Boxsters with ceramic brakes
Discussion
A Boxster with pccbs should be fantastic.
The relative unsprung weight saving is quite significant and, of course, no rust or brake dust.
Assuming they have been looked after, in normal road use, the discs could outlive the car.
Worth looking at its history though. Pccbs would have been an expensive option on a Boxster, so quite rare. But, sometimes fitted on Porsche's management or press cars, which often had very high specs.
The relative unsprung weight saving is quite significant and, of course, no rust or brake dust.
Assuming they have been looked after, in normal road use, the discs could outlive the car.
Worth looking at its history though. Pccbs would have been an expensive option on a Boxster, so quite rare. But, sometimes fitted on Porsche's management or press cars, which often had very high specs.
Koln-RS said:
A Boxster with pccbs should be fantastic.
The relative unsprung weight saving is quite significant .
the weight is the same :-)The relative unsprung weight saving is quite significant .
the 313mm steels with small 4 pot calipers is the same as the 6 pot 350MM discs set up ;-)
I think the 987.2 cars are under braked and the PCCB set up is amazing on these cars,
Edited by Porsche911R on Thursday 5th October 14:28
cejsmith said:
Am I mad to consider it????
In my opinion it all boils down to how risk adverse you are. A complete set of discs/pads can be £15k-ish, worth checking out the replacement cost with an OPC. In theory they should last incredibly well, but any damage and you're into big bucks. The risk of damage? Who knows, but if you take the chance and lose it's costly. They also need more care - pads must be changed with around 50% wear so you don't damage the discs and you need to make sure you cool them down properly on track days.My opinion is that if you can't afford to replace them if the worst happens, or you can't be bothered taking extra care of them, then you should avoid them.
Had PCCB on my Boxster GTS from new sold it with 8,000 miles on the clock and when inspected prior to sale pads and discs were "as new". For me well worth the time and effort in not having to keep the wheels clean and filled up the wheel space better than standard discs. I tried both steel and PCCB on the PEC day and preferred the PCCB as you can feather the brakes more effectively.
Worth investing in the rods that hold the wheel whilst removing to stop any damage if taking wheel off and there is always the option to change the PCCB to steel (same diameter) if you are worried.
At the moment have a Macan with steels but will soon be replacing with a 911 with PCCB.
Worth investing in the rods that hold the wheel whilst removing to stop any damage if taking wheel off and there is always the option to change the PCCB to steel (same diameter) if you are worried.
At the moment have a Macan with steels but will soon be replacing with a 911 with PCCB.
They last a long time with normal use, my Cayman S has 70k and they are still fine.
Replacement steel discs are also available from various sources if you do need to replace with a cheaper option.
If in good condition they should be smooth to the touch. Have a search on the web to see what knackered ones look like.
As said earlier braking power and lack of dust is a bonus, and they look cool..
Replacement steel discs are also available from various sources if you do need to replace with a cheaper option.
If in good condition they should be smooth to the touch. Have a search on the web to see what knackered ones look like.
As said earlier braking power and lack of dust is a bonus, and they look cool..
cejsmith said:
I'm going to have a look at a Boxster at the weekend that has ceramic brake, so my question is how long to the discs last for ( in normal driving ) are they a good idea anyway.
Am I mad to consider it????
Also what are the chances of get a Gen 2 S for under £20k
Not mad in my opinion. I think my next Porsche will have PCCBs.Am I mad to consider it????
Also what are the chances of get a Gen 2 S for under £20k
The cast iron brakes on my 2002 Boxster last 51K miles (front brakes, last set). My 996 Turbo's original iron front brakes lasted around 120K miles. At over 158K miles the rear brakes have not triggered the brake wear warning light yet.
When I talk to the techs about PCCBs they tell me for my usage they'll be lifetime brakes. I wonder about that "lifetime" as my 2002 Boxster now has over 315K miles on it. But maybe the PCCBs will last that many miles. (The original clutch has and it ain't PCCB material...)
Be sure the PCCBs -- pads and rotors -- have plenty of life. The rotors should not have any chips anywhere. Often what can happen if the car is not serviced properly a wheel is removed and when it pops loose the tech drops the wheel on the rotor. This can chip the inner or outer edges of the rotor and this is bad. A small chip or two is ok -- there is a call out but I don't recall it -- but best if there are none. To inspect the brakes properly the car will need to be lifted and you'll have to rotate each tire/wheel and inspect the entire outer and inner rotor surface.
The Porsche techs thread two steel rods into the wheel lug bolt holes and these rods "catch" the wheel and prevent it from falling and damaging the rotor.
Before you visit the car check out some other cars -- new and low miles used -- with PCCBs and feel the rotors to get an idea of what they should feel like.
'course, be sure you check out the rest of the car as thoroughly as you check out the brakes.
Can't help you on the price question. But you won't get the car for that price if you don't look and try.
Happy shopping!
