Porsche 997: Brake Pad Reviews
This review covers a few brake pad options that are popular and worth the money. Whether you strictly stick to the street or the race track, you will find something that suits your needs.
This article applies to the Porsche 997 (2005-2012).
There are a multitude of brake pad types, ranging from street to full-on race. If you own a Porsche and are looking to get more out of it, with regards to braking, here are a few options for you. You might even discover that your OEM pads end up suiting you perfectly after reviewing the few options below. For those of you who have an addiction to track days, there is a brake pad for you, too.
Brake Pads
OEM |
Ferodo DS2500 |
Performance Friction PFC08 |
Pagid Yellow RS29 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Price |
Front/Rear: $145-350 (depending on 997 model) |
Front: $170-250 (depending on 997 model) Rear: $150-170 (depending on 997 model) |
Front: $300-500 (depending on 997 model) Rear: $300-450 (depending on 997 model) |
Front: $340-430 (depending on 997 model) Rear: $320-380 (depending on 997 model) |
Noise |
Quietest available | None | Moderate amounts of noise | Noisy |
Performance |
Best for street use; Will overheat on extended track time | Good street performance; Can double as a good track pad | Great track performance; OK on street | Great track performance; Not for street use |
Lifespan/Wear on Rotors |
Best lifespan/wear and easiest on rotors | Great lifespan/wear and easy on rotors | Longest life of all PFC pads; Aggressive on rotors | Good wear rate; Aggressive on rotors |
Brake Dust |
Normal | Above normal | Heavy | Heavy |
Best Value: Performance Friction PFC08
OEM
Price – $145-$350
Noise – Quietest available
Performance – Great street performance; Strong initial bite; Brake fade under racing conditions.;Soft pedal under racing conditions
Lifespan – Great
Brake Dust – Normal amounts
OEM brake pads are going to last you the longest. They will provide the least wear on your rotors, and they are quiet as well. OEM brake pads will preform great on the street and will be up for any challenge you throw at them on the street. You can take them for a few laps around the track, but they will eventually fade and overheat. Depending on your driving skills, they might only be able to last a few laps before forcing you to let them cool down. Recommended if you're looking for reliable, all-purpose pads.
Ferodo DS2500
Price – Front: $170-250; Rear: $150-170
Noise – Quiet
Performance – Good street performance with the ability to last you on track days
Lifespan – Good; Slightly below OEM
Brake Dust – Low but more than OEM
Ferodo DS2500 are good street pads that you can leave on and head to the track for some performance driving. You don't have to worry about swapping pads the night before a track day. They will be a little more aggressive on your rotors than OEM pads, but that's expected. They will be able to handle the track day and not fade too much on you unless you're a professional. If you're a great driver, you might feel them to be a little inadequate towards the end of your session. Overall these pads are for the guy who drives his Porsche a lot and occasionally does some performance driving and doesn't want to bother with swapping pads. Recommended if you're looking for street pads and occasional track use.
Performance Friction PFC08
Price – Front/Rear: $300-500
Noise – Moderate
Performance – Smooth initial bite; Slight bite increase with temperature increase; Good modulation characteristics; Street friendly track pad; No bedding required.
Lifespan – Good; Matches wear of other competitors with stronger bite
Brake Dust – Heavy
The Performance Friction PFC08 brake pad is really a track pad. You can use them on the street and get away with it. This characteristic is what makes them popular. They will wear out your rotors and leave brake dust behind if you use them on the street all the time. These are for the person who attends a lot of track days and wants to be able to leave his pads on for back-to-back track weekends and not worry about taking them off for the week. Eventually, though, you want to take them off for something more street-friendly. Recommended if you're looking for track pads and occasional street use.
Pagid Yellow RS29
Price – Front: $340-430; Rear: $320-380
Noise – Loud
Performance – Can handle high heat temperatures (1,100F); Increases friction with heat;This is a racing pad; Bedding required; Endurance pad;Requires more pressure on pedal.
Lifespan – Short, not too long
Brake Dust – Heavy
The Pagid Yellow RS29 is a great track pad. It will bite hard and withstand all the abuse you throw at it during your track day sessions. It will won't be very friendly on the street because it's not meant to be used on the street. This pad is ideal for the person who swaps out his brake pads before track days. If your a racing fanatic, you won't have much to complain about when it comes to the Pagid pad. Recommended if you're looking for track pads.
Related Discussions and Site
- Brake Pad Pricing - OGracing.com
- Great Brake Pad Discussion - Rennlist.com
- Another Good Discussion - Rennlist.com
