phillIL

Hello learned friends. So, I bought this 2012 Audi Q5. The rotors were clearly shot so I insisted they replace them as part of the deal. They replaced all 4 rotors, but left the existing front brake pads on which had 4 mil left and the back pads that had about 6 mil. So, I go to get new tires (cha ching!) at a tire place, and they say, hey, who would ever replace rotors and NOT replace the pads, regardless of the condition. Then I take it to the Audi dealership and they say the same thing and that I have may one month MAX on the front break pads. SO, I call the place I bought it and tell them all this, and they say, oh, they are just trying to sell you a brake job. Get this - Audi tells me that, even though the rotors are only 2 weeks old, you can not replace pads without replacing the pads and rotors. I'm blond, and even I know that is simply not true.

So, I have no idea what is real because they are all trying to sell me something, and I think the original dealer should have just gone ahead and put new pads on when they did the rotors, but they say they did nothing wrong. Any advice would be so helpful - I am stuck between a rock and a hard place here! Thanks so much for taking the time to read and respond!

gk1

The dealer usually will do pads and rotors at the same...otherwise you might be back in two weeks complaining of issues. Easier for them to choose not to do just pads and avoid any issues. It is either DIY or find an Indy mechanic willing to do just pads. Sucks the place you got it from did you wrong.

MP4.2+6.0

Tons of posts on this board BTW where pretty obviously the owner just hears "I need brakes" from a dealer, and both pads and rotors get changed whether the rotors are worn out or not. Folks should always ask for the wear measurements before making a decision on pads only or pads plus rotors.

Meanwhile for your question, in turn of course pads an be changed w/ out rotors. A modern Audi rule of thumb is two pad sets per rotor set/change. Not always true, but a decent default presumption. Putting flukes aside, the one issue sometimes seen with a pad only change is a ceramic pad (typically non OES) can leave deposits on the rotor, which then can cause pad chatter or squeal with a different pad composition. If your prior(current) pads were OE, then normally there should be no issue here. Some non OE pads like EBC Reds (which I frequently use--similar to OE but less dust) have a break in compound sprayed onto the pad face to help cut through any rotor deposits and minimize issues.

BTW, the shop that changed rotors and not pads just plain screwed up. A no-no by most any brake standards or instructions I'm familiar with. Frankly, also can be unsafe if pads took a particular wear set to prior rotors. Old pads can be glazed and/or otherwise have a tough time re-breaking in with different rotors.

phillIL

Thanks much gentlemen! I am currently fighting with the original dealership, who want to charge me $600 to replace the brake pads... I'm having someone else look at the rotors and tell me if they have been damaged by the use of the used brake pads.... ;-(

Jazzy

I used EBC Greens on my A8 for several years. Are the Reds a safe pad/rotor combo for the Q5? I'm looking for less dust w/o sacrificing the rotors (vs. staying with OEM pads and rotors).

MP4.2+6.0

I have used EBC Red back to back with OE on my A8 and found the wear on either pads or rotors not distinguishable. I have mic'ed the rotors over time actually so have a good idea of their wear rate and life. Swapped back to OE even in between (due to unrelated service work) and still the same conclusions. Has ended up being my "go to" pad in last ten+ years across multiple auto brands and models. Typically with OE rotors even when those wear and I replace since the pricing on them has become more competitive to the better aftermarket ones.

Reggie

People swap pads for the track and street all the time with no issues. Only if the pads were worn incorrectly should it have been a issue for you. I would not have worried about it - but typically the dealerships replace both pads and rotors together - they were being cheap to themselves - a call to
AOA might help your cause

Redd

Hey Blondie (G) brake shops, tire shops, front end shops, are sadly but commonly known as places where ****** and thieves go when they need to slum.

Call it domestic terrorism, because all the rubes are afraid they'll kill themselves if they don't get their brakes fixed.

On my last car the factory spec for the front pads was a minimum of 1mm, just one mm, versus about 12mm new. And since I drove lightly, I knew over the years that I only wore 1-2mm per year for my use. Don't ya know..."Gee you only have a quarter inch left on these pads...." "Your pads are worn...." Heard more crap at annual state safety inspections than you'd get from a port-o-san cleanout truck.

Yes, in theory, if the pads are abnormally worn they won't be able to properly wear in to "new" or resurfaced rotors. But in fact? You got 'em, and the car is stopping just fine? That's all. It will only get better as the rotors break in, if they aren't already.

I don't know about Audi but these days it seems like all cars are built with smaller lighter cheaper thinner pads and rotors, which saves money for the maker but costs the owner a lot of inconvenience when they have to be replaced every 25k miles instead of every 40-50k miles.

An honest mechanic, an honest front end shop...They go on the Very Short List.