I had a 2011 boxster s. Specced it with ceramics and did 40k miles in 24 months including a couple of track days and several descents of the stelvio. I got thru a couple of sets of pads but the discs were fine. I sold the car to a mate. He still has it and it now has 60k on the clock and the discs are still fine. I now have a boxster spyder on ceramics and have done 10k miles with several big stops from 190 mph and the discs are fine. However the rear numberplate has melted and warped.
boringbeige said:
I had a 2011 boxster s. Specced it with ceramics and did 40k miles in 24 months including a couple of track days and several descents of the stelvio. I got thru a couple of sets of pads but the discs were fine. I sold the car to a mate. He still has it and it now has 60k on the clock and the discs are still fine. I now have a boxster spyder on ceramics and have done 10k miles with several big stops from 190 mph and the discs are fine. However the rear numberplate has melted and warped.
Tracking can take a real toll on PCCBs. I believe part of the problem is the brakes don't fade and this tends to have the driver staying out longer than he would otherwise, say with iron brakes, and the PCCBs just get way too hot and that's the beginning of the (premature) end.Since I don't track my only concern with PCCBs were I to get a car with them would be damage to the rotor if something got caught between say the rotor and the splash shield. This has happened twice with my Boxster. The first time it was a twig. Noisy as heck and I managed to dislodge the twig by backing the car up and turning the steering wheel sharply one direction then the other.
The 2nd time it was a rock and the noise was really really bad. A brief attempt to dislodge the rock like I had dislodged the twig proved to be futile. I had to park the car and remove the right front wheel to then pry the splash shield a bit and let the rock -- a pea sized thing -- out. 'course, with cast iron brakes no harm done but I wonder what the rock would have done to a PCCB rotor?
Ceramics on a Boxster would also make me check this wasn't a PEC car when new . Expensive option , not that common ( on Boxsters) so just check it hasn't done 3/4K around PEC . ( 1st easy check is does the reg begin with an R)
If not I'd say it's a great option to have and agree with comments above that standard car is probably a little under braked .
If not I'd say it's a great option to have and agree with comments above that standard car is probably a little under braked .
boringbeige said:
I had a 2011 boxster s. Specced it with ceramics and did 40k miles in 24 months including a couple of track days and several descents of the stelvio. I got thru a couple of sets of pads but the discs were fine. I sold the car to a mate. He still has it and it now has 60k on the clock and the discs are still fine. I now have a boxster spyder on ceramics and have done 10k miles with several big stops from 190 mph and the discs are fine. However the rear numberplate has melted and warped.
How did you manage to get up to 190 mph in a boxster? 
If you do get PCCB - I have them on my Boxster GTS - terrific and no regrets - buy a pair of the extension bars which screw in when you remove the wheel bolts to stop inadvertently dropping a wheel onto the rotor. They are cheap as chips (around £15 from an OPC). Handy if you ever need to take a wheel off yourself or somewhere other than a Porsche dealer.
I've got PCCB's on my 981 S, and would get them again for the reasons given above, really like the lack of brake dust everywhere. Not too worried by the thought of clumsy mechanics etc chipping them as it only goes to an OPC rather than Bob's back street garage and would have thought they're a fairly commonly encountered thing. How many people on here have actually chipped them?
They also look good (IMO)
One thing to consider though, I found braking performance not so good vs steels if they get very wet - such as in very heavy rain and lots of standing water on a motorway
They also look good (IMO)
One thing to consider though, I found braking performance not so good vs steels if they get very wet - such as in very heavy rain and lots of standing water on a motorway
boxsey said:
How did you manage to get up to 190 mph in a boxster?
By keeping my foot in for a looonnnnggg time. Got 190 roof up and 185 roof down. Nice straight numbers; very Germanic. In my previous 2011 Boxster S I got 183 roof down. It was a cargraphic modded car with plus about 35 horse. So maybe 40 horse shy of my spyder but a more slippery shape. 
I have them on my 2007 Boxster S. Discs are like new, put front pads on as a precautionary at 70k, rears pads like new, discs perfect.
Over the life of the car, I'd suggest that PCCB's cost no more than replacing standard setup several times and the associated drop off in performance associated with standard setup as it wears out.
Plus ceramics look very cool!
Over the life of the car, I'd suggest that PCCB's cost no more than replacing standard setup several times and the associated drop off in performance associated with standard setup as it wears out.
Plus ceramics look very cool!
Sorry to revive an old thread but I thought you chaps might know the answer to this.
i currently own a 987 Boxster with PCCB ceramics and I’m looking to trade the car for a 981 Black edition. The only thing I don’t like about the new car I’m looking to buy are the brakes. And as I have such a great set on my current car I thought maybe I fit some regular brakes to my 987 before I trade it in.
Thoughts?
i currently own a 987 Boxster with PCCB ceramics and I’m looking to trade the car for a 981 Black edition. The only thing I don’t like about the new car I’m looking to buy are the brakes. And as I have such a great set on my current car I thought maybe I fit some regular brakes to my 987 before I trade it in.
Thoughts?
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