SM_ATL's Carrera S Journal
#1066
03-11-2013, 09:46 AM
Track consumables
2 quick updates on downsides of taking your car to the track and financial planning. Nothing new of course.
Protect your windshield
Cracked windshield: one tiny bit of gravel and running a little too close behind someone else can have costly consequence (a 991 windshield replacement runs around $1k):
Maybe even worse than the cost, you may end up driving one of these for the day if your dealership is out of Porsche loaners
After replacing the windshield and before going back to the track last week end I got Clearplex installed on the car:
The protective layer is (has to be) thick and not the easiest to install.
The overall result is not bad, but:
-if you buy a pre-cut film and get it professionally installed, it will still cost you ~$350
-because the installation is difficult, you may have a few defects around the edges or very small bubbles if dust particles have been trapped
-the optical quality is not perfect and there is a bit too much distortion for my taste
The film seems to protect the windshield adequately. I'd say it is a no-brainer for a dedicated track car, but I am not sure it is a great option for a daily driver.
Check your brakes regularly
I have put a Brembo BBK (15" front and rear) on the 991S and the stopping power (combined with track tires) and absence of fading is remarkable.
When you push the car hard (and you will if you know that stopping the car is not a problem
) you pay of course attention to your brake pads. I noticed I was running thin at the end of the day at the front but failed to double check the inside pads more closely before the last session. Bad call. There was no braking issue but quite a bit of grinding on the way back, which is perfectly understandable when looking at what is left of the inside pads:
There is in fact no pad material left at all ...and even some metal of the backing plate is gone No big deal, Vividracing has been able to overnight new pads and rotors are still in good shape.
My best estimate is that I lost 25% of the pads per track day (at the front) and probably half of that at the rear.
It basically means that a set of front pads would roughly last for 275 laps on Road Atlanta... so let's say that pads will cost you ~$1.5 per lap and some change.
Nothing dramatic if you know that gas, at 8 mpg will set you back ~$1.6 per lap, track tires ~$2 per lap and track insurance ~$3.5 per lap. Even if you throw the car depreciation on top of it, you would still be below $10 per lap... and it is worth every penny of it
Your only problem is that once you get the virus, you will want to do many, many laps
2 quick updates on downsides of taking your car to the track and financial planning. Nothing new of course.
Protect your windshield
Cracked windshield: one tiny bit of gravel and running a little too close behind someone else can have costly consequence (a 991 windshield replacement runs around $1k):
Maybe even worse than the cost, you may end up driving one of these for the day if your dealership is out of Porsche loaners
After replacing the windshield and before going back to the track last week end I got Clearplex installed on the car:
The protective layer is (has to be) thick and not the easiest to install.
The overall result is not bad, but:
-if you buy a pre-cut film and get it professionally installed, it will still cost you ~$350
-because the installation is difficult, you may have a few defects around the edges or very small bubbles if dust particles have been trapped
-the optical quality is not perfect and there is a bit too much distortion for my taste
The film seems to protect the windshield adequately. I'd say it is a no-brainer for a dedicated track car, but I am not sure it is a great option for a daily driver.
Check your brakes regularly
I have put a Brembo BBK (15" front and rear) on the 991S and the stopping power (combined with track tires) and absence of fading is remarkable.
When you push the car hard (and you will if you know that stopping the car is not a problem
) you pay of course attention to your brake pads. I noticed I was running thin at the end of the day at the front but failed to double check the inside pads more closely before the last session. Bad call. There was no braking issue but quite a bit of grinding on the way back, which is perfectly understandable when looking at what is left of the inside pads:There is in fact no pad material left at all ...and even some metal of the backing plate is gone
No big deal, Vividracing has been able to overnight new pads and rotors are still in good shape.My best estimate is that I lost 25% of the pads per track day (at the front) and probably half of that at the rear.
It basically means that a set of front pads would roughly last for 275 laps on Road Atlanta... so let's say that pads will cost you ~$1.5 per lap and some change.
