Sorry if duplicative to my original build post but have a few questions about PCCBs

i) Will be living in the PNW where it rains for a large portion of the year. Do PCCBs not work well in the rain/wet? I keep reading very mixed feedback on this where some people say it's no issues in any weather while others say you may have to warm it up every few minutes
ii) Has anyone heard real life stories about chips / damage and need for replacement? I have seen a few threads but not sure how common this is
iii) What are the replacement options on a base model? Can you swap back to steel brakes, and if so would they be the base brakes or S brakes? I heard the Base model can't be retrofitted with S brakes because of the different pistons structure. Are there cheaper alternatives (e.g. surface transform) than the OEM replacements which I heard could be $25K+?

Thanks all

 

The regular brakes are excellent. Why do you want the PCCBs? They won't do anything for resale. And from what I've read and heard, if you swapped two models with different brakes, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference, 10k could be spent for lots of other nice tidbits.

 

i) Cold is the issue. Rain/wet is less of a problem. If you're aggressively attacking backroads or tracking the car, the cold isn't a problem, because you're doing things to keep the brakes warm. If you are driving along on the highway in the winter and haven't hit the brakes in a while, the brakes are going to get cold and the lack of initial bite is going to wake you up -- if it's also raining/snowing, especially so.

ii) Wheel swaps are your biggest risk when it comes to damaging the rotors. You can bump the steel rotors with a wheel and it's a non-issue. With the PCCBs, it can be a expletive-filled moment. Porsche does recommend steel rotors to people who track their cars due to the damage risk during wheel changes and the cost of consumables being much much higher. PCCBs used to be treated like lifetime brakes, which they can be on the street, but if you track frequently, they do become a consumable, a very expensive one. If you're just driving around, it's unlikely that you're going to do damage to them. Yes, it is possible to get a small stone wedged in that can damage the PCCB rotor, but that's borderline freak incident. With that, be aware that PCCBs do squeal substantially more than Porsche's steel brakes -- so, don't get into a panic over minor squeaks/squeals.

iii) There are steel rotor options that be used with the PCCB calipers. You're going to lose the benefits of the PCCB and the premium that you paid. The unsprung weight savings will be lost along with fade free awesomeness. You can't use S rotors with the base calipers, because things won't fit. It is possible to convert a Base to the S braking system (calipers, rotors, etc), but it comes at a very high cost. Truth be told, it's cheaper to just go and find an S. If you already own the car, the more cost-effective approach is to switch/upgrade to an aftermarket braking system. People seem to forget that PCCBs aren't $10k. It's a $10k premium on top of the standard braking systems of these cars, which all are hella expensive in their own right. The cheapest time to put PCCBs on a 911 is when you put your order in.

 

You'll recoup about half of the PCCB premium in resale, but I agree with the general sentiment.
If cost/risk are real concerns, the OP's probably better off skipping the PCCBs.

 

Rain makes brake dust even worse. PCCB for the win

 

Thanks for the responses. If I had the S model allocation I would be less inclined, but not sure about the base brakes as they can also look small in the 20/21 inch wheels.

 

I think they'd be fine.

 

You're overthinking it. PCCBs are awesome and they do impact resale because a lot of buyers want them. The only reason not to get them is cost. If money is an issue, leaving them off is an easy way to keep the build price down.

After owning numerous Porsches with each type of brakes, PCCBs are a must have for me.

 

A $200 ceramic coat will keep your wheels generally clean. Unless you're completely OCD about cleanliness, 10k for clean wheels is ridiculous. There are various brake pad options to explore as well, that can minimize dust without PCCB. I'd take PCCB without complaining if they are on a used car I'm buying (Aston DBS), but I'll never pay for them.

 

Had a base 992 with PCCB. Sold after only one week on the lot.

The only issue with ceramics on a base comes down to price. The 20/21 wheel upgrade & ceramic brakes itself push the $$ into entry level S pricing with just those two options alone.

If you can justify that, then go for it. PCCB are worth the price of admission.

 

I've had PCCBs in all of my Porsche's (4 to date).

Never had chips or damage, and two of them were GT cars that I tracked heavily.

Replacements? ST Rotors https://www.surfacetransforms.com/pr...duct-container

But seriously, if you've got the budget, there is absolutely no reason not to spec PCCBs. They are by all accounts the cheapest OEM option that Porsche offers on any of their cars (when you factor in the cost of buying and installing them after the fact).

Just be warned, once go PCCBs, you simply cannot go back.

Good luck with your decision.

 

Don't work in deep cold and snow

siberian

 

Yeah, this isn't true at all. I've ceramic coated the wheels on every iron rotor Porsche that I've had and it almost zero impact on brake dust, other than making it a bit easier to remove during washing. If you go iron rotors, you're going to get a fair bit of dust or, on the GT cars, a ton of dust.

 

It helps that I'm not OCD about a dirty car. I don't really notice it to begin with, other than being pleasantly surprised at how good my car looks when my detailer comes once a month or so.

 

LOL. What's ridiculous is "some" of those without PCCB's (which is fine) keep trying to tell those with PCCB's or thinking of getting them that they are ridiculous. Let it go..... Value is a perceived virtue, This is the best statement - "if cost is not a factor, they are better in every way." I personally would argue they are a bargain factory upgrade.