So my Carbotech brake pads arrived today. So this weekend I will be swapping out the pads with the 1521 bobcat street compounds (and bedding them in). I have my first track day coming up next month at the Ridge motorsports park.
A point of immense frustration that I have when I ordered the car is the lack of owners who actually work on their cars… I couldn’t even get a guy to take a wheel off to confirm if there were stock brake ducts… So… I thought I’d offer it up to AR users if they were curious to see anything under the car while I have it up on my jack. I’ll be taking pics of the brake ducts that the car comes with (NACA ducts near the same location where I had a shop fab them on my B8 S4) and an opening through the wheel liner. The dust shield is ‘scooped’ to utilize the airflow.
I’ll be taking other pics that I find curious and as always, love to share what I see/find. Not so much a build thread (I don’t really care for that), just sharing where I can. The best part about being an enthusiast is getting to know your own car… ;D
Carbotech pads:
RP2 is the endurance compound. Had great success with it on the B8 S4. Lasted a whole season. The rear is the XP10 which should last the season too. Both are pre-bedded for my convenience (swap em on and run with it). Will report on wear. I’ll probably look around for any ‘titanium’ shims to run behind the track pads. Do you guys know of any? Saki? Stoptech might make something, I’ll ask my local shop too. I had the silicon dust boots turn to crisps on me on the B8 S4. Since I street the car, I need to try and preserve it as much as possible… 
I have thermal paint for the rotor. Will see how hot it gets… 
Contemplating putting a heat sticker on the RS caliper too (though scrubbing that SOB off is a PITA!!!) Will do that for the upcoming track day at the end of next month…
I need to find quality SS brake lines. Stoptech doesn’t have any for the fronts (blergh). Local shop carries Stoptech and I like to support them when I can (all about local business lol).
Street pads for the fronts:
lol I totally forgot about front wear sensors… Good thing Carbotech ‘remembered’ for me. 4 pads per caliper is something new to me…
In other news… I just washed my car lol. I have a good and efficient process going now…
And yes, I left the right side mirror flipped forward when I took the pic (I do that so water drains out)…
Rear shot (why not):