What's really going on with Porsche's super expensive option, PCCB?

Porsche PCCB
How to buy a Porsche

*This article was originally published on January 12, 2020, and was re-published on February 18, 2020, with new information added and revised.

In this issue, my husband wrote about Porsche's very expensive option, PCCB, and "what it feels like to actually own a GT3 with the option". Please take a look below.


In the case of an expensive sports car like a Porsche, there is a vast array of options to choose from in addition to the vehicle itself. Of course, even domestic cars have options, but nothing compared to that.There is quite a wide variety to choose from, and yet they are all very expensive.Therefore, if you make a normal selection, the cost of options alone would quickly reach the price of a domestic compact car.

What is PCCB (Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes)?

One of the most expensive options is the very expensive option.That is PCCB (Porsche Ceramic Composite Brakes).Depending on the model of car, that alone is an option that generally costs about 1.4 to 1.6 million yen. It is often referred to as "Porsche Carbon Composite Brakes," but it is more accurately called "Porsche Carbon Composite Brakes.ceramic composite'.

Porsche PCCB

As to why it's so expensive.It is composed of a composite material of ceramic and carbon that is durable to 1000°C. It is also manufactured using a very labor-intensive process.It is.

Features include not only strong braking power, but also "Ultra-lightweight, less than half the weight of cast iron discsIt is said to be effective in improving ride comfort and handling since it is a "new" product. It is also said to have excellent durability. When it was first announced around 2000-2001, there was information that the discs would last 300,000 km, six times longer than cast iron discs, but there is no mention of durability in Porsche's recent official documents.

Selected as an option for GT3

I have always been interested in a Porsche with PCCB, but have always hesitated to choose it as an option because of its price. However, I have been interested in a Porsche with PCCB for a long time.In purchasing the GT3, we decided to make a bold choice.

The price is, by golly!1,668,000 yenThe price of the car is about the same as the price of a car. This alone is enough to buy a car.

How does PCCB feel?

First, let's say the brakes do or don't work.work wonderfullyFrankly, they work at a level that anyone can tell the difference. The normal brakes on my Boxster GTS and Panamera Turbo are made of cast iron, and they still work very well, but they work even better and more clearly.

The PCCB has a very crisp feeling right from the start. However, it is not the type of feeling that is often seen in Japanese compact cars, where the boost is extremely effective only at the beginning.It seems to work linearly with the tread force.Regular cast iron brakes feel the same way, but you have to step on them less.

For example, when driving down a winding road, even if the car takes a corner with a little vigor, a light pressure on the brake is all that is needed to decelerate the car.The sensation is that stepping on 30% is enough to slow down the car.Occasionally, a passenger will say to me, "Your brakes work so well! but even when they do, they are not stepping on the brakes half as hard as they should be.

Porsche GT3 Brake

They are never difficult to use around town. It is often said that "ceramic carbon brakes don't work unless they are warmed up," but at least as far as these brakes on my current GT3 are concerned, I don't know. I'm sure there's some difference if you're very aware of it.It is so natural that we are usually unaware of it.

By the way.I used to own a McLaren 650S with the same ceramic carbon type brakes.but that one is a little clearer and less effective when it's not warmed up.(Not that it doesn't work.)I had the impression that the same PCCBs have evolved over the years. Also, the same PCCB seems to have evolved over the years, and I think that the feeling and performance of the 996 and 997 era PCCBs are probably different from those of today's PCCBs.

How comfortable is the PCCB ride?

PCCB is said to be 50% or lighter than cast iron discs.This is said to have a positive effect on ride comfort and handling because the unsprung weight is significantly reduced.

However, it is difficult to say exactly what this is because we have not actually compared them on the same car. But if we compare a Boxster GTS with cast iron discs to a GT3I feel a lightness of foot or a sense of lightness.

Porsche PCCB

By the way, the other dayA friend of mine replaced his 991.2 GT3 (cast iron brakes) with the same 991.2 GT3 (PCCB).Yes, it is. The friend said.Not even close.He said.

