Just bought it at suncoast and not really complaining but still curious -
total price to get simple brake pads changed about $422:

Carrera Rear Brake Pads 1 $95.96
Rear Brake Pad Damping Set 1 $58.48
Rear Caliper Repair Kit 1 $41.22
Front Brake Pad Damper 4 $74
Carrera Front Brake Pads 1 $130.33
FrontKit Front Caliper Repair Kit 1 $23.25

Is this stuff available anywhere else for cheaper price? Front brake dumpers for $18 a piece is quite ridiculous imho.

 

I don't think that you need to just swap out the pads. Everything else can be reused a few times IMO.

You could also try the dealer in Portland, Oregon (not a board sponsor so I won't post there name). You could get a quote from them and see if another dealer, perhaps a board sponsor, is willing to match it.

 

I never did it before and based on rennlist diy articles folks wrote one have to use new springs and new damper pads.

I think those I have now were never changed in car`s entire life so it would not hurt to do, I just was curious as someone on rennlist wrote those dampers should go by $9 for set and I see them $18 a piece at suncoast.

 

Is this stuff available anywhere else for cheaper price? Front brake dumpers for $18 a piece is quite ridiculous imho.[/quote]

Try Sunset Porsche. Just Google it and their info will come up. I have used them several times and they are good to do business with. If they can't beat the price you have you're not likely to get OEM Porsche parts and cheaper.

 

I agree that it won't hurt to replace them, but if you are looking tosave some money, they may not need it everytime. Save your old stuff incase you have some problems in the future (assuming the parts are OK).

 

How often are the rotors changed? I know they should be measured, but just as a rule of thumb based on pad changes?

 

for 996 cars i think it was a rule to change front rotors if they go under 26mm, rear ones when they go less then 22mm in thickness. i never saw exact numbers for 997 cars, people just state - change if required but no one knows what is that minimal required thickness is. other rule is to change rotors if they develop cracks connecting holes.

 

[quote=NorthVan997C2S;2597673]I think that you need to just swap out the pads. Everything else can be reused a few times IMO.


+1. Dampers and springs can be reused indefinitely - they are there to help reduce noise. Many of us remove dampers for track use and some remove the spring clips (I leave the springs, they only take a moment to install, but the dampers just make it harder to fit fat track pads in, so they are out). To save money reuse dampers - gently ease the pads off them using a putty knife or something similar. You probably won't get any noise reusing them but if you do or worry about noise just use a little anti-squeal between dampers and pads on the front wheels - rear isn't usually an issue requiring anti-squeal but the rear dampers are more fragile and annoying to keep in place while inserting the pads. Keep your old stuff like Northvan recommends and reuse in future - pads alone would be roughly one half of what the whole deal cost you this time.

For stock pads Suncoast is pretty good. If you ever need track pads try calling Paragon - they are usually very competitive.

Rotors, if used sedately, get replaced when get to minimum thickness; when used hard, they crack to oblivion way before reaching minimum thickness. Many say change if cracks go hole to hole, I have never had that happen, but when the cracks approach the rim of the rotor it is time for a change - if the rim edge splits the whole rotor can split and things can get ugly fast - think like taking a knife from the center of a pie and cutting to the edge - nasty thing to have spinning through your caliper!

 

+1. Quite cheaper.

 

Gotcha in respect to measurements. If you don't have a micrometer handy, do you guys usually change rotors every couple sets of brake pads? I found lately on BMW's the rotors ended up getting changed on every change of pads, making a pad change a "full", expensive, brake job. I'm close to new pads in the rear and can't measure the rotors myself. Just want to guess the potential for rotors in advance.

 

With Pagid RS29 pads for track use I find front rotors are severely cracked and ready to change when the pads are down to about the thickness of the backing plate, so I change both pads and rotors at the same time (like your BMW experience). With street pads and street use, I find rotors go a couple sets of pads. Rear pads and rotors on the 997s don't wear nearly as much as front - I am on my 4th set of front pads and rotors this season and haven't had to change the rear yet. I don't measure either but change rotors for the street if deeply ridged from pad wear - pads cut away the rotor over time and usually leave ridges at outside rim and inside edge of where the pad hits. Still best practice is to measure.

 

Should also mention I make sure to change street pads before hitting the sensors so they don't need to be replaced - they are expensive to replace on these cars, really adding to your costs (just wire tie sensors out of the way for track pads). The sensors are easily reused if you are gentle in removing them from the old pads. The sensors are sacrifical - they are destroyed when activated - they are just a wire in a loop that gets cut by the rotor when pads get thin, the broken circuit activates the light on your dash - so, if your brake light is on you will need to buy 1-4 sensors depending on how long you let it go. Some dealers will routinely replace the sensors, which is at least overkill and maybe just running up your bill - but they can also break when being removed from the old pad as the plastic part that fits into the brake pad is exposed to a lot of heat and can get brittle.

 

Thanks for the info. Glad to hear there is extended life with the rotors! Rep points to you and good luck at the track!

 

I have found the same thing, the Pagid Yellows are hard on the rotors, but my god do they work well! I have buddies with GT3's and they are running slotted rotors with Pagid Yellows, and they are getting good life out of the rotors.

 

I was under impression that any race pads generally have a bit less braking power but do tolerate high temperatures much better and do not start to 'float' when rotors get extremely hot, so, for regular normal driving conditions with no extremes stock pads provide more efficient braking.