GT4 RS Brake Wear at 4K Miles - Dealer Issues & Advice
Discussion
Hey everyone,
Hoping for some collective wisdom on a concerning situation with my recently acquired GT4 RS. I picked up a 2022 model with just 2.5k miles from a Porsche dealer back in November. At the time of purchase, there was some background about the car being previously owned by a well-known racing driver who apparently cycles through cars frequently, which the low mileage and condition of vehicle seemed to support.
At the time of purchase, I specifically inquired about the aero settings, as the rear wing appeared quite aggressive. I was assured it had been returned to the "neutral" position as part of the 111-point check. Soon after taking delivery, I discovered the battery charger was incorrectly wired. Since the selling dealer was some distance away, they resolved this by replacing the battery and requested I visit my local OPC (Reading) for the physical replacement.
More recently, having seen more GT4 RS models on the road, my rear wing definitely doesn't align with what I understand to be the neutral position – a setting the owner's manual advises against for regular road use. This discrepancy is now making me seriously doubt the thoroughness, or even the completion, of the initial 111-point check.
Fast forward to today, with approximately 4k miles on the odometer (conservative road driving, absolutely no track days), I began hearing a brake rubbing noise that ceases upon touching the pedal. I booked the car into my local OPC again. Their diagnosis is significant wear on the standard steel brakes (not PCCBs), unusual scoring across all discs (definitely not from gravel), and blocked vents in the discs, which they suggest could have led to overheating (conceivably on a track, but highly improbable given the car's use on Sunday morning drives through the South Downs). Their recommendation is a complete replacement of all four rotors and pads, with a rather eye-watering quote of £6.5k! This comes as quite a shock, as my experience with several previous Porsche cars hasn't involved brake wear of this magnitude at such low mileage.
I've contacted the selling dealer and they are "looking into it." However, they've been notably unresponsive for the past 24 hours, despite a follow-up call and an email proactively suggesting they'll likely want to inspect the car at their own workshop and asking to start coordinating that. This situation is somewhat urgent due to a trip to France I have planned in about three weeks.
In my view, expecting a full brake replacement at just 4k miles is entirely unreasonable unless the car has seen significant track use (which the condition of the tyres would certainly contradict). While I'm not naive to the running costs of these cars, having owned a string of 911's before this, a £6.5k brake bill after only 1.5k miles of my ownership is certainly not something I woudl expect under the Porsche Approved Program. I'm concerned they might try to imply I've been using the car on track to avoid responsibility, but that simply isn't the case.
Adding to the frustration, I'm currently navigating a new job and some family stress, making this the last thing I need. I have a feeling this could escalate into a protracted dispute. My initial approach is to resolve this directly with the supplying dealer. If that proves unsuccessful, I intend to escalate to PCGB and, as a last resort, explore legal options.
Has anyone else encountered similar issues or have any insights on the best way to handle this? Any advice or shared experiences would be hugely appreciated!
Hoping for some collective wisdom on a concerning situation with my recently acquired GT4 RS. I picked up a 2022 model with just 2.5k miles from a Porsche dealer back in November. At the time of purchase, there was some background about the car being previously owned by a well-known racing driver who apparently cycles through cars frequently, which the low mileage and condition of vehicle seemed to support.
At the time of purchase, I specifically inquired about the aero settings, as the rear wing appeared quite aggressive. I was assured it had been returned to the "neutral" position as part of the 111-point check. Soon after taking delivery, I discovered the battery charger was incorrectly wired. Since the selling dealer was some distance away, they resolved this by replacing the battery and requested I visit my local OPC (Reading) for the physical replacement.
More recently, having seen more GT4 RS models on the road, my rear wing definitely doesn't align with what I understand to be the neutral position – a setting the owner's manual advises against for regular road use. This discrepancy is now making me seriously doubt the thoroughness, or even the completion, of the initial 111-point check.
Fast forward to today, with approximately 4k miles on the odometer (conservative road driving, absolutely no track days), I began hearing a brake rubbing noise that ceases upon touching the pedal. I booked the car into my local OPC again. Their diagnosis is significant wear on the standard steel brakes (not PCCBs), unusual scoring across all discs (definitely not from gravel), and blocked vents in the discs, which they suggest could have led to overheating (conceivably on a track, but highly improbable given the car's use on Sunday morning drives through the South Downs). Their recommendation is a complete replacement of all four rotors and pads, with a rather eye-watering quote of £6.5k! This comes as quite a shock, as my experience with several previous Porsche cars hasn't involved brake wear of this magnitude at such low mileage.
