Kevin70

Here is a comparison.


What Are The Best Brake Pads? Ceramic vs. Semi-Metallic

dseag2

Brake dust is ridiculous with all performance Audis. Ceramic pads are pretty pricey, so get a "Whooly" wheel brush. Cleans really quickly without making your arms tired.

uberwgn

I've gone thru Akebono, Brembo and Audi OE "ceramic" pads. I'm not fond of any of them apart from the fact they're very clean. You are definitely giving up something in terms of braking performance under routine daily use. They seem to be OK in terms of a panic stop.

Reggie found the semi-metallic Posi Quiet pads (P/N begins with 104.xxxxx). I've fitted them to two of our cars. They restore the braking prowess you'd expect from a car like Audi. There is some dust but it's nothing like the heavy dusting we see on the European cars. I greatly prefer the feel and performance of these pads under all conditions.

[hidden message]Audi fits the ceramic pads only to the low performance cars. Hi performance Audis get high performing brake pads[/hidden message]

Kevin70

Something in the pad/rotor combination needs to wear and I'd prefer the pads wear faster than the rotor.
From what I've read the ceramic pads accelerate rotor wear.

Squalo

They do indeed. Let's face it, the OEM pads are designed for Autobahn stops. I've driven extensively in Germany, and you can max-perform your car most of the time (if you choose to). The brakes are very effective...far more than Japanese or American cars...the payback: they shed dust...lots of dust. It's the price we pay for those outstanding brakes.

Why do you think German cars now offer the "black optic package?" To hide the black dust!

Storm982

i put a couple layers of sealant and wax on my rims. It doesn't really help with the dust build up but it does make clean up much easier. AMMO Plum (ammonyc.com) also does an awesome job cutting through the brake dust making clean up a breeze.

S3Tom

After a few days with the armor all stuff on I can say it definitely makes a difference. The down fall is it takes a little of the gloss away (not perm) on the wheel. This could be because I laid it on too heavy although the directions say to be liberal with the application and so I was. Ill try a little less next time and see what happens.

So it sounds like ceramics have more cons then is worth it. is what it is I guess.

uberwgn

Yeah, I think the AA stuff works OK. I believe two light coats works very well. The only issue I saw with the product was the appearance after driving in the rain. It takes on a Dalmatian (spotted) look.


I checked RockAuto for pads for the S3. There's next to nothing available so far...


You might also consider one of the new hydrophobic coatings. That will be infinitely more durable than a wax. Some of them are sprayed on for ease of application on a wheel.

Syrome

I've had the PosiQuiet ceramic brake pads installed on my fronts for 7000 miles now and notice no change in stopping power during daily driving including abrupt stopping. I would not take them to a track, however. There is virtually no dust, perhaps even less than the OEM rears now. I don't notice any wear on my rotors, although I am not an expert in that nor have I taken them off for close inspection. I do anticipate reduced lifespan due to ceramic pads. I also anticipate upgrading to a TTRS kit at some point when I track one down.

m3brad

I truly find no difference in daily driving, even aggressive daily driving. Why the Germans think
they have to equip their cars with pads that are so corrosive to wheels? I've "tracked" enough
German cars with OEM pads and driven aggressively, are not inspiring. They are destined to fade
depending on the track and the conditions. If you're new to high performance driving events, your
OEM pads will be just fine, granted you have plenty of thickness.

Go with ceramics for daily use if the brake dust bothers you. No regrets on my end!!