Brake pads Carbotech or Hawk Performance

carbotech xp10/xp8(f/r), not a daily but the car sees plenty of street miles. they are noisy and dusty but this setup has been perfectly fine for me.

Hawk HPS 5.0 pads, Raybestos AT. I'm on my 4th? set of front pads+rotors after 125k miles. Rears are still the stock.

Blank rotors and Hawk HPS 5.0 pads. I’ve been running them for almost a decade, and I’m always surprised at how long they last and how little dust they make for how aggressive as they are.

I haven't investigated ceramic pads for the Golf R but based on the Hawk Ceramic Compound Performance Pads I have on my A4, which has huge RS4 front calipers and B7 S4 rears, I'd try them as they are quiet, generate negligible dust and are easy on the rotors.

I’ve used carbotech XP10 for years because it’s the only pad that has never had any of these kinds of problems. Also also swapped between 1521 and XP10 seamlessly. The only time I had a problem like this was when I used some very cheap rotors that couldn’t handle the track abuse, you could actually see the rotor surface getting pitted. Yours look fine by comparison.

For my GR86 Carbotech XP10s have been amazing on the track, seriously no complaints at all. The XP10s with Castrol SRF have been a great combo and held up really well even on some really big/high speed tracks. I swap in my OEM pads when I’m not tracking the car for awhile. It’s not great because I have to bed the pads every time I change them. Once I’m through the OEM pads I’m going to get the Carbotech 1521’s for the street, that way like you mentioned I think I can avoid having to avoid bedding my brakes with every change. The XP10’s function well on the street but they feel a little rough if not up to temp and they are insanely loud.

I personally use Carbotech XP10 for track and Stoptech Sport pads for street on the same rotors

My focus rs has been doing this. I’m on OEM rotors with hawk dtc 60 on front dtc30 on rear. It performs fine on the streets and around town. When I take it to the track it starts to judder, noticeable 5 mins in but at the end of 20 min session it gets a lot worse.

Motul RBF600 is a popular fluid choice.

pad choices are far and wide. i run hawk HP+ which isnt really the best track pad but its gotten me by. the paint on the back of the pads melted off before i ever felt fade so i guess they worked well but i suspect im *at* the limit of their performance.

Hawk 5.0 were squeaky as hell.