I've contacted the selling dealer and they are "looking into it." However, they've been notably unresponsive for the past 24 hours, despite a follow-up call and an email proactively suggesting they'll likely want to inspect the car at their own workshop and asking to start coordinating that. This situation is somewhat urgent due to a trip to France I have planned in about three weeks.
In my view, expecting a full brake replacement at just 4k miles is entirely unreasonable unless the car has seen significant track use (which the condition of the tyres would certainly contradict). While I'm not naive to the running costs of these cars, having owned a string of 911's before this, a £6.5k brake bill after only 1.5k miles of my ownership is certainly not something I woudl expect under the Porsche Approved Program. I'm concerned they might try to imply I've been using the car on track to avoid responsibility, but that simply isn't the case.
Adding to the frustration, I'm currently navigating a new job and some family stress, making this the last thing I need. I have a feeling this could escalate into a protracted dispute. My initial approach is to resolve this directly with the supplying dealer. If that proves unsuccessful, I intend to escalate to PCGB and, as a last resort, explore legal options.
Has anyone else encountered similar issues or have any insights on the best way to handle this? Any advice or shared experiences would be hugely appreciated!
£6.5K for discs and pads is absurd. That is more than double what it should cost. I did just under 4K miles in mine including 3 track days before I decided it was not for me. I used Pagid RSL11 pads and standard steel discs. There was quite a bit of wear on the discs as you would expect and I cleaned out the holes after each track day. However nothing like enough wear to justify new discs. I put the standard pads back in and it went back into the dealer network without any issues. The RSL11 pads were under £1K for a full car set. These cars get tracked, that is what they are for, but in my experience dealers are very poor at assessing what is fair wear and tear especially on brakes. The standard answer to everything is just fit new ones. Even one track day with can show some substantial wear on the discs but they are unlikely to need to be changed.
Good luck getting a resolution.
Good luck getting a resolution.
Sorry to hear the issues.. but lets break them down..
Ref aero… you can easily put this back to standard yourself.. just requires T-25 torx for the front and 2x T-30 for the rear wing.
Its easy to do… I’ve done it at track.
The reason for not having in max position on road is primarily down to emissions and possible fuel economy effect due to extra drag. There is no drivability issue with the car set like this.
Ref brakes… more info required here..: the dealer needs to tell you more. What do they mean by vents blocked?
Steel brakes GT cars since 2021 are dimpled only and not cross drilled… so hopefully that is not what they are referring to.
I’d be asking for a full breakdown… I reckons its possible you might need pads… but then I’d also be asking for the values they measured on their 111 check. If they cannot produce… I’d be wanting to escalate, as if it was close before… they maybe should have replaced them.
Send me a PM.
Ref aero… you can easily put this back to standard yourself.. just requires T-25 torx for the front and 2x T-30 for the rear wing.
Its easy to do… I’ve done it at track.
The reason for not having in max position on road is primarily down to emissions and possible fuel economy effect due to extra drag. There is no drivability issue with the car set like this.
Ref brakes… more info required here..: the dealer needs to tell you more. What do they mean by vents blocked?
Steel brakes GT cars since 2021 are dimpled only and not cross drilled… so hopefully that is not what they are referring to.
I’d be asking for a full breakdown… I reckons its possible you might need pads… but then I’d also be asking for the values they measured on their 111 check. If they cannot produce… I’d be wanting to escalate, as if it was close before… they maybe should have replaced them.
Send me a PM.
Edited by TDT on Thursday 15th May 19:02
Morning OP I also have a huge issue with brakes on a 992 last year. Not same as yours but what I did may well help you escalate. Not wishing to write it up here so please PM me- may be easier to chat through verbally ?!
Do not think for one moment that OPCs can or will be reasonable. Utter lies they told me. Nefarious behaviour.
Do not think for one moment that OPCs can or will be reasonable. Utter lies they told me. Nefarious behaviour.
