I'm going to have to replace my front brakes soon, and I'm wondering if something like this: http://www.ecstuning.com/Audi-B6_A4-...t_Aftermarket/ is worthwhile, or if I should just stick with stock. I'd love to go bigger, because at times, I've felt that my car could use better brakes, and was thinking of B5 S4 brakes, but the calipers alone are too much for me to afford. I'm stuck with the stock 16" wheels for the foreseeable future, so this seems like the only other option, as every other upgrade I've seen requires at least 17s.

The fact that it's intended to use the stock pads & calipers has me wondering how much real-world benefit there is. I know that moving the calipers and pads farther from the axle should help, as should having a larger disc, but does the 3.0 really stop that much better than the 1.8T? Has anybody used this kit, and did it provide a noticeable difference in braking power? Are slotted, zinc-plated rotors really worth an extra $100?

 

https://www.audiforums.com/forum/diy-do-yourself-55/brake-upgrade-diy-88059/
Let me know how it works out... these guys say its way worth it if you read all the comments. I would keep looking around i found the kit for just under 300 from a different site.

 

Thanks for the link - that makes it sound pretty worthwhile, though the people that seemed to like it the best talked about pairing it with Hawk HPS pads, which makes me wonder how much of the benefit could be gained simply by moving to those pads.

 

Well, my mechanic ended up talking me into the idea that the stock setup is actually fine, and that I just needed new pads & rotors. Just picked the car up from getting them replaced, and so far, at least, it seems like he was right - just having fresh pads & rotors made a huge improvement. I'm still curious about a setup with bigger brakes and more aggressive pads, but I now think of it more as a want than a need, at least as long as my car doesn't have any power mods.

 

You can actually get used S4 calipers from Shokan (http://www.shokan.com). That's where I got mine from.

 

unless u track u car i would say u dont need it. though slotted rotors look very nice. Have u check classifieds to see if u can find a used s4 kit.

 

Last time I asked them about a part (headlight switch - mine's REALLY worn), it was more than I wanted to pay, esp for a used part that I couldn't see beforehand, so I kind of figured that while the B5 S4 calipers were sure to be cheaper than new from ECS or other, similar sources, they'd probably still be outside my budget. You are making me curious how much you paid, though.

That said, it's a done deal at this point, anyway - I've got new pads and rotors now, so the only thing I'm going to gain from your answer is knowledge for next time and/or regret.