plus the interior climate vents have some odd, what almost looks like melted plastic, discoloration. I still have to figure out how to fix that without paying over $1000 on audi climate vents. I have to imagine the previous owner must not of been the best. Yet other A5 SB's that were like 2-3 years old (23k miles or less) I test drove had like 3 different brand tires, cigarette interior smells, or blatant damage to the exterior. This one was probably the 2nd best out of the 4-5 A5's i test drove. It was basically impossible to barter on a used A5 also, every dealer wanted what was listed. The lexus dealership i bought this car in New Haven, CT was the only place to actually barter.

[adm750]

hey GT -
yeah, some people just shouldn't own these things...

The X5 I bought for my wife is kinda like that. Flew down south to get it because I was looking for a rust free vehicle. She liked a lot of stuff on it (the color, sport package, active suspension, 482-way comfort climate seats, etc...), I didn't. lol

Lots and lots of discussion with the PO, good records, big ticket typical items addressed, no accidents, etc.... and best of all - rust free.

Everything I've done to this thing, I've either found myself making repairs because of shoddy workmanship, or was correcting unrelated "craftsmanship" uncovered as I made needed repairs. The guy came off an an enthusiast, (at least he used good parts), but this asshat couldn't fix a sandwich let alone a car.

Welp, you have a few challenges in front of you but it sounds like you're happy with the car, and you'll find a way to get past all these things and bring it up to your standards. Like car-part.com to find those dash vents ;)

[Z06Corey]

I typically use rockauto but I had a problem finding what I needed for the S5 there, about 6 months ago. I ended up ordering parts from two different places, one being ECS. One of the first things I do a car when I buy it, is switch to ceramic pads with new rotors (if not ceramic already).

[Gregory_Tolson]

I typically use rockauto but I had a problem finding what I needed for the S5 there, about 6 months ago. I ended up ordering parts from two different places, one being ECS. One of the first things I do a car when I buy it, is switch to ceramic pads with new rotors (if not ceramic already).

good luck with that owning an S5. Super expensive rotors

[BenzToAudi]

If the 2019 A5 Sportback PP and the 2019 S5 Sportback PP share the same pads, I just purchased a set from Autozone for mine and have them on there. Extreme reduction in brake dust. I think they either Powerstop or Duralast Ceramics, something like that. Plug and play, work great.

[Z06Corey]

good luck with that owning an S5. Super expensive rotors

I think all parts were around $400, maybe $500

- - - Updated - - -

good luck with that owning an S5. Super expensive rotors

The carbon ceramic rotors on my Z06 are way more expensive😉

[Smac770]

Yeah, the B9 RS5 400x38 ceramic rotors are seven grand each, OE msrp.

B9 S5 350x34 rotors are not abnormally priced. FCP Euro has ATE OEM for $140 ea, and Zimmerman aftermarket for $114 ea.

[adm750]

Yeah, the B9 RS5 400x38 ceramic rotors are seven grand each, OE msrp..

oh haell naw...I'd be cuttin holes in floor pans and Fred Flinstone-ing that shit !!! You know how many pairs of shoes I can buy for 7 G's !?!?!?

[Z06Corey]

oh haell naw...I'd be cuttin holes in floor pans and Fred Flinstone-ing that shit !!! You know how many pairs of shoes I can buy for 7 G's !?!?!?

😆😆😆

[Gregory_Tolson]

I put a request in at FCP Euro to sell ceramic Bosch Quiet-Cast Pads. They mentioned they will let me know if they start selling it. Just find it disappointing they dont sell one brand for rear and fronts, especially ceramic pads. Im willing to wait so i can get their lifetime warranty.

[iReminisce]

The REGULAR 375mm rotors for the RS5 are 1-2k each. I know this because I'm shopping now for some lol.

[Kyokio]

The REGULAR 375mm rotors for the RS5 are 1-2k each. I know this because I'm shopping now for some lol.

not quite that much unless you're buying from the dealer.. check fcpeuro
https://www.fcpeuro.com/products/aud...r-shw-afx49201