Boxster brakes

[Rom]

Hi guys,

My wear indicator just came on so I need to change the pads. Looking at the pads it looks like the rears have plenty of meat, but the fronts are a little low. I am about to leave for a 2500 mile round trip, so this is pretty annoying (although I guess it's best it happened before we left!). Anyway, I'm in the bay area (near San Mateo) and I just want the front pads. Which pads should I get and where can I get them fast - no time for mail ordering (I leave Sat AM)? I called the dealers just to see what they have, and they want stupid money for standard pads...

Front Sensor In-Stock? Total

Carlsen $142.96 $18.14 Yes $194.03 all in

Rector $143.03 $24.34 Yes $207.53 all in

Sunset $87.49 $10.18 Yes $107.85 all in

Sunset are obviously the cheapest (by almost half - dealers around here should be locked up for extortion!), but they are in Oregon - which is a problem. I'm thinking of not getting the wear sensors since most people don't use them anyway. I'd like some aftermarket pads, but nothing too expensive - just equal-to, or better than, OEM. When I start going to tracks here (later in the summer) I'm probably gonna get some Pagid Orange for track-use-only.

So, any recommendations??

Thanks!

Shash

[vfxbox]

Hi guys,

My wear indicator just came on so I need to change the pads. Looking at the pads it looks like the rears have plenty of meat, but the fronts are a little low. I am about to leave for a 2500 mile round trip, so this is pretty annoying (although I guess it's best it happened before we left!). Anyway, I'm in the bay area (near San Mateo) and I just want the front pads. Which pads should I get and where can I get them fast - no time for mail ordering (I leave Sat AM)? I called the dealers just to see what they have, and they want stupid money for standard pads...

Front Sensor In-Stock? Total

Carlsen $142.96 $18.14 Yes $194.03 all in

Rector $143.03 $24.34 Yes $207.53 all in

Sunset $87.49 $10.18 Yes $107.85 all in

Sunset are obviously the cheapest (by almost half - dealers around here should be locked up for extortion!), but they are in Oregon - which is a problem. I'm thinking of not getting the wear sensors since most people don't use them anyway. I'd like some aftermarket pads, but nothing too expensive - just equal-to, or better than, OEM. When I start going to tracks here (later in the summer) I'm probably gonna get some Pagid Orange for track-use-only.

So, any recommendations??

Thanks!

Shash

You can find Textar pad, which is own by Pagid and I like it very much. For street use and cost is very reasonable. Currently I am using brembo/porsche which I bought from dealer just before I had trip.. just like you.. my brake warning lights came on this past April and replaced it 3 days before trip to San Francisco from L.A. I paid $150 but I am not too happy with it.. often squeaking sound and I wish I had time to look for Textar like I did before this brembo. :(

I am waiting for new Textar pad which I bought from eBay anyday... :D

[Rom]

Okay, does anyone know what the difference is between the brake pad retaining kit on the rear brakes and the front brakes? The look pretty much the same to me, but for some reason the rear ones are twice as expensive as the front ones!! Is that to counter the fact that you swap rear brakes on a 2:1 ratio to the fronts, so they wanna make sure they still get some cash out of you? ;)

So, have Pelican Parts got it wrong, or are they really worth twice as much?

Thanks!

Shash

PS - I ended up not going on my trip, that's why I'm doing it now!

[Tool Pants]

If you get down to the San Jose airport there is Intex. They sell pads made by Remsa for about $40. These pads are repackaged under different names, such as Qualitee. The friction rating for the base front is FE. They have the holes for the sensors.

We have put these pads in a local 2.5 and the owner likes them.

http://www.intexap.com/

[Rom]

If you get down to the San Jose airport there is Intex. They sell pads made by Remsa for about $40. These pads are repackaged under different names, such as Qualitee. The friction rating for the base front is FE. They have the holes for the sensors.

We have put these pads in a local 2.5 and the owner likes them.

http://www.intexap.com/

Um, Jeff - I was actually talking about the retaining kit - i.e. the spring, rod and pin. The front and rear look very similar but for some reason Pelican (and others) sell the rear ones for virtually double the price ($25 vs $49, approx). I wanted to know what differences make them worth twice as much.

Thanks!

Shash

[Tool Pants]

We reuse them, as does the local dealer.

[Rom]

That's what I was planning on doing too... But it would be interesting to know what the differences were for them to charge 2x the amount for virtually identical parts.

Thanks!

Shash

[Loren]

996.351.959.01 Front Brake Mounting Kit -- MSRP $25.59 (as of May 2006)

996.352.959.01 Rear Brake Mounting Kit -- MSRP $50.04 (as of May 2006)

Same part number front and rear -- should be the same price from the dealer.

(edit - as Tool Pants pointed out we both misread it... here is the corrected version)

I have no idea why the rear costs more...

[Tool Pants]

Like Loren said, the kit is the same for the front and rear, and it is the same on all 986s. No clue why there is a price difference.

[Rom]

Just as I thought... FYI, here's where I saw it at two different prices:

http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/shopca..._pg3.htm#item10

Front is $25.25, Rear is $49.25! Funnily enough the description states that the Front kit works on the Rear of the 996 Turbo, 2001-04! The part number of the cheaper one is different though... If P/N 996-352-959-01 is for the Boxster, what is P/N 996-351-959-01? If the latter P/N works fine front/rear, then that's a good saving of $100 on a set of 4...

Thanks!

Shash

Edited May 17, 2006 by Rom

[Tool Pants]

Forget what I said. Need new glasses.

The front kit for a 3.2 is 996 351 959 01. Note the 351 in the part number vs 352.

Since the S has larger front brakes that kit is different.

[Rom]

So basically the '351' for the S is cheaper than the 352 for the non-S... Kinda confusing since the Pelican description specifically says front, Boxster, 1997-04 ('97 can't be an S tho). Would make sense for the S one to be more expensive (since it's bigger), but that's reverse too...

Thanks!

Shash

Edited May 17, 2006 by Rom