I am told McLaren recommends Steel brakes unless you use the car on the track frequently.

 

Jay Leno said the same thing, that McLaren recommended him the steel brakes.

 

this is what i wondered about too, seems like steel brakes are quite smaller, they are just 4 pot calipers aren't they?

 

Usually people say, if you track the car go with carbon ceramic brakes. If you don't track the car...go with steel, you will see no difference.

 

I don't know about that, ceramic brakes are a difficult story: there used to be a gt2 owner in germany, who tracked his car with pccb's regugarly, the brakes were busted every 5000-10000 kilometers. he was very upset with that and complained at porsche. his argument was that according to porsche their pccb's would last a car's life, which they did not, obviously. porsche's answer was that the pccb brake was not made for regular track use. consequently the owner changed to steel discs which lasted even shorter but only cost like a tenth to replace compared to the 10 000 euros for new pccb discs/pads. So I know many people who say: if you use your car only on the street then stick with steel brakes, if u push on the street and visit a track rarely take ceramic ones and if u really track your car a lot and hard then go with steel brakes again...maybe it has become better by now though

 

Steel brakes have come a long long way. I don't know anything about McLaren's, but I do know Brembo makes some awesome slotted steel brakes.

Most people I know who track their 911's (GT3, GT3 RS, GT2 RS) end up replacing their PCCB's, if they happened to get a car with that option, and selling them off.

It's cool to say you have Carbon Ceramic brakes, but beyond that, I don't think it gives you a huge advantage if you have really solid steel brakes. The downsides of CCB's tend to outweigh the weight savings they provide. Also, they squeak like crazy.

 

Either work quite well. The ceramic offer higher temperature resistance, cooling ducts, last longer, less maintenence, little to no brake dust, look big, but are much more expensive. Neither one appears to have issues coping with track duty.

The only real downside is cost. So if you are asking if they are worth the extra $14k on an economic basis, nope.

 

Most if not all the guys racing/tracking almost all the time forgo the Ceramics for Steel.

For street use? Go Ceramic! Wonderful brake feel, almost ZERO brake dust!!

 

What he said.

(Provided you don't mind the $.)

Also, squeak squeak.

 

A quick blast down the highway and FULL stop a few times will take the 'glazing' off no? Works like a charm on the PCCB's.

my take (and its not my $$ but just an observation)

If this is one of two, or three special cars (or the ONLY one) in your stable, spend the money on the brakes.

If you have many cars, then, clearly, you don't care. Spend the $$ or don't.

If you flip cars rather quickly, don't spend the $$. But before you base your decision- first find out what the dealers are offering on used MP4's. If they ALL ask if the car has Ceramics; that would tell me that the people who are seeking USED MP4's are asking for them. (not always but MOST of the cases).