Choosing replacement brake pads
 

2001 986 (not S).
I want to install only pads. Rotors are fine. Original OEMs are on the car now. I want to do fronts and back and get it over with.

I want QUIET, low dust, OEM equivalent or better stopping power. Wear is not too important as car is driven low miles/yr. Also want a reasonable price....good sources appreciated.

Your experienced advice will be appreciated.

Bob

Well for me I replaced my pads with Hawk HPS ( not the +) They stop better than OEM. They are very quiet, stop very well for what the street will throw at you. I drive agressivly, and live in the mountains. The only issue it that they are not provisioned for the pad sensors, I had to drill the holes for them. No biggie.

Consider Carbotech
 

They are one of the major pad suppliers for the spec Miata race series and make an excellent street pad --Bobcat 1521--which I have read some very good reviews on. I've just recently ordered a set of the XPS8's for street/track duty but have not installed them yet.

i second the HPS. it is by FAR the best street pad i have used. FYI, i have used:

Mintex
Pagid
Textar
Galfer
PBR

+1 for the HPS. TireRack has decent prices on them too.

I replaced mine with OEM
It was worth the difference. Have the wear sensor holes and the correct temp range for the normal driving I do.
I learned awhile back that anything OEM is the overal best.

FYI, the boxster comes from the factory wearing either pagid, textar, or galfer. IMO, the Hawk HPS are markedly better than any of these three.

Why doesn't the factory install them?
I doubt it is for "bean counter" reasons.

I am about to put in and try EBC Red Stuff pads. I have Pagids in it now. I'll let you know.
Chris

who cares? empirical knowledge is king. i have tried them all and i have made my choice.

probably has more to do with the fact that porsche and brembo both have long working relationships with TMD friction. in lots of cases, many porsche included, TMD re-badges their pads as 'brembo' to be passed on to the OEM suppliers. TMD, FYI owns Mintex, Textar, Pagid, etc.

as to empirical knowledge of why i prefer the hawks? before going to dedicated race pads, i used to use the same pads on the track as i used on the street. accordingly, i went through a LOT of street pads. i didn't like the way a lot of them modulate; it felt like i needed a lot more pedal pressure than i should have to slow the car the way i wanted to. some wouldn't last long at all, others made noise, and lots made too much dust. the performance of the HPS seemed to be the best overall at doing everything well: they last a long time, have a higher torque initial bite, are easy to modulate, don't fade as easily as most street pads, have less dust than the pagid, or textar, not as hard on rotors as mintex, etc.

this is not one of those times where someone buys something and thinks because HE bought it, it must be the best. i have tried LITERALLY every street pad made for our cars, usually multiple times. i have finally settled on the HPS as the best all around performer for a street pad. this is of course my opinion. other people may value certain charicteristics of a pad's performance to be more or less important than i do.

Insite, since you seem to make the distinction, what pads do you use for the track?

i like to mix the compounds to increase the bias of the rear axle. i run hawk HT-10 or pagid orange up front and mintex C-Tech in back. the local track we rent frequently has three 100mph straights in a row; the course is VERY hard on brakes. it took me awhile to get a setup i really like there. i upgraded to 'S' rotors and calipers, ATE fluid, GT3 brake ducts, and the pads outlined above. now i NEVER have fade and the brakes are very consistent; very confidence inspring.

Interesting. Did you find that the over-sized GT3 ducts make a difference?

(sorry if I am hijacking the thread here...)

pretty significant difference; when i pyro my calipers, they tend to be 15F cooler after a session than they were with the OEM ducts (i can't pyro the rotors as my IR thermometer doesn't read high enough temps). at $30 for the mod, i think it's one of those rare bargain mods. if you drive on the track much, get 'em. the GT3 RS ducts are WAY bigger than even the GT3 ducts, but they get pricey.

I can't believe the cost difference in the two ducts;

GT3 14" long - 5"at the center $29.95

GT3 RS 21.5" long - 6" at the center $239.95

$210 for an additional 7.5" of length and 1" in width? I asked my wife what she thought about that and she said she'd pay it, but it depended on who it was. I don't understand that answer?

"Drill the holes for the sensors"??? Arent the "holes" really a square notch cutout at the top ofthe pad? I'd like to keep the sensors since I've never had problems with them.

Bob

HA HA HA HA HA !!!!

nope; it's an actual hole in the pad material near the backing plate.

i guess depending on how you look at it, that could be a relative bargain!