New to Boxster's and not sure about brakes

[Guest]

Hi everyone,

I know I should post this in the technical forum but it looks dormant as if no one looks there so here goes in the general section....apologies to the forum police!

Just picked up an 05 987 Boxster S and not sure whether my brakes are ok. It was a dealer supplied car so no worries on warranty etc but before I raise it with them I was looking for some opnion.

Whilst the brakes do seem to stop the car very well they do feel very woody, (as if the pedal is pushing against something hard), and more foot pressure than expected is needed. I drive a BMW 535d Sport on a dialy basis and the brakes are very responsive and assisted. Likewise we px an SLK 350 for the Boxster and wasn't expecting this.

Everything else is very impressive. Should I raise this with the dealer?

Steve

 

[Mark_Bennett]

I prefer a firm pedal - but that does not sound like the "normal" feel I have from my car...

Tell you what - how about posting in the Boxster Section? Lots of activity there... []



(Moving...)

 

[Guest]

good idea will do

cheers

 

[juliany27]

Sherlock

I wish it were elementary.

I discovered that if one does not apply the brakes vigorously several times after washing the car or leaving it for some time, the 'grinding' sound remains.
I was taught to apply brakes gently and progressively. It appears that this is not the case on a race-type car such as a Porsche Boxster.

It might be that a fast-ish drive followed by applying the brakes hard a few times will resolve the problem. If not, take it back to the dealer for a check.

Incidentally, this information was given to me by the OPC in Cambridge last week.

Hope all is well and you have many happy and safe miles in the car.

 

[Mark_Bennett]

ORIGINAL: Darylx
I've experienced tempory grinding a couple of times, but thinking about it now, each time was after the car had been washed then kept in the garage for a while.

Quick heads-up for the new owners (ANY!)

When you wash the car - please take it for a short run to dry the brakes. We have had many posts from owners who have had to replace rusty discs on newish cars - a short drive to dry the brakes out will help prevent this.

 

[JCB..]

Not sure when washing the car came in to the equation but "progressive" should get a mention.

JCB..

 

[juliany27]

John

Should 'progressive' include hard/sharp braking several times as advised to me?

 

[nemc]

Yes...I moved from a TT to the Boxster and found the brakes not as sharp as expected.. after a year I still don't think I use the brakes 'hard enough',.

 

[Guest]

very interesting,

I think I will leave it a while before I talk to the dealer, after a week it may just be me getting used to it.

thanks guys

 

[jw2015]

There is certainly a difference between the braking setup on the Boxster and that of a normal heavily assisted family car. Once you get used to it it allows you can apply the brakes more smoothly and with a lot more precision than a normal car, especially when throwing it about on the twisty bits, but it does also mean that if you want to stop in an emergency you have to push your foot down further than you might be used to.
Having said that, when I got my Boxster, the brakes were very poor, especially compared to a CLK I'd had previously, which stopped as if you thrown out anchors. I was also hearing the brakes rub when applied. The chaps on this forum advised me to take the car out to suitable straight stretch, accelerate to 50 or 60 and then do quite a few hard emergency braking procedures, down to about 10mph (make sure you look in your mirror first). Probably best to allow the brakes to cool off with a short drive and easy braking afterwards, just in case you over do it. When I did this, the power and feel from my brakes improved dramatically and the rubbing noise was gone. I do find I have to do this every so often at this time of the year, it's probably due to corrosion on the disks, as I sometimes leave the car sitting for 2 or 3 days at a time in the damp Scottish winter weather.

 

[Carl.Young]

I love my brakes. My wife hates them. Or at least she hates them when I use them. She says I leave it so late she's convinced we're going straight through the hedge.

Ditto jw above, and when you adjust to them you'll find the brakes in other cars are rubbish. The brakes in my missus jalopy feel superb round the town but when you ask anything more serious of them they feel wanting. Conversely the Boxster takes the wind out of your lungs when applied vigourously at high velocity. Literally.

 

[Guest]

Ok guys,

I get the point[] Now that I have a proper car I need to harden up and not compare with those softy grand tourers!

When the rain stops tonight its out for a proper drive and get used to the brakes.

Carl, are you married to my wife 'cos yours sounds just like mine.

Ta

 

[jac in a box]

Most non-Porsche cars have over servoed brakes. A gentle touch and you come to a rapid halt without any real pressure being applied to the the pedal.

IMO one of the more pleasing attributes of the Boxster is the brake feel, sure they feel a little different from your "run of the mill" cars. As JCB has pointed out the brakes are so progressive, the braking response can be so easy to modulate with a little practise. Just perfect IMO .

Dave

 

[IainCameron]

ORIGINAL: jac in a box
Most non-Porsche cars have over servoed brakes. A gentle touch and you come to a rapid halt without any real pressure being applied to the the pedal.

IMO one of the more pleasing attributes of the Boxster is the brake feel, sure they feel a little different from your "run of the mill" cars. As JCB has pointed out the brakes are so progressive, the braking response can be so easy to modulate with a little practise. Just perfect IMO .
Dave

Dave, You got there before me! I fully concur with this. They are the best brakes I have ever used.

 

[garyw]

At a recent event, quite a few of us tried each other cars on the circuit... all of the non-Porsche drivers said exactly the same as this..brakes pedal felt solid and thought they weren't working correctly, I encouraged them to learn the pedal and after a while they were loving the feel and couldn't get over how the car stopped[]
I can still remeber my first test drive and scaring myself silly the first time I pressed the brake pedal...[]
Under-servoed is a good description..

garyw

 

[Guest]

For overassisted you should try my Volvo V70 with the "brake assist". Was pressing on pretty quickly 1 day upto a roundabout - left the braking very late then did a hard progressive shove on the pedal. Computer takes over and obviously decides I am in emergency stop mode and "assists" me with more pressure. Result - I come to a shuddering halt a few feet before the roundabout and have to wipe myself off the inside of the front windscreen!

 

[Guest]

Went from driving the boxster with firm felly brakes to a horse lorry with 'air brakes' - basically they're either on or they're off....

Good job I was only test driving it and there was no actual horse out back (it would probably be bruised if not dead) as those things are wickedly effective but also massively lacking in feel! I feel for lorry drivers I really do. The g/f still has the seat belt marks...!