VONBOTTLE

my wife's 2010 S4's brake pad warning light recently came on so i'm looking for new pads and rotors, question - on a couple sites when looking at certain rotors, there was an option for the mfr. date of the car - before or after november (of i'm assuming 2009), does anyone know of what differences there might be for either before or after that date? of course the date on the door jamb sticker says 11/09 so it's right at the cutoff. i think most of these "options" came up on Carid.com and the "after november" (8th i believe) was $30 more for one of the front/rear Stoptech packages, for example. is there somewhere else in the car that will give me an exact date of mfr?

thanks,

DrGP

I don't think there is really a significant difference.But I could be wrong. I read elsewhere that thickness of the rotor could be the difference? May not make a real difference. I would suggest going to ceramic pads? I think the door jam date is all you are going to find.

VONBOTTLE

well now i wonder if it's the pads, looking at tirerack at the akebono ceramics it specifies for up to nov. 8 2010 when i plug in 2010 MY, and after reading many reviews on tirerack on a bunch of the ceramic pads, most reviewers say the pads are very noisy with less than stellar stopping power. i do believe them about the noise, when doing routine maintenance on my S6 last year the shop said my rear pads were gone so they put on akebono ceramics and they do squeal, but only when i back up, which is strange (with new rotors as well). honestly, i've always had good luck with centric posi-quiet semi metallic pads on my old A6 and volvo, plus they're cheap......decisions, decisions

DrGP

It all depends whether brake dust or stopping performance is more important to you. My Stoptech ceramics do give up some initial bite. But I have never regretted getting the ceramic pads. They do not squeal either,