I am shopping online for new pads and rotors. I notice some sites refer to different specs for model year 2005. They spec out one product for model years 2002 to 2005's produced 9/2004 or earlier and a different product for 2005's produced after 9/2004 through model year 2008. Other sites simply show the same product for all X-Type model years without making any distiction for the production date of the 2005 model.

So which is it? Are there some difference between the pads for 2005 depending on when it was produced? From what I can tell it looks like there is no difference in the rotors, just the pads. Is it something to do with the size of the pads or the type of shims used? My particular 2005 shows a manufactured date of 6/2004 on the door sticker so I want to be sure I get the right product for the car if I order online.

Thanks

 

tarheel, some cars got a smaller rear caliper set up. The difference is the size of the pad. The earlier cars got more of your typical "long, narrow" disc pad that you would be used to. While the later cars got a much shorter pad that was taller, making it almost square in size. Hopefully you can look at your car and you will be able to get the correct pads. This may be one of those things that buying it locally will be the better option as you can then take it back should there be an issue. May even be worthwhile to pull a pad and take it into the store with you so you can walk out of the store knowing you have the correct pads.

 

Thanks Thermo. To me it looks like they are more elongated than square. They sort of look like the front pads to me. I have also seen some listings for 2002-2004 and 2005-2008, so I am thinking that in those cases I should go with the 2004 pads. My X-Type was manufactured in 6/2004 so it was a pretty early model.

 

OK, so now after looking around I am seeing the same kind of listings for rotors as I see for pads. 2002-2004 or 2005-2009. Now I am worried that if I get rotors for a 2005 they may not fit my car. So did the rotors change in mid year just like the brake pads? Am I OK getting rotors that are listed as for a 2005, regardless of month of manufacture?

 

tarheel, it is my understanding that the changes are not inter-compatible. So, if you have the earlier pads, you need the earlier rotors too. Based on the month of manufacture, I would almost garantee that you have the 2004 rotor set up.