|
D3 - Axles, Brakes, Suspension and Steering Brakes, Springs, shocks, steering racks, steering columns, suspension arms, wheel hubs etc. |
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Ceramics on an S8 - good thing or bad thing?
When window shopping for S8s I've tended to steer clear of cars with ceramics. I'm wondering now whether that has been the right thing to do.
Pros: Supposedly better braking - can brake later, shorter stopping distance, less fade No brake dust on your wheels Should last 100k miles. Cons: - Cost a *fortune* to replace, and I have seen a few cars offered for sale with them that say they have been replaced under warranty at relatively low miles - Can only work out how worn they are by weighing them - Susceptible to damage when mounting/dismounting wheels or from gravel - Squeaky when cold - Less efficient when cold (not entirely sure about this one) - Potential to use great braking force to smear your tyres onto the road Interested in views, esp from those who have them. Happy with them? Think they are a gimmick, or an expensive bomb waiting to go off? Or a genuinely useful addition to the car? TIA |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
Personally I don't really see the point, though I have driven an Audi with ceramic brakes - an R8 on track.
For a new car buyer it's probably a minor extra cost and seems like a good idea. For people here, who are largely not in that category, it seems like a potentially very expensive time-bomb to be avoided.
__________________
2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions and extended leather. Ski hatch retrofit. Aftermarket reversing camera. DVB-T and XCarlink now removed as redundant. 2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation". (Even rarer than a D2 S8!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one! Finally: gone, but not forgotten..... 1998 D2 PF S8. Agate Grey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, Tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors. e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later) 1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon. Added Auto-dim mirror, Leather seats, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer. And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850! |
#3
|
||||
|
||||
Whilst I havent got ceramics I would have thought that the benefits are only really felt if you do a lot of track work. The advantage (for most, even if you do enjoy a bit of "spirited" driving) must be very limited and for the marginal benefit you get, you need to offset the potential costs. There do seem to be a lot of replacement of these items.
__________________
2002 D2 S8 – Ming Blue, Valcona leather, Vavona wood insert, solar sunroof (to be fitted), Heated rear seats, extended leather pack, 18” Avus, ski hatch, Bose, auto dim rear view mirror, rear blind. |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Pretty sure they were a relatively expensive option when new too.
Great if you really track it, or have something silly quick like Amar's RS6, but for normal driving, just seems like too much of a wallet buster waiting to happen.
__________________
2010 Jag XF 3.0D Portfolio S I know.. I know.. |
#5
|
||||
|
||||
I have them on my car, The cars done 57k and the discs look like new, there's no wear lip like you get on steel discs and like you say they are meant to be good for 100K
The stopping performance is impressive to say the least, easily will have your passengers complaining at the deceleration. although I have not driven an S8 with the steel discs for comparison. Yes they squeak first thing when cold, but on my car its only when I back out of the driveway 20 feet later and the squeak is gone. One thing I don't like about them is the feeling when they are wet, few occasions where I have been driving in heavy rain and went to use the brakes, it feels like they are doing very little but it only takes a slight squeeze harder on the pedal and the waters burnt off and they are back to normal. As for accidental damage removing wheels, well you would need to be a complete klutz to manage that as there is a shroud all the way round the disc, and if you use the locating bolts like your meant too then the discs wont come to any harm. As for replacement costs yes indeed they are stupidly expensive, but here's hoping that I won't need to replace anytime soon and if they don't come down in price to a sensible level by the time I need too then I would look into alternatives like replacing the discs with steel ones on ally hubs.
__________________
Del |
|
|