Sorry for posting an incomplete link, after I posted it I realized that it needed some big improvements. It's now fixed and greatly updated.
There are a few articles floating around that need fixing and are in rough drafts.
The brakes are worth the money IMO. Front brakes will last a long time, but if you are replacing the pads, rotors, and your car has high miles, it's not much trouble to replace the carriers and calipers with larger units.
As for stopping power, each step is a big improvement. Keep in mind that you need at least 15" wheels and your tires need to be able to handle the extra stopping force. My car doesn't have ABS either, but I think it was an option on some jettas.