Specifically, the "First, the steering wheel is clearly lighter. It feels as if Power Steering Plus is attached.". And.Even in the city, you can clearly feel the shock being absorbed quickly, and the ride is comfortable.I was wondering if you could help me with my impressions of the project.

What is it like to drive a PCCB on a circuit?

The other day, I brought the GT3 to Suzuka and drove it. I would like to write a detailed review of my impressions of it again, but this time I would like to write only about the feeling of the brakes.

Compared to Fuji, Suzuka is not a circuit that requires hard braking, but it is still a circuit.Requires braking that is not easily experienced on ordinary roadsThe first is the "A" in the "A" column.

For example, the first corner at Degner in Suzuka, where you have to brake and turn while keeping the car speed as high as possible. Sometimes, when I get tired, I miss the timing of braking and almost go into the corner at overspeed, but in such cases, I try to stop by stepping on the brake, but the cast iron brakes of the Boxster GTS cannot slow down enough and the car may ride slightly on the green zone on the outside of the corner. In this case, the cast-iron brakes of the Boxster GTS cannot decelerate enough.

However, in the case of the GT3 PCCB"Oh, no, I'm a little too slow." And then I step a little more, and it slows down without a hitch.It works better than my brain can imagine, and I feel very safe.

Needless to say, fade resistance, touch feeling and judder were not affected at all by the driving of an amateur like me.

After two 30-minute runs, I checked on the PCCB and found nothing strange.I was worried because I had heard that "PCCBs are quickly worn out if they are abused on the race circuit, not to mention 300,000 km," but perhaps amateurs like me do not need to be so nervous when driving slowly.

PCCB after circuit run

PCCB after circuit run

By the way, I've asked the dealer about durability when I ordered.Some people run on the circuit, but I have never heard of anyone replacing the PCCB, at least I have never heard of it.He said, "I'm not sure. Well, in many cases, the PCCBs are probably sold before they reach the end of their useful life, so we can't make a judgment based on that alone, but at least it seems certain that they are not something that is replaced frequently.

Added on 2/18/2020
Later, I had the opportunity to see the car of a PCCB owner of a 991.1 GT3RS. He uses his GT3RS only for circuit driving, and only drives it on public roads to and from his home circuit. At this point, he had driven about 25,000 km. When we looked at the PCCB of the car, the surface of the PCCB was absolutely clean and there were more than enough pads left. According to the owner.I also have a GT4 with regular cast iron brakes, but I've changed brake pads and discs more times on that one, and I think the PCCB has held up much better."This was the case.

Does PCCB really not produce brake dust?

As it turns out, it doesn't come out amazingly well. level that I would say at all.It is. If the wheels get dirty, it is simply a smudge of road dust and dirt rather than brake dust.

PCCB in unwashed condition

Wheels that have not been washed for at least 1000 km

Basically, I am the type of person who washes the car myself, but I have never washed the wheels properly in the 6000 km since I bought it. Of course, they are washed by the dealer when I take the car in for inspection, etc., but I assure you that nothing gets dirty after 1,000 km or so.

If you want brakes that don't get dirty, PCCB is the way to go.Maybe PSCB (Porsche Surface Coated Brakes), which is a recent option for Cayenne and other cars, would be good.It may be.

Next page→What are your complaints about PCCB...?

Hiro

I am Mina's husband. We don't drive cars for fashion or status symbols. We like cars that are fun to drive, are good industrial products, and have a sense of the maker's intention...

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  1. Kazukogane Hills

    PCCB. to yellow calipers that make me feel a little superior.
    A big, pitch-black rotor that sits perfectly inside the wheel.
    It is truly a coveted part for Porsche drivers.
    I did not hesitate to install it on my first Porsche, a GT4.
    If I were to drive a Porsche, I definitely wanted to install it.
    However, I removed it in this GT3.
    I know it's amazing performance.
    It didn't fit.
    Maybe it's just me (laughs).

    2
    • Mina.Mina.

      Kazukane Hills
      PCCB, that's cool.
      My husband says, "PCCB is awesome!" but I haven't run or flown that much yet and
      I don't really understand the greatness of the PCCB because I have a dull sense of that area ^^;

      Is PCCB's performance so amazing that it may not be a good fit?

