I have been mulling over this for a while. I'm getting my leather dash done this week so I'm thinking I'll do some other mods.

But its a really expensive option and I'm not crazy about the red color of the calipers.

Are the big reds neccessary? Also what is average cost for a mechanic to install?

Thanks guys

 

if you don't track your car then I don't think its worth it. as the stock brakes are adaqute for the job. If you don't like the red you could always go with Big Black Brakes off a 928 GTS same thing just black calipers.

Brandon J

 

No. But what ever happened to the SC you were thinking of doing?

 

Definitely doesn't justify the cost, considering it's not particularly something you'll need or will be able to really take advantage of.

If anything, it'll be a minor downgrade in respect to handling & weight.

 

Depends on how you drive on the road. There is definetly a noticable difference I would say they allow you to push your car that much further and still maintain control.

 

You may not need them, but they are bad-*** looking...

 

Here's my thought. I have big reds and with a stock sized wheel & tire combo the stock brakes are very good and will exceed the limits of the tire's traction. However, a poor pad or bad fluid can make the stock brakes seem inferior and cheap or even oem pads will have quite a bit of fade at high speeds or during DE use. With a good pad, there isn't much of a need for bigger brakes unless you are tracking it very hard or you've increased traction to the point where you can't lock them up. I DE'd my turbo brakes with Hawk HP pluses for 3 years without any issues at all. It wasn't until I went with a 255/18 front combo that I benefited from a bigger front brake.

 

I think Jeremy hit the nail on the head. First try changing your fluid and pads, and make sure your tire pressures are OK. I think the turbo/s2 brakes are plenty. I think the same brakes came standard on the Ferrari 348 (not that a 348 is worth a damn next to a 944)...

If you feel you need more braking power, there are ways to improve braking without swapping in the super-expensive (and sometimes unappealing) big-reds. For example, better tires, or carbon fiber body parts Just giving ya some options.

 

I have been tracking and club racing my S2 for 4 years with the stock front brakes and have not had any issues with braking. I can echo what the others have said about brake fluid and pads. Be sure to get a top quality fluid and completely replace the old fluid (not just bleed). Then go with a really good street/track pad (Pagid, Hawk, etc.) and you will have plenty of brakes. Spend your money elsewhere.

 

+1. Well maintained stock brakes, even the cast iron single-pots on NA's, provide plenty of stopping power.

The biggest advantage to S4/Big Red/Big Black brakes is not as much the ability to brake in a shorter distance (which is really a function of tires vs tarmac these days) but rather the ability to maintain consistent braking performance under the heat and stress of repeated heavy use...as in track days or club races.

As shared above, fresh fluid and fresh well-chosen pads are actually more important to brake performance than fancy calipers of any color.

 

This is for your S2 cabriolet with the 968 rear, right? No rollbar on that, right?

So this car will never see the track except with the rare clubs that allow convertibles with no rollover protection.

Big Reds or Big Blacks will be purely for looks in this case. There's just no situation where you'll see a benefit and the heavier weight of those brake setups will make the car ride a lot rougher.

There's nothing wrong with doing it for looks if that pleases you but I think you should be prepared for the downside of worse steering feel and ride.