If / with 1500 road miles since bought as a Porsche Approved Used car it would be hard to imagine that the car would not be perfectly good for a road trip to France ... and the wing settings will make no appreciable difference to the suitability of the car for this ...
My view is that the quote for brake replacement at £6500 is very opportunistic and potentially suspect, particularly since as TDT says the steels on these cars are not drilled through and do not therefore use these holes to augment cooling ...
Were I the selling OPC I also would therefore want to inspect the issue with the opportunity to provide any possible remedy directly with you ... but in the meantime it sounds quite likely that there may be little risk if this was done after your road trip ?
My view is that the quote for brake replacement at £6500 is very opportunistic and potentially suspect, particularly since as TDT says the steels on these cars are not drilled through and do not therefore use these holes to augment cooling ...
Were I the selling OPC I also would therefore want to inspect the issue with the opportunity to provide any possible remedy directly with you ... but in the meantime it sounds quite likely that there may be little risk if this was done after your road trip ?
Thanks for the replies. While the wing and battery issue isn't a concern in itself, it does raise questions about the thoroughness of the initial 111-point check. The dealer is currently very quiet; I sent another follow-up this morning and hope we can resolve this amicably. Up to this point, their service has been reasonable.
I will be requesting a copy of the 111-point check, which Reading previously stated they couldn't locate on their system – this seems unlikely. Additionally, I will be asking for specific measurements of the brake disc and pad wear at delivery compared to the current state.
I did attempt to DM a couple of you, but it appears this function is only you have allowed. Hotrods1974, yours isn't visible.
I will be requesting a copy of the 111-point check, which Reading previously stated they couldn't locate on their system – this seems unlikely. Additionally, I will be asking for specific measurements of the brake disc and pad wear at delivery compared to the current state.
I did attempt to DM a couple of you, but it appears this function is only you have allowed. Hotrods1974, yours isn't visible.
Sorry to hear about the issues but we had something similar a few years ago with a 991.2 gts.
Purchased car through opc, car had full check over, a service wasn't due until a couple of months after purchase which would be included foc from the opc.
Car went for service, it must have only done 500 commuting miles or so from what I can remember. On the journey back up to collect the car we get a phonecall saying it needs new rear pads and we can do them now for something like £1500!!
Some ranting from me about its just passed the Porsche approved checkout and they were ok , we arrived to find the service manager scurried off and a sheepish salesman said they were ok and there had been a 'mix up'.......
Not the first time I've heard this 'mix up' from this particular dealership.
Had the car for another year after this and its brakes were never an issue when it went to another opc for various work.
Purchased car through opc, car had full check over, a service wasn't due until a couple of months after purchase which would be included foc from the opc.
Car went for service, it must have only done 500 commuting miles or so from what I can remember. On the journey back up to collect the car we get a phonecall saying it needs new rear pads and we can do them now for something like £1500!!
Some ranting from me about its just passed the Porsche approved checkout and they were ok , we arrived to find the service manager scurried off and a sheepish salesman said they were ok and there had been a 'mix up'.......
Not the first time I've heard this 'mix up' from this particular dealership.
Had the car for another year after this and its brakes were never an issue when it went to another opc for various work.
I'm not familiar with the GT4 RS brakes but have you tried doing a few big, hard braking sessions (don't come to a full stop but hard on the brakes from say 60-20mph). If you have only been driving it conservatively, they may just need a bit of a clean up.
I scored some discs on my Cayman when the pads overheated but they cleaned up fine and the scoring wore away in time.
Likewise, the brakes on my race car will make a few rubbing sounds when they haven't been used properly for a while (similar to what you describe) and those will disappear within a lap of proper use.
£6.5k for discs and pads is utterly mental...
I scored some discs on my Cayman when the pads overheated but they cleaned up fine and the scoring wore away in time.
Likewise, the brakes on my race car will make a few rubbing sounds when they haven't been used properly for a while (similar to what you describe) and those will disappear within a lap of proper use.
£6.5k for discs and pads is utterly mental...
You mention that the condition of the tyres is good compared to the condition of the brakes which sound like they are worn through.
Have you checked the date stamp on the side of the tyres? It will be a 4 digit number indicating the week and year of production. That should tell you whether they have been replaced since the car was delivered, as likely a new set of boots has been put on.