Nothing dramatic if you know that gas, at 8 mpg will set you back ~$1.6 per lap, track tires ~$2 per lap and track insurance ~$3.5 per lap. Even if you throw the car depreciation on top of it, you would still be below $10 per lap... and it is worth every penny of it
Your only problem is that once you get the virus, you will want to do many, many laps
Tried to give you some more Rep, but I guess I need to spread some around.
#1067
03-11-2013, 10:18 AM
Great Post. As always, very informative. If your not happy with the ClrarPlex, call the company and have it replaced. They seem to be a good company that cares about customer satisfaction. You may get the same result, but at least you'll know that it is the best it can be. I really don't see ant texture in mine that distorts the clarity. Maybe I need to drive it more in different types of light.
Tried to give you some more Rep, but I guess I need to spread some around.
Tried to give you some more Rep, but I guess I need to spread some around.
#1068
03-11-2013, 04:21 PM
PCCB's are a fortune (and the BBKs are also quite pricey). I'd recommend Castrol SRF which is practically impossible to boil, and then RS29's when they come out next month. I had them on my 997 and they are the cats pajamas - no fade at all under high stress (though not so kind on OEM rotors).
#1069
03-11-2013, 05:33 PM
Castrol SRF and Pagid RS29s. Killer combo!!!! Hopefully Pagid will release them before the upcoming track season.
#1070
03-11-2013, 06:38 PM
Contrary to what Porsche wants you to believe, the PCCBs are not fade free. They require a very precise manner into which they need to be brought up to temp, then brought back down, and you should use the track pads that Porsche recommends, or else you will burn through your very expensive rotors in no time.
Castrol SRF and Pagid RS29s. Killer combo!!!! Hopefully Pagid will release them before the upcoming track season.
Castrol SRF and Pagid RS29s. Killer combo!!!! Hopefully Pagid will release them before the upcoming track season.
Have you had experience with RS29's on a daily driver? once the pads are bedded I'd rather not swap them and leave them on the car...
Thanks for any feedback you would have.
Serge
#1071
03-11-2013, 06:53 PM
On my last car, a BMW E90 M3 with AP BBK, I used RS29s for track and the standard pads for the street mostly.
I left the RS29s in for two season, basically from May to October. They work perfectly fine for the street, mine had great cold bite and no noise normally. The RS29s last a long time for track use, but when they are not up to temp, they tend to wear a bit faster. So you do wear them out much quicker if you leave them in. They are expensive pads, so if you want to keep them longer, then swap them out, but if you don't mind going through a set, then leave them in. My plan is to leave them in personally, Im assuming I will go through a set for sure during the summer/track season, perhaps two front sets. Will obviously depend on how many track days and how many DD miles you put on the car.
Other unknown factor for me personally how will they wear the OEM rotors, you Brembos rotors will last longer. PVT will be another factor on wear.
#1072
03-18-2013, 07:08 PM
Very nice. I really like the one from the front with the track leading away up behind you. Who was taking these pictures? We had AWOL Photos do ours at Roebling last month. You've got some nice pics of your very nice car.
#1073
03-18-2013, 07:13 PM
For other members: my post is not visible right now, I can not get to see the pictures myself
(just see a black box). I'll figure it out and re-post!
#1074
03-18-2013, 07:23 PM
Latest pics from the track (Road Atlanta March 2013 DE with BMW)
Struggling a bit to embed pictures from Flickr today
Had to upload to 6speed...
...and a few more on 3 wheels...
Back to Barber this week end. First time with the Guards Red
Struggling a bit to embed pictures from Flickr today
Had to upload to 6speed...
...and a few more on 3 wheels...
Back to Barber this week end. First time with the Guards Red
Last edited by SM_ATL; 03-18-2013 at 07:31 PM.
#1076
03-18-2013, 07:33 PM
Thanks! Hope we have better weather this week end at Barber than what you had at RA today! Looking forward to get a few nice pics of the 3 991's together on the track 
