Just installed Pagid Orange pads

From the first time I ever drove a 996, I thought the brakes lacked the firm feeling I expect from a car of this caliber. I just had a set of Pagid Orange pads installed based on the recommendation of my friendly local independent shop (NARW in Reseda, CA) and they FEEL GREAT I know I'm just discovering something that many of you have known for quite some time, but I'm really hyped!!!! After the 20 mile drive home, I was really impressed by the feeling. I can't wait to get to the track to assess the difference in performance!!!! The firmness provides much more confidence.

Did you upgrade your brake fluid as well? Don't want to boil it!

Sure, you love 'em now... until all the kids start looking at you on the street because your beautiful 996 is squealing like a school bus! Oranges work great... especially with R-tires (alluding to your other thread) and some sets are actually not that noisy. Just go easy until they get some heat in them... they can feel a bit feeble on cold days. Did you drill holes for the sensors or just wire tie everything out of the way?

RJ is absolutely correct. Until you get those pads up to temp.......SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEL

The squealing has already started. I noticed it after 15 miles. I had the holes drilled for the sensors.

Hey, Dell, uh, next stop please . ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- LiveNupe, allow me to tell you a friendly story about Mr. Jimmy. Mr. Jimmy started tracking in a stock C2. This was fine for awhile, but as he progressed, it became obvious that the stock suspension was setup for "touring". As Mr. Jimmy's speed and skills increased, the car's body roll, nose diving under braking, and floating over track transitions became unacceptable. So, Mr. Jimmy decided on the RoW 030 setup and started learning the car all over again. As skills and speed once again increased, Mr. Jimmy started out driving the street tires. He was sliding the car all over the place (in a controlled fashion, mind you ) and thought, "Darn! I need more grip!". There was a fair amount of sloshing going on in the cockpit, too, due to the stock seats. Mr. Jimmy went out and got R-tires. Wow! These things are fast! Mr. Jimmy started carrying crazy speeds all over the track while getting super sloshed in his stock seats. And guess what? Mr. Jimmy all of the sudden started having minor brake fade and the occasional case of, "Oh sheet! Am I going to be able to stop in time???". So, Mr. Jimmy went out and got Pagid Oranges. Zero fade. Stop after stop after stop after stop. Incredible. And rotor friendly, too. Truly a wicked combination with R-tires. At the end of the day, Mr. Jimmy was totally exhausted from trying to brace himself within the cockpit... left knee on the door, right knee on the center console, left foot planted in high speed sweepers, right foot working pedals, all while his little arsey and shoulders were trying to sense what the car was doing. The g-forces and lack of a good seat were making it very difficult for Mr. Jimmy to drive well with less effort. And then there was the whole safety issue. Mr. Jimmy didn't do race seats, a roll bar, and harnesses because he didn't want the car to be "unstreetable". In the end, it may have been better for Mr. Jimmy to do safety mods early on. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ LiveNupe, I'm not knocking your mods or skills in any way. Many of us have been through Mr. Jimmy's "progression". I just want you to have fun in a fast and safe manner! Cheers

RJ, You and a few others are really making me think that I'm headed down the wrong path. I'm really thinking more and more about getting a track car with 5/6 point harness, roll cage, etc. and not making any more mods to my 40th. With so many people saying the same thing, it's hard not to listen. Thanks for your comments. I'm going to hold off on the PS Cups for now.

LiveNupe, Don't be discouraged. Your 40th is a fast and beautiful car. You are obviously enthusiastic and you should enjoy your ride! Go experience it in stock form and then when you get totally hooked, you can decide what to do. What you will find as you gain more seat time is that the car tries to accomplish two conflicting goals. It's the 'ole street vs. track saga. Mods do make a difference, but remember... the driver makes the real difference. This will become very apparent on the track when you can't seem to shake that pesky little underpowered car in your rearview even though you can leave him in the straights. It's because he's driving the p*ss out of his machine and gaining on you in the corners. Or, how about the guy who keeps lapping you in a similar car on street tires while you're running R's? Remember, your 40th isn't a "disposable" $20K track beater. I've seen people wax out at the track ... but this shouldn't keep you from going out there. As you progress, you can make decisions along the way. Is it worth it to you to keep modding your car, making it more and more trackable and less streetable? If the answer is 'yes', then go for it! I surely don't think you need R-tires right now. I don't think you should get a track beater just yet either. Go enjoy your 40th now and then see if it's worth all the chipped paint, speckled windshield, melted tire worms all over the paint, etc... Once you start thinking "trailer", you've gone off the deep end. Cheers

Too late on the trailer bit.... When I moved from Dallas to LA last year, it was cheaper to buy a trailer and haul haul my car to LA myself than to hire the pros. Figuring that I'd eventually want to haul my car (40th or dedicatee track car) I bit the bullet. One less thing I have to worry about buying later.

Buy a track car. Buy a track car. Buy a track car. BUY A TRACK CAR.

Say, Apex, I see you in your avatar there... how in the heck do you reach the clutch???

Trust me, I am moving as fast as I can! 69 days and counting and then I will be in your neck of the woods and searching for my GT3. Damn, I feel lke a kid the night before going to Disneyland and can't contain myslef. Getting to NC can't come soon enough. See you at VIR