Have you checked the date stamp on the side of the tyres? It will be a 4 digit number indicating the week and year of production. That should tell you whether they have been replaced since the car was delivered, as likely a new set of boots has been put on.
QUOTE : car being previously owned by a well-known racing driver:
ok so it been tracked hard and now has new tyres at a guess.
1: their have been known issues with GT4 RS brakes rubbing, seen a few reports on this with pad rub and then this causes heat build up and blue disks.
2: there are no drilled holes in 4RS disks, they are dimples good luck cleaning those out lol !!!! but they are vented inside.
3: yes brakes and disks are now Very expensive on these cars these are RS top line track day models, parts are very expensive these disks are now larger than before off the 992 GT3's and very expensive as are pads on this model. I think a front disk is £800 alone, so £5.5k to £6.5k sounds about right inc >£250 per hour rates.
4: Sorry to say if you cannot look at the wing and see the bolt and the tilt , and not tracking a track car is this the right car for you even ? sorry :-(.
5: OEM pads are made of chocolate, if it's been tracked 2.5k miles is good life on track expect oem pads to last 500 miles they are total cr4p.
6: Ask for a 111 check results to get a pad reading, they now do green, yellow red and it's all documented in a 111 check and each wheel will have a reading done, green , yellow and red.
7: if you go back to item 1: yes some cases the pads rub, so then that does overheat the pads and disks as the brakes are on all the time ! this might show up as a slighty blue colour on the disk, SO if you fit new disks and pads and the rubbing issue is NOT fixed this will ruined the news disks quite fast and over heat all over again the £6.5k parts !
8: for £6k you can buy nicer disks and some fast road pads DS2500 if not tracking, of course you need to add fitting costs of £1k, so a £7k spend anyway.
Good luck with it.
PS on the wing if you can see a cm silver bracket at the back it's tilted, but please read the manual. This is for the owner to move and it's all in the RS booklet you have had the car >6 months !
ok so it been tracked hard and now has new tyres at a guess.
1: their have been known issues with GT4 RS brakes rubbing, seen a few reports on this with pad rub and then this causes heat build up and blue disks.
2: there are no drilled holes in 4RS disks, they are dimples good luck cleaning those out lol !!!! but they are vented inside.
3: yes brakes and disks are now Very expensive on these cars these are RS top line track day models, parts are very expensive these disks are now larger than before off the 992 GT3's and very expensive as are pads on this model. I think a front disk is £800 alone, so £5.5k to £6.5k sounds about right inc >£250 per hour rates.
4: Sorry to say if you cannot look at the wing and see the bolt and the tilt , and not tracking a track car is this the right car for you even ? sorry :-(.
5: OEM pads are made of chocolate, if it's been tracked 2.5k miles is good life on track expect oem pads to last 500 miles they are total cr4p.
6: Ask for a 111 check results to get a pad reading, they now do green, yellow red and it's all documented in a 111 check and each wheel will have a reading done, green , yellow and red.
7: if you go back to item 1: yes some cases the pads rub, so then that does overheat the pads and disks as the brakes are on all the time ! this might show up as a slighty blue colour on the disk, SO if you fit new disks and pads and the rubbing issue is NOT fixed this will ruined the news disks quite fast and over heat all over again the £6.5k parts !
8: for £6k you can buy nicer disks and some fast road pads DS2500 if not tracking, of course you need to add fitting costs of £1k, so a £7k spend anyway.
Good luck with it.
PS on the wing if you can see a cm silver bracket at the back it's tilted, but please read the manual. This is for the owner to move and it's all in the RS booklet you have had the car >6 months !
Apologies for the delayed response...
Regarding the tyres, their dates align with the car's manufacturing date. My current theory centers on the possibility that the first owner tracked the vehicle. Consequently, either they or the dealer likely installed new brake pads on discs that were already close to their maximum wear limit (within 1-1.4 mm). It also explains my initial concerns about the brake feel shortly after purchasing the car.
However, there are some holes in this theory. The current tyre depths (front: 4.8 mm, rear: 4.7 mm) suggest they likely wouldn't have survived extensive track use without needing replacement. It's still possible that if tracked shortly after the car's initial delivery, any replacement tyres fitted might still have a date code consistent with the vehicle's manufacturing year.
