What Ceramic pads would u recommended? - 2011 vRS

**dArK5HaD0w** · 01-08-2014, 09:51 AM

i'm planning to have them changed at the 75,000km service coming up in a few weeks. it still has the factory pads.
I want to reduce the brake dust being generated, hence looking at ceramic pads.

i'm leaning towards Hawk HPS.
is the EBC stuff any good?
I've head good reviews about stoptech ceramic pads, but I don't know if they r available here in oz.
any other recommendations?

and finally, i'm assuming the pads for a mk6 golf gti will fit no probs.

**GTR27** · 01-08-2014, 09:57 AM

What discs do you have? the original euro discs, or aftermarket ones? Slotted DBA's will help make a large difference to stopping, along with pads.

Have heard that QFM A1RM pads are bloody awesome, and well priced too. Brakes Direct - Queensland Friction Materials

**dArK5HaD0w** · 01-08-2014, 10:10 AM

Originally Posted by GTR27

What discs do you have? the original euro discs, or aftermarket ones? Slotted DBA's will help make a large difference to stopping, along with pads.

Have heard that QFM A1RM pads are bloody awesome, and well priced too. Brakes Direct - Queensland Friction Materials

still factory discs.
factory pads.

still life left in them.
a BBK would b tempting, but I can't do that now.

**Johnbu** · 01-08-2014, 09:12 PM

Originally Posted by GTR27

What discs do you have? the original euro discs, or aftermarket ones? Slotted DBA's will help make a large difference to stopping, along with pads.

Have heard that QFM A1RM pads are bloody awesome, and well priced too. Brakes Direct - Queensland Friction Materials

Slotted pads will make no difference to braking unless you're cooking your brake pads on the track. Save your money and get better fluids if you're doing track work.

Brakes direct tend to recommend Remsa pads for street driven cars. QFM A1RM are more for track work.

I've used QFM HPXs and remsa pads and have been very happy with the results.

I'm on 100k with my Mk5 GTI. On original front pads and discs and changed my rears at 90k ( with Remsa's) 95% city driving but I read the traffic.

Hoping to get 120k out of the fronts, will depend what they look like at the 105k service. If they won't last 15k I'll get it changed.

The dealer recommended a full brake change @ 75k lol.

**GTR27** · 02-08-2014, 10:14 AM

Originally Posted by Johnbu

Slotted pads will make no difference to braking unless you're cooking your brake pads on the track. Save your money and get better fluids if you're doing track work.

Brakes direct tend to recommend Remsa pads for street driven cars. QFM A1RM are more for track work.

I've used QFM HPXs and remsa pads and have been very happy with the results.

I'm on 100k with my Mk5 GTI. On original front pads and discs and changed my rears at 90k ( with Remsa's) 95% city driving but I read the traffic.

Hoping to get 120k out of the fronts, will depend what they look like at the 105k service. If they won't last 15k I'll get it changed.

The dealer recommended a full brake change @ 75k lol.

You can have two types of fade. Fluid fade and pad fade. Slots help vent the gas that builds up between the pad and the disc. Better fluid stops you boiling it from heat. Better to do both (since a change of discs is surely imminent). Really good fluid is also really hygroscopic (absorbs water easily) and goes "off" quickly. I used to use motul RBF660 on my bike when I was tracking it a lot, and it was rooted within 6 months (needed a flush every 6 months). I ended up getting speed bleeders (one way valves on the bleed nipple) so I could do it in 5 mins. Castrol (SRF) make the best brake fluid, but its insanely expensive - $90-100 for 500ml......and needs to be re-bled frequently.

For a street car, i'd recommend better than std, but not crazy expensive race stuff.

**Johnbu** · 02-08-2014, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by GTR27

You can have two types of fade. Fluid fade and pad fade. Slots help vent the gas that builds up between the pad and the disc. Better fluid stops you boiling it from heat. Better to do both (since a change of discs is surely imminent). Really good fluid is also really hygroscopic (absorbs water easily) and goes "off" quickly. I used to use motul RBF660 on my bike when I was tracking it a lot, and it was rooted within 6 months (needed a flush every 6 months). I ended up getting speed bleeders (one way valves on the bleed nipple) so I could do it in 5 mins. Castrol (SRF) make the best brake fluid, but its insanely expensive - $90-100 for 500ml......and needs to be re-bled frequently.

For a street car, i'd recommend better than std, but not crazy expensive race stuff.

While I don't disagree with you, slotted pads and better than Standard dot 4 will be wasted by 95% of drivers, including the OP.

To the OP, remsa pads are perfect for your needs, equal to OEM performance with much less dust.

The issues is you should machine your disc if you are changing pads types/brands. If you machine it may be undersized. Plus due to the cost of machining, you may as well replace it.

I paid ~$100 for the remsa's and $110 for RDA discs for the front axle (rear pads cheaper and discs more expensive).

**GTR27** · 02-08-2014, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by Johnbu

While I don't disagree with you, slotted pads and better than Standard dot 4 will be wasted by 95% of drivers, including the OP.

To the OP, remsa pads are perfect for your needs, equal to OEM performance with much less dust.

The issues is you should machine your disc if you are changing pads types/brands. If you machine it may be undersized. Plus due to the cost of machining, you may as well replace it.

I paid ~$100 for the remsa's and $110 for RDA discs for the front axle (rear pads cheaper and discs more expensive).

Agreed, but the small cost difference between slotted and std, and the small cost difference between std and better fluid, along with better pads will make a difference those times (the 5%) he is driving spirited. Just aim for pads that have the same cold performance, but better hot performance. Most aftermarket will have that

**Martin** · 15-08-2014, 04:07 PM

Hmmmm

I've heard a lot of negative comments about RDA rotors (including from workshops I trust)
Easy to get a wobble out them, especially after giving them a hiding
They are cheap and if that's your primary focus then that's fine

I regularly get rotors skimmed as I maintain 3 cars
2 of these cars have high friction pads that tend to eat into the rotor
It only costs me $50 to have two rotors skimmed

Ceramic pads, a lot of variable options
I put a set of ceramics in and was disappointed, high levels of brown dust
But they did settle down after ~3,000km - almost no dust at all now - happy (but no good for a track day)

**GTR27** · 01-08-2014, 10:17 AM

Wow your factory discs have lasted this long? Generally euro discs are made of butter due to cold climate performance required. I thought it was a given that ~60K will be disc replacement time.

Look for some slotted discs, and get those QFM pads......BBK will go to the back of your mind! If you're looking at doing it on the cheap, then just a set of pads might be ok. Not sure how much life you will have left in those discs though!

**dArK5HaD0w** · 01-08-2014, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by GTR27

Wow your factory discs have lasted this long? Generally euro discs are made of butter due to cold climate performance required. I thought it was a given that ~60K will be disc replacement time.

yeah, I too am surprised that they've lasted this long.
the discs on my last euro car had to be changed at 45,000km!! appalling.

I reckon the DSG has something to do with the brake pads n discs lasting this long. the dsg in drive or sport mode engine brakes very efficiently, reducing the amount of brake pedal I need to apply

so far the QFM seems to b popular. r they ceramic?