Tar-ox ceramic composite brakes

[cyberface]

Given the shady reputation of Porsche OEM ceramic composite brakes for the newer cars, I've spotted that Tar-Ox offer a ceramic brake aftermarket kit.

I drive a 993 and am looking to upgrade the brakes. Accepted wisdom is better fluid, Pagid pads, OEM discs and maybe braided hoses and extra cooling (air ducts) - which is probably what I'm going to do.

However the ceramic brakes look interesting, I'm not sure if they have 993 applications, but does anyone know about these discs and whether they are any good? Presumably they have the standard ceramic features of high temperature resistance and low dust / dirt generation.

[Marki]

I am really interested to know if CC is a real step foward in brake technology or a fashion fad that Porsche started and now can not drop as they would lose face, all i have ever seen is problems regarding them never any details on how much better they are

[paulburrell]

Whilst on a recent visit to Spa I got talking to one of the team mechanics that were doing a Supercup press day with 2 new 997 GT3 Cup cars. His one comment about the preformance of the car was the stopping power of the Carbon Discs, he said that they were awesome. What I should have asked him was how long they lasted in a track environment. My guess is that they are changed after every race. If the experience of the GT3 owners is anything to go by, these things work very well indeed, but only for a very limited time if used hard on track.

[Marki]

So like in the sixtys when the S type Jags had warnings on the back bumper stating
"Disk Brakes"

but they dont seem to be very durable thats the problem along with cost

[cyberface]

I suppose durability wouldn't be so much of a concern if the discs themselves didn't cost a fortune - after all the brakes offer stronger stopping power, reduced fade and less dirty brake dust on yer shiny blingy wheels

The Porsche ceramic fiasco is Porsche's fault for claiming that the discs would last the life of the car. If they had never claimed this then expectations wouldn't be so crazily high. Brakes IMO are always going to be consumables due to how they work - having consumables that cost 8 grand a set is lunacy for a road car, it's like calling the entire engine block a consumable FFS. However just because Porsche's own ceramic brake claims caused complete loss of confidence in the product, this doesn't mean that other brake manufacturers' ceramic products will be similarly afflicted.

I would quite happily use, for example, the Tar-Ox ceramics even if they require replacement at the same intervals as normal iron discs, if they perform better and cost around the same. However I've not heard of anyone using these new aftermarket ceramic discs, nor have I been able to quickly find a price for them on the internet (I've only searched briefly though)...

[DanH]

In terms of braking power, there is no evidence to suggest superior performance from ceramics instead of good quality steels. I've certainly not lost lost braking power having swapped to alcon steels from ceramics. Combined with the RS29 pad, I even get the reassuring absence of bite when they are cold, so they even feel like with ceramics!

The only real benefit seems to be the unspring mass, but it's not exactly cost effective

I think this technology needs a while to mature and can only agree that it is disingenuous of Porsche to offer these parts as a 5k option yet charge 2x that to replace the disks.

[Marki]

so Danh it is still 10 years off before we see them on vauxhalls