991.1 GT3 steel VS ceramic brakes - Page 1 - 911/Carrera GT - PistonHeads UK

Hi there Really a question for those who have driven both 991.1 GT3 with steels and ceramics, I know ceramics are awesome but are the steels also good? I am very tempted by a guards red 991.1 GT3 which has steel brakes and just wondered are the steels nearly as good as the ceramics for road use and the odd track day?

Gibbo205 said: Hi there Really a question for those who have driven both 991.1 GT3 with steels and ceramics, I know ceramics are awesome but are the steels also good? I am very tempted by a guards red 991.1 GT3 which has steel brakes and just wondered are the steels nearly as good as the ceramics for road use and the odd track day? Main advantage of ceramics was the lack of brake dust and longevity - for road use I don’t think there is noticeable difference in stopping power, just the weight advantage. Porsche brakes are a highlight regardless of type.

The main advantage of Ceramics for road use is the unsprung weight saving which should have a number of benefits - improving handling, ride and even performance, but this may be hard to detect. Other benefits are, no brake dust or corrosion, longer disc life (c. x3), and less fade. I have had them on past Porsches, and really like them - I think they worked out cost neutral when I sold. Couldn’t have them on my current, as they required bigger wheels, which I didn’t want. On a GT3, I’d say they add desirability, unless it is going to be used fairly extensively on track.

Koln-RS said: The main advantage of Ceramics for road use is the unsprung weight saving which should have a number of benefits - improving handling, ride and even performance, but this may be hard to detect. Other benefits are, no brake dust or corrosion, longer disc life (c. x3), and less fade. I have had them on past Porsches, and really like them - I think they worked out cost neutral when I sold. Couldn’t have them on my current, as they required bigger wheels, which I didn’t want. On a GT3, I’d say they add desirability, unless it is going to be used fairly extensively on track. I’m not sure that fade-resistance is so relevant for on-road driving, and the unstrung weight advantage is slightly reduced as the discs are bigger than the steel equivalents. However like you, I really liked them and would speak again, even at £6-7k. I think the versions track guys tend to prefer steels.

Run ceramics on my GT3 and really like them, for a road car I think it's a great buy. Track, well depends on how often couple of days a year at normal UK track day speed I pretty much consider road use. If you're doing more advanced days and big circuits like RSR Spa days, then you'll be harder on them and in a dedicated track car maybe go surface transforms. Not optioned ceramics on my Taycan tho, I doubt couple KG on a tank like that will make any difference.

If a car lives outside the lack of corrosion on steel discs is an advantage. If not driven on the track the discs will probably last the life of the car and pads will last much longer ... and there are advantages of tactility in the steering and particularly wet handling and grip because the car suspension can breathe with the road slightly better than with steel discs. As an aside, it is worth also considering the weight of tyres ... silly I know but 1.5 kilos per corner can be saved without performance losses, according to the latest EVO tyre comparison.

In my experience the standard steels are more than up to the job for road use, i've not driven on track with them but don't have any concerns. Ceramics were also on my preference sheet, and I may go down that route when I move into another GT product, however the £20k to replace the full set of pads and discs is a consideration that helped me "settle" for a steel braked car. Happy hunting

If you have a certain perception about certain cars then possibly only ceramics will do,in much the same way as it is manual /pdk ,buckets vs sports seats ...personal preference is the only thing you should consider . I think the ceramics are brilliant ,but they aren't to me worth the money Porsche want for them because I have never driven a steel braked Porsche and thought I need ceramics.

franki68 said: If you have a certain perception about certain cars then possibly only ceramics will do,in much the same way as it is manual /pdk ,buckets vs sports seats ...personal preference is the only thing you should consider . I think the ceramics are brilliant ,but they aren't to me worth the money Porsche want for them because I have never driven a steel braked Porsche and thought I need ceramics. Chapeau sir, sums up my thoughts on the subject too

The replacement cost for a set of Surface Transform discs and pads is around £10k, but they are vastly superior to the PCCB's. If for road use, the PCCB's should last the life of the car and with reduced pad exchange frequency, no corrosion etc. However, the steels are certainly "up to the job".

franki68 said: If you have a certain perception about certain cars then possibly only ceramics will do,in much the same way as it is manual /pdk ,buckets vs sports seats ...personal preference is the only thing you should consider . I think the ceramics are brilliant ,but they aren't to me worth the money Porsche want for them because I have never driven a steel braked Porsche and thought I need ceramics. As ever, depends on how you use the car, as to what configuration will suit you for personal performance requirements and personal budget. Nice to have choices and to be able to opine and discuss.

Whether it’s a Porsche GT car or anything no else high end, my personal view is that if you’re set on doing a lot of track work, get steels. That’s because for heavy track work I would view pads and discs as consumables, and you can got through a set of ceramic discs (which is the real expense) surprisingly quickly if you are sufficiently committed. For mainly road use I see it as largely a matter of personal preference (which includes bragging rights - nothing wrong with that).

Performance wise steels will be perfectly fine for a road car with the occasional trackday, for me the biggest difference is the lack of brake dust. With steel braked cars I'm always washing the wheels after a hard drive to prevent the brake dust being baked on permanently, no such worries with ceramics. Also yellow calipers go really well with guards red

TDT said: As ever, depends on how you use the car, as to what configuration will suit you for personal performance requirements and personal budget. Nice to have choices and to be able to opine and discuss. Absolutely,no one should criticize anyone for their preferences in such matters.