The brief
The A1's brakes had run their course at both ends, picked up on a check with the pads worn and the discs scored front and rear, the pedal not feeling confident. He had the lot done, which is the right call, the brakes are the safety system you don't compromise. The pads are the wear item, designed to be used up and replaced, and the discs they clamp wear too, thinning and scoring over their life. When the pads run right down at both axles, the wear runs into the disc surfaces, scoring them. By that point it's not just pads, the discs front and rear are scored past serviceable, so all four corners need pads and discs together.
The diagnosis
On the lift the brakes told the story: front and rear pads worn near the end, and the discs at both ends scored and below minimum thickness. The calipers and slides were freed off and checked, they were fine, just the pads and discs gone all round. So it was a full brake job: new genuine Audi-spec pads and discs on both axles, with the parking brake handled the proper way for the rears, because you don't fit fresh pads to scored, undersized discs.
The work
All four discs and the worn pads were removed, the hubs cleaned up, and a new genuine Audi-spec set of discs and pads fitted front and rear, the calipers and slide pins cleaned and greased so they move freely, every fastener torqued to spec. The pads were bedded in properly so they'd grip evenly from the start. A road test confirmed quiet, even, progressive braking with a firm pedal and no pulling.
The outcome
Quiet brakes, a firm pedal, even bite front and rear, sharp progressive stopping, and the confidence back. The A1 went home stopping properly again. Worn pads turn into scored discs the longer they're left, so doing all four corners as axle sets with genuine parts put the braking back where it should be, the safety job you don't put off.
