To add to your list as well as prior comments, I second the opinion of CV rebuild kits over new axles. I think I got lucky with my Empi axles, but a friend went through four of them in a month recently - all four were the wrong length. He ended up getting rebuild kits and they're perfect. You can't believe how easy it is too - do it that way for sure.

As for rotors, look at the A8 upgrade kit. OEM brakes didn't impress me at all on the A4, but the A8 kit (www.ecstuning.com) is fantastic, well worth every dime it costs (which really isn't that much). I went with drilled/slotted which was $350 for rotors and carriers, but if you get blank rotors it's $265. Absolutely worth every penny.