I'm down to 20% pad life in the front so i'll have to replace them soon. I don't plan on upgrading my brakes, I just want the pads replaced. Some people have advised me to resurface my rotors but from previous experiences I noticed side effects from that. So basically should I do it if it turns out that I have warped rotors?

 

If they are warped, just change them. You can get a pair of rotors for $50.

 

All rotors should be resurfaced when installing new pads. If they are not warped, only a couple thousands of an inch will need to be removed, essentially, all you are doing is preparing he surface of the rotors to 'bed in' the new pads properly....

If you fear that, replace rotors...

 

Well if you do have warped rotors, resurfacing doesnt mean it will "straighten out" the rotor since it depends how uneven they are. You got to measure the wear difference first and then decide.

In my opinion machine only if your rotors have deep grooves and have enough metal left. If the rotor's surface condition is good, I wouldnt bother.

I would recommend semi-metal pads instead of full since it will take less time for the rotors to wear out. Also, torquing your wheel nuts properly is important too.