New Front Brake Pads & Rotors?

Hi all, just back from getting a new set of Yokohama Avid Ascends installed on my 2005 Gen 2, and what do you know, the mechanic told me I needed new front brake pads and rotors.

The vitals:
-My car has 116k miles.
-I visually inspected the pads (outside ones only), and estimate they had around 2-3mm left. I drive with a gentle braking style, to maximize MPG of course, and to use only the regen brakes as much as possible.
-As for the rotors, mechanic said they were warped and couldn't be machined. I visually inspected them, and couldn't see any rust. I don't know how to visually inspect rotors, so I'm a little in the dark about this part.
-The car currently has no problems with braking. It's still responsive, doesn't make any noises (ok, occasional quiet squeal when a certain light pressure is applied to brakes). Basically I can identify no issues with braking

My questions to you all:
1. How would I know if there were a problem with the pads?
2. How would I know if there were a problem with the rotors?
3. Is 2-3mm on the pads actually ok? Especially since the Prius isn't relying on the pads/rotors for regen braking? For how many more miles?

 

Thanks Paprius. I edited my post; I actually think the pads were slightly thinner, probably between 2-3mm. Do you still think your logic holds? (I do).

Thanks bisco. What would an "occulting brake pedal" look like, or present itself while driving?

 

Thanks, that makes more sense! I definitely don't feel anything like that. I have a feeling the shop was trying to upsell me on new rotors. (The pads I could see easily, so it's less ambiguous).

I have read there is a SENSOR on the pads, which should throw a warning of some kind when the pads are truly dead, right?

 

I like that - a low tech solution. And the screeching sound is only potentially bad for the rotors... which the metal is screeching against, right?

 

Assuming I did want to replace both the rotors and pads... how are these? $40 for the set, too good to be true? (I wouldn't want to get slotted/drilled rotors, because they quite obviously would deplete the pads much quicker.)

 

Thanks Mendel. I'm not set up to take the wheels off, so I can't really do this work myself. But good info for someone else, for sure.

I notice nothing like a pulse or oscillation or anything in the pedal that others here have said would indicate uneven rotors. Totally normal operation and feel. So I'm 99% sure my rotors are just fine. I haven't replaced the pads since I bought the vehicle with 60k miles on it. Now it has 116k, and the brake pads are around 2-3mm. I'm just going to wait until I hear or feel an indication that the pads need replacement, and then just do the pads as I have zero evidence (outside a shop that was was trying to upsell) that the rotors have anything wrong with them.