Unfortunately, I've had to be quite firm with the dealer, who appears to be taking their time. They now want the car back, and I've asked they collect it from Reading and cover the cost of the initial inspection. Having experienced a similar issue last year with a GT3 that the dealer eventually had to take back, I've escalated this early and notified Porsche GB. Despite two requests, I still haven't received the 111-point check, although the dealer insists it was completed.
Regarding the tyres, their dates align with the car's manufacturing date. My current theory centers on the possibility that the first owner tracked the vehicle. Consequently, either they or the dealer likely installed new brake pads on discs that were already close to their maximum wear limit (within 1-1.4 mm). It also explains my initial concerns about the brake feel shortly after purchasing the car.
However, there are some holes in this theory. The current tyre depths (front: 4.8 mm, rear: 4.7 mm) suggest they likely wouldn't have survived extensive track use without needing replacement. It's still possible that if tracked shortly after the car's initial delivery, any replacement tyres fitted might still have a date code consistent with the vehicle's manufacturing year.
Unfortunately, I've had to be quite firm with the dealer, who appears to be taking their time. They now want the car back, and I've asked they collect it from Reading and cover the cost of the initial inspection. Having experienced a similar issue last year with a GT3 that the dealer eventually had to take back, I've escalated this early and notified Porsche GB. Despite two requests, I still haven't received the 111-point check, although the dealer insists it was completed.
Edited by markda on Monday 19th May 12:02
odear said:
QUOTE : car being previously owned by a well-known racing driver:
ok so it been tracked hard and now has new tyres at a guess.
1: their have been known issues with GT4 RS brakes rubbing, seen a few reports on this with pad rub and then this causes heat build up and blue disks.
That completely matches my experience and what I've observed on the discs.ok so it been tracked hard and now has new tyres at a guess.
1: their have been known issues with GT4 RS brakes rubbing, seen a few reports on this with pad rub and then this causes heat build up and blue disks.
odear said:
2: there are no drilled holes in 4RS disks, they are dimples good luck cleaning those out lol !!!! but they are vented inside.
Ah, that aligns with what I'm seeing too. Reading made comment about drilling holes to clear debris – sound a bit off. I haven't spoken with tech directly, it's possible he misspoke in the video.odear said:
3: yes brakes and disks are now Very expensive on these cars these are RS top line track day models, parts are very expensive these disks are now larger than before off the 992 GT3's and very expensive as are pads on this model. I think a front disk is £800 alone, so £5.5k to £6.5k sounds about right inc >£250 per hour rates.
I don't disagree.odear said:
4: Sorry to say if you cannot look at the wing and see the bolt and the tilt , and not tracking a track car is this the right car for you even ? sorry :-(.
I didn't notice it during collection, but you can see the silver bracket. The salesman mentioned a default 'neutral' setting after the 111-point check. While someone pointed out it's not a problem, it's more of an observation. Regarding the debate about GT/RS owners tracking their cars, while opinions vary (perhaps with some justification), I personally enjoy mine on the road, so we'll have to agree to disagree on that.odear said:
5: OEM pads are made of chocolate, if it's been tracked 2.5k miles is good life on track expect oem pads to last 500 miles they are total cr4p.
I've heard this also, don't disagree. But I'd have no case if they weren't OEM so something for another day.odear said:
6: Ask for a 111 check results to get a pad reading, they now do green, yellow red and it's all documented in a 111 check and each wheel will have a reading done, green , yellow and red.
100%. I have requested copy of this from Reading and supplying Dealer. Still waiting....TBH kicking myself for not doing this prior to purchase, but the car was so immaculate and had c.2.5K miles I didn't feel necessary (poorly placed trust) odear said:
7: if you go back to item 1: yes some cases the pads rub, so then that does overheat the pads and disks as the brakes are on all the time ! this might show up as a slighty blue colour on the disk, SO if you fit new disks and pads and the rubbing issue is NOT fixed this will ruined the news disks quite fast and over heat all over again the £6.5k parts !
Noted, I very much doubt Porsche will acknowledge this as a 'known issue' so makes these conversations difficult. But I will be all over that.odear said:
8: for £6k you can buy nicer disks and some fast road pads DS2500 if not tracking, of course you need to add fitting costs of £1k, so a £7k spend anyway.
