Brake pads Brembo or Hawk Performance
The ideal setup for your Mk5 GTi is actually Hawk Performance DTC-30 up front and Hawk HPS or stock pads in the rear. You will get a very smooth engaging brake with excellent modulation out of the DTC-30 and your rear pads will "Go along for the ride".
I run HP+ now on the jetta and they scream when cold, I could care less, they stop really well when you need it.
I have Powerslot Rotors. Hawk HP+ pads. SS brk lines.
Actually pretty good. Smooth step in, but really bite if pressed hard. I do have much more pedal now with the rears swapped out. I was suprised how thin they were!
I upgraded, I got the Hawk EPS pads from Tire Rack, (see the top photo). I have the Hawk EPS front and rear.
Instead I rebuilt my original calipers with a rebuilt kit from AutoHausAZ, bought a set of Hawk HPS brake pads, ECS stainless steel vinyl-wrapped brake lines all around, and Brembo cross-drilled and slotted rotors times four. Finally I used ATE synthetic blue brake fluid and a power bleeder, which I highly recommend for our cars.
If you'd like to correct the brake balance, put some higher cF pads on the front axle only. Hawk HPS works well. Leave the rear with OEM pads. Seems counterintuitive, but this will prolong the life of the rear pads and reduce ABS activation on hard stops.
Look at getting Ferodo DS2500 pads on the front axle and Hawk HPS pads for the rear axle. This is a HUGE upgrade and will improve your braking performance tremendously for both street and track.
I have run HPS, HP+, DS2500, and P+. Blues are in another world entirely from HPS. HPS is a decent, not great, street pad. It isn't low dust, but it is firm and even friction. HP+ is more bitey, quite firm, squeals like a baby, and dusts like crazy.
my experience with HP+ is that they squeeled annoyingly high when they were cold. I took them off after track days.
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