Rep Power: 0

Okay, so I have a 2010 EX sedan with going on 50,000 miles, from a dealership that provided a lifetime powertrain warranty on the grounds that I do the oil change, etc through them every 5,000-6,000 miles. They obviously don't cover things like brakes, but they do a free inspection as part of the service, and at my last visit it was made clear that the front brake pads/rotors are getting dangerously worn - they'll be fine up until the next maintenance at the rate I'm going, but will need to be replaced around then. Obviously this is going to be cheaper to do on my own, but I have a simple question...

I know that on some vehicle, and in specific circumstances, you sometimes don't need to replace the rotor when you replace the pads. I know a lot of places recommend both at the same time no matter what, but as someone who can't throw money around *****-nilly, I'm wondering if this will be a case where replacing the rotor is definite need. I've replaced brakes enough time to know I can do it on my own, I won't need to pay the dealership, so it's just a matter of parts costs. How best can I tell if my rotors really NEED to be replaced right now or if I can hold off on them for a bit? Prices for the rotors are nearly double the cost the pads, so if I can get away with just the pads right now I'd prefer to.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide.

(oh, and feel free to provide ANY AND ALL suggestions you may have for keeping cost to a minimum without sacrificing too much quality - I'm not going to go rock-bottom cheap and risk my life on questionable products, but getting an idea of what to look for would be helpful)

 
Rep Power: 222

looking at the rotors will help you determine how bad they are.

rotors are so cheap nowadays i don't see the point in machining the old ones.

rockauto has tons of selection and good prices, they even have pad and rotor combinations if you dont feel like picking and choosing

 
Rep Power: 0

What should I be looking for to tell if the rotors are too worn to rely on?

 
Rep Power: 222

it should be fairly obvious,
decent rotors start at like $20 cdn each......

 
Rep Power: 0

It's not obvious to me. I've replaced rotors before, but I've never inspected them closely enough to be able to spot what's normal over what's not. I've always done when it was almost certain they needed replacement due to mileage(100K) and never really looked. As someone on limited income and with rotors costing $40+ USD each, being certain of everything I do is extremely important. It'd be different if I wasn't still paying off this car, but as things stand, money is EXTREMELY tight.

 
Rep Power: 229

You'll have to find the minimum, safe thickness listing, specific to your vehicle and see if you're within the guide lines.

Also, check for warped rotors or any signs of cracks. Though you should notice a bad warp through the brake pedal feel and Honda OEM rotors don't generally crack, lole cheap GM parts.