  2. Jimmy Mountains

    Hello.

    I told them I was going to run on the track but the dealer didn't recommend it, I ordered a GT4 so maybe it's too late. How much is the labor cost to replace the stock rotors?

    Do you change the brake fluid after running circuits?

    • Mina.Mina.

      Mr. Jimmy Mountains.
      Hello, my name is Mina.
      So you ordered a GT4! Congratulations!

      >How much is the labor cost to replace the rotors if they are stock?
      Sorry, I don't know, I've never replaced the stock brake rotors yet...
      My husband's Boxster was delivered to him in November 2015, and he has driven it 4,000 km so far, including Fuji Speedway and Suzuka, and has experienced full braking many times at Porsche's driving school.
      Finally, he feels that the brake pads will not last until this year's inspection and need to be replaced.

      Will it last for quite a while?

  3. GT3RS rider

    Hello!
    I read your article on PCCB.
    It was quite interesting (I'll read the others in the future).
    I am sorry to say that this is just for fun, but I would like to comment on it.
    (This is just my personal opinion.)

    PCCB...
    I guess in the end it will come down to a consultation with my pocketbook...
    Not that steel brakes are bad, but compared to the hierarchy within Porsche, the yellow calipers are self-respecting enough.
    I think we can satisfy you. And the investment you've made will be a point of increasing the price at resale.

    The 'efficacy' part, other than the hierarchy, of course, is one of the great things about it.
    I think we also need to think about what kind of situations we are going to use it in.
    If you use the PCCB mainly for street driving and mountain passes on a daily basis, and for the circuit only a few times a year, I think you can fully enjoy the benefits of the PCCB!
    I knew someone who had it replaced at 80,000 km.

    I drive a 991GT3 (steel) -> 991GT3RS (PCCB), but mostly on the track (I run about 2 or 3 times a month).
    Such usage is not cosmetic.
    Pads for PCCB, more expensive than for steel......I change pads every 2 months or so, but it costs about 250,000 including fluid at a certain PC.
    Furthermore, with the cost of replacing rotors said to be several million dollars, it is psychologically unsettling to do full braking at every corner....
    I have changed from PCCB to racing steel brakes because of this. I will change back to PCCB when I sell it.
    If you are mainly concerned with circuits, brake-related parts are consumables and must be replaced preventively, but the rotors cost several million yen.
    I am hesitant to replace the steel with steel as a precautionary measure. So, I am sure that Jimmy is very happy with the steel. As for the "effectiveness"...
    They both work well, just with different characteristics. We do not think there is enough difference to make a real difference in time.

    By the way...
    Braking from very high speeds (about 280 km/h at the end of the straight at FSW), control is severe in some areas. In the speed range of the pass
    You will never know. The initial braking force is very strong, but it is difficult to pull it out (though it is hard to convey the nuance).
    Of course, this is not a negative factor because of my inexperience in draughtsmanship.

    Sorry for the length of this article, but for your information

    I look forward to reading more of your fun articles!

    2
    • Mina.Mina.

      Mr. GT3RS rider
      Thank you for visiting our blog and for saying so!
      I envy you driving the GT3RS on the circuit...I imagine it must be even more amazing than the GT3.

      The yellow calipers on the PCCB are
      It looks cool and my husband likes it a lot.

      >If you use the PCCB mainly for street driving and mountain passes, and for the circuit only a few times a year, I think you will be able to fully enjoy the benefits of the PCCB.
      I see - you're right!
      And as you say, if you drive mainly on the circuit, the brake system is a consumable item.
      I break out in a cold sweat when I think about exchanges and such...

      Depending on what kind of situation you often ride in.
      I was reminded that the PCCB's holdings also vary greatly.

      Thank you for the detailed information.
      I would be happy to learn more from you.

      Thank you for your continued support.

  4. Tiger in snow country

    This was very helpful. Thank you very much.