The point is, I shouldn't have too at this stage. Also, it has nearly 3 years warranty so I'm keen to not fall foul of this based on my experiences with my 991.2 I might be needing it!Edited by markda on Monday 19th May 12:04
This issue has dragged on far too long. The supplying dealer is finally sending transport today, after failing to show up yesterday. I’ve now seen the 111-point check, and it's clear why they were reluctant to share it. It’s more like a 102-point check, with much of Section F (wheels/tyres) missing entirely. Honestly, I’m at my wits end with the brand—this is the third car in a row that’s been in and out for various issues. I want to discuss a full rejection of the vehicle. Time to draw a line.
I think they'll give you a full replacement free of charge of pads and rotors. Its clear the seeling dealer did not check the car properly pre sale but thats most car dealers for you. The fact it was owned by a race driver if one or two track days at a hign speed circuit you can easily go through a set of pads and rotors. Poor prep though.
Can you reject a car on the basis of it needing consumables?
Can you reject a car on the basis of it needing consumables?
I suspect you re probably right. That said, they have sold me a car with unsafe brakes... I'm tempted to throw a bit of money at it and make a point and give it to a solicitor. I m escalating this to Porsche GB, failure to correctly follow the approved used process. Well, that's if I can ever get through their broken switchboard. This will absolutely be the last Porsche I ever buy, the after-sales service is appalling.
Edited by markda on Thursday 29th May 14:28
markda said:
Apologies for the delayed response...
Regarding the tyres, their dates align with the car's manufacturing date. My current theory centers on the possibility that the first owner tracked the vehicle. Consequently, either they or the dealer likely installed new brake pads on discs that were already close to their maximum wear limit (within 1-1.4 mm). It also explains my initial concerns about the brake feel shortly after purchasing the car.
However, there are some holes in this theory. The current tyre depths (front: 4.8 mm, rear: 4.7 mm) suggest they likely wouldn't have survived extensive track use without needing replacement. It's still possible that if tracked shortly after the car's initial delivery, any replacement tyres fitted might still have a date code consistent with the vehicle's manufacturing year.
Unfortunately, I've had to be quite firm with the dealer, who appears to be taking their time. They now want the car back, and I've asked they collect it from Reading and cover the cost of the initial inspection. Having experienced a similar issue last year with a GT3 that the dealer eventually had to take back, I've escalated this early and notified Porsche GB. Despite two requests, I still haven't received the 111-point check, although the dealer insists it was completed.
Every chance the previous owner had a spare set of wheels with slicks on them ...Regarding the tyres, their dates align with the car's manufacturing date. My current theory centers on the possibility that the first owner tracked the vehicle. Consequently, either they or the dealer likely installed new brake pads on discs that were already close to their maximum wear limit (within 1-1.4 mm). It also explains my initial concerns about the brake feel shortly after purchasing the car.
However, there are some holes in this theory. The current tyre depths (front: 4.8 mm, rear: 4.7 mm) suggest they likely wouldn't have survived extensive track use without needing replacement. It's still possible that if tracked shortly after the car's initial delivery, any replacement tyres fitted might still have a date code consistent with the vehicle's manufacturing year.
Unfortunately, I've had to be quite firm with the dealer, who appears to be taking their time. They now want the car back, and I've asked they collect it from Reading and cover the cost of the initial inspection. Having experienced a similar issue last year with a GT3 that the dealer eventually had to take back, I've escalated this early and notified Porsche GB. Despite two requests, I still haven't received the 111-point check, although the dealer insists it was completed.
The tyres you have on the car may have seen some hard road use, but that spare set of wheels/tyres saw the hard track use. Unfortunately the brakes have seen both hard road and track use ...
Slippydiff said:
Every chance the previous owner had a spare set of wheels with slicks on them ...
The tyres you have on the car may have seen some hard road use, but that spare set of wheels/tyres saw the hard track use. Unfortunately the brakes have seen both hard road and track use ...
I arrived at the same theory. The tyres you have on the car may have seen some hard road use, but that spare set of wheels/tyres saw the hard track use. Unfortunately the brakes have seen both hard road and track use ...
Gassing Station | Boxster/Cayman | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff