It seems that PCCB is a must-have option on the GT3 and RS. I was wondering about opinions as to whether they truly are worth their price, or if it's just a matter of people wanting their car to be fitted with "the best money can buy"?

I understand that they're fade-free on the track, and that they save substantial unsprung and rotational mass, a boon also on the street. But can these advantages actually be felt on the street? Are there members of this board who have GT3 experience with both steel and PCCB who can share their opinions? TIA.

 

thats a good question they were a question markon my 6 but I liked them. Since I dont hammer my car (the 7) on the track as much as others they were a must have for me but some track hard cores still get iron because of recurring costs.

 

Thanks OG. I'm asking the question because I drove a 997 GT3 last week (had it for a day) and I absolutely loved the PCCB brakes. But I only have experience with 996 GT3 steel brakes, not 997. So I was wondering what others with more experience thought about how they compare in feel for street use vs. 997 GT3 steel.

 

I have steelies on mine and I can tell you they are a lot of brake. Ive tracked the car in 105 degree Willow Springs heat and never felt them fade at all. I would have a hrad time justifying the initial cost and the cost to maintain the PCCBs. I know a lot of the guys who track their GT3s in the POC have replaced their PCCBs with steelies for track duty as the expense to fix a dinged PCCB rotor is cost prohibitive.

Flash

 

The real reason... bragging rights!

 

They wouldn't be a "must have" for me unless I lived in Europe and frequently used open stretches of Autobahn.

 

Exactly, I have replaced my ceramic rotors with AP Racing steels in the front, and cup car steels in the rear. Plus, you get a better pad selection this way...

I'll save my ceramic rotors for resale, if I ever plan to do that.

 

PCCB's are great when you see a laser cop and you need to quickly nose dive before he zaps you to throw off his reading.

 

Flash do you know Kevin Reynolds? he had PCCBs on his 6 GT3 and kept them for tracking.
He has a Cup now and his wife has the 6 GT3 in the POC.
Like I said they were a question mark on my 6 GT3 but I knew they would be great for my occasional track use and street use. But I agree if I was tracking 2 times a month I would surely think about iron.
Now I would order PPCBs remove them replace with iron IF I was going to track ALOT and keep the PCCBs for resale.

 

Cons:
- Heard that heal-toe is tricky for the PCCBs and have to relearn this technique.
- Chip the ceramics and your looking at $$ to replace (off-track excursion, changing wheels, etc)

Pros:
- PCCBs dust a lot less
- Save 44lbs of total unsprung weight

I have steels on mine and considered painting the calipers SY just to match the car ($500). I had the chance to spec out PCCBs but for $9K, I can get Brembo lightweight steel for a fraction of the cost plus some really nice, lightweight wheels.

 

So why did you pay the money for them in the 1st place

 

Thanks for the opinions. However, I'm hoping to hear from someone who has some experience with both steel and PCCB on the street, and can comment on whether the PCCBs are subjectively better in feel and modulation. My experience with the PCCB last week was that they were the best brakes I've ever experienced, not just in their massive stopping power, but also in feel and modulation. As excellent as my 996 steels are, these were better. But I have no experience with 997 steels.

So far I'm hearing that people are buying them because they're yellow and expensive. Wait a minute... maybe this is FerrariChat? Nope, just checked... it's Rennlist.

 

PCCBs for me...wouldn't have it any other way.

Have them on my '05 Turbo S (Gen 2), 34k miles and no issues. Although it's a street car now it has been tracked some. Have them on my RS, 9k miles and a bunch of track days and no issues so far. The feel of the PCCBs vs steels is worth it for me. Also, I use SRF brake fluid.

FWIW I hope this info is helpful. Cheers.

 

They aren't must have -- no option is, especially for the street. 997 steel brakes are fantastic and I don't think I've seen a car yet at the track that has PCCB -- so the track guys here in the Northeast appear to be sticking with steel (as I did).

As has been suggested, the steel rotors are durable, inexpensive, have a huge variety of pads, clear more wheels (ie: PCCB would not clear my 18" Fikse 13s), etc. Want some weight savings? Get some aftermarket 2-piece floating rotors. I think PFC is now out for a few 997 products at about $300 a rotor ($1200 all around).

 

Bobby, this is the input I'm looking for. Are you saying that you have experienced both PCCB and steel on 997 GT3s, and in a like-for-like comparison, the PCCBs are noticeably better in feel?