    I actually ordered a Cayman GTS 4.0 last November with a February production quota, but found out last week that it was PDK.
    When I complained to the PC sales person, he offered me a GT4 on display for a reasonable price, but since I mainly drive around town, I decided against the road-going GT4.
    I will never forget how comfortable the GTS 4.0 was that I test drove. After reading your blog I felt it was Kana because it was a PCCB.

    I also want to experience the joy of being free from that wheel dirt, as I wash my car for every ride.
    (I had a 718 Cayman. I was helped by this blog in my decision to buy it.)

    You also blogged about the delivery time. The earliest is half a year...(-_-;) hard.
    I am thinking of negotiating a price for a test drive with PCCB. The bottleneck is the full bucket seats.

    It's very informative and helpful.

    • Mina.Mina.

      Mr. Snowy Tiger.

      I see...!
      That's what happens...!

      Certainly, when it comes to riding comfort in the city and the height of the vehicle.
      GT4 might be a little too sporty.

      It's a long process to get the car delivered.
      By that time, Corona was more settled than it is now, and
      I just hope I can make the drive a little easier!

      Thank you for visiting my blog!
      Thank you for your continued support.

  5. arhat (meritorious person, esp. an epithet of Buddha)

    Hello, mina.

    I am very interested to see this car. The 997 GT3 that I mentioned before was given to me by a senior colleague of mine, who also used to run on the circuit, so it has external cast iron brake rotors and pads installed. He also gave me PCCB rotors and pads, which I don't use now, so I have them in storage for now, and I was wondering what I should do with them. I was wondering what I should do with them since I have them in storage for now. I thought I would try using them as they are for now and replace the pads when they run out. By the way, I don't plan to go to the circuit (lol), so it might be a good idea.
    The roll bar on the rear seats also gets in the way when placing luggage, so I'm thinking of removing it since an article on the Internet said it could be removed.

    The other day, on Father's Day, I drove a GT3 with my father! Actually, my father had a longing for a Porsche, but he had been holding off on buying one for some reason or another, so I showed it to him as a surprise on the day of the event without telling him I had bought it. He was very happy! I think I was able to show a little filial piety to him.
    Actually, my father tried to drive the car, but the external clutch (I heard it is much lighter than the stock one) was difficult to engage, and the car stalled. He had a hard time engaging the clutch, and the car stalled. My younger brothers responded well to the car, and I think this car has the power to make people around it smile.

    I sometimes go to Osaka, so if it's sunny, I'd like to go to Ashiu Driveway too! If you see me, I'd love to hear from you!

    • Mina.Mina.

      Mungta (hereditary title; orig. one of the two highest such titles, later demoted to sixth highest of eight)
      Thank you!

      It will be very exciting to make the GT3 to my own specifications.
      It'll add to the buddy feeling, the attachment!

      >I took my dad for a ride in the GT3 the other day on Father's Day!
      Oh what a lovely Father's Day present!
      I can see how pleased your father would be...!
      It's hard to find something that can make everyone smile like this when you think about it... I was reminded once again that Porsche is truly amazing.

      My husband goes to Ashiu on Sunday mornings when it's sunny.
      I would be very happy to see you if you ever come!

      Thank you for your continued support!

  6. Pomodoro

    Hello. Nice to meet you.
    I am enjoying reading this.

    PCCB I'm having a hard time right now(^-^;
    I just successfully ordered a 992 GT3Touring.
    Well, what to do!

    We plan to run Fuji and Suzuka several times a year.
    Well, I was more interested in having fun in my own way rather than setting a time.
    It's a stance, but there's a...

    Once it starts running, it will only go full throttle, I guess.

    I was just wondering if I shouldn't worry too much about it, since it's mainly a public road.
    But the cost of replacing the stones is running through my head (^-^;

    This is such a fun problem (^○^)

    • Mina.Mina.

      Pomodoroic acid

      >PCCB I'm having a hard time right now(^-^;
      I just successfully ordered a 992 GT3Touring.
      Well, what to do!

      Oh yes!!! Congratulations!!!
      Indeed, I'm having a hard time deciding whether to put the PCCB on or not...

      Just a very expensive option...
      It would be really hard to replace it;