Brakes done on 2008 rs4: audi specialist or Midas?
 

I want to get my brake maintenance done. One of the pads is rubbing at very low speeds. Either the rotor is warped or something else is wrong. 80k miles on the car, not sure about previous brake work and I don't have ready access to the maintenance records.

Should I take it to midas or the Audi specialist in my area? The audi guy will cost more, but is it worth it? I don't think brakes or brake work is particularly unique but maybe the RS4 brakes are special in some way? Rotors and calipers are rotors and calipers as far as I know.

Any advice much appreciated.

Cheers,
-case

Either is fine. Just be careful where you buy parts (if any are needed). The price difference is huge for the same parts from the local stealer and on online outfit such as genuineaudiparts.com (OEM) or Zeckhausen racing (aftermarket). I wouldn't recommend the factory pads to anyone. They dust like crazy and cost 3 times more than the dustless Centric Posi Quiet pads, are harder on your expensive rotors, and don't last nearly as long. I suspect there's a lot of near-new factory pads collecting dust in RS4 owner's garages. :o

Thanks for that. Exactly the info I was looking for. Much appreciated.

I'll check if Midas lets me choose the pads instead of insisting on the OEM pads. They guarantee them for the life of the car but a guaranteed crummy part is crummy. Not ideal. So if they don't use my option for parts then it is a non-starter.

The local independent Audi guy will probably let me choose whatever parts I want, although the work may cost more.

I will get the Centric Posi Quiet pads for sure.

cheers,
-case-

Some people don't like the Centric Posi pads in the wet. They are a bit different, I remember pulling out of the car wash with the Q5 pushing on the brake and it was one of those ohhh sh!!!t moments. I'm used to them now, and have them on all three Audis. It's the second set in the Q5 (110,000 miles). My RS4 has over 50,000 miles on the original rotors and original set of Centric pads. The rotors still measure fine. That just doesn't happen with the factory pads - they're rotor eaters. And these RS4 rotors are VERY expensive!

I'll do more research about the pads but since it almost never rains where I live (Southern CA) I am not much concerned about how they drive in the wet. I'll be extra careful in the rain if it comes to that. It looks like the Hawk pads are a popular alternative. My driving is spirited street - no track days.

Priced out rotors, pads and wheels just now and yeesh, the rotors are spendy. Eyeballed the ones on the car and they may need to be replaced. They are showing some wear on the face and the lip at the edge is pronounced (using the fingernail test, not a caliper). I'll know more after I get it looked at and will provide an update.

Thanks again for your comments.

The Centric work fine in the rain, since the brakes are designed to constantly scrape water from the disk.

You can't use a caliper to check rotor thickness. A micrometer is needed. With a caliper, all you can do is measure maximum thickness (the unworn lip) and not what counts - minimum thickness. So many perfectly good disks are tossed without proper measurement. Mine have a pronounced lip too, but are still well within spec.

Brakes
 

Just had rotors done a few weeks ago - first time at 108K and yeah - pricy

If you're comfortable doing them yourself, it's not hard to do.
I did the upgrade to JHM 380mm LW big rotors and it was simpler than most other cars...

Total cost for all 4 corners (rotors + pads) was less than $1,500.