I've got a 6 day trip throughout Europe coming up in a few months, taking in every decent road we've ever read of (Stelvio Pass, etc) and I'm wondering if I should perform a bit of a brake upgrade beforehand? Nothing too major, just possibly upgrade the brake fluid, hard-compound front pads, etc.

Anyone got any suggestions or advice?

One or two of the guys who went last time boiled their fluid on the way down the Stelvio!

Thanks!

That is bound to happen over time, if you keep applying the brakes. Using the engine to brake is very effective and can save your life if the brakes fail.

Upgrading the brakes sounds a little extreme, unless you're going to race down the mountain... But a change of brake fluid to air out any air that may be trapped in the system, is always a good idea before embarking on arollercoaster ride

I have been across the Stelvio/Stilfser Joch a couple of times, it is a very nice scenery, so enjoy it!

Advice: Put competition fluid in (no need to go to Castrol SRF) we do some which is the same chemical makeup for £9.50/ 1/2 litre (you will need 1 litre plus maybe 1/2 litre for top up) Then look at going with a braded hose front and rear and then a fast road pad if neccessary.
If you want to go the whole hog we are just developing an upgrade kit with Alcon which should be available towards the end of June, but a little OTT for what your looking for !!

How does this sound....!!
Front
6 pot mono-block caliper, 365DIA x32mm Thick [Std is 318x28]– damped floating system on Alloy Bell...(Shown Below)
Rear
4 pot mono-block caliper, 343DIA x32mm Thick[Std is 299x24] (to suit drum in hat config) Cast bell with handbrake shoes integral.



Basicly they are trying to get the first set ready to "Test" on my car for the 20th June. (Some of us are going to Anglesey for a track day, don't know if you'd be interested in joining us??)


Caliper colours etc will be finalised when we get to that stage...!

__________________
allan@motordrive.com

Thanks guys! Hmm... got more details on the track day? I'm picking my Cayman S up from Chester Porsche on Saturday - can't wait!!!

Was thinking of maybe upgrading the front pads to EBC ones, but not sure if red or green are best? Probably consider replacing the fluid just before we set off to just in case!

Those brakes look tasty mate!!!

"Windymiller" see link to Trackday here, 1st 2008 'International' - UK TrackDay....

Trust me you don't have to take your new baby on the track, but I'm sure you could join in with us a get a ride if you wanted......! It's on a Friday though !! 20th June and there should be at least 5 Caymans there.

Tell us what you're picking up on Saturday......colour, spec etc new/used were all interested..!!

__________________
allan@motordrive.com

Late 55-reg basalt Black Cayman S... tip!

Traded in a Boxster S I've had for about 6 weeks. Only went down to my OPC (Chester) for an open day! Tried a 997 (too expensive!) 996 (too dated/not special enough IMHO) and a couple of Caymans, then decided to have a bit of a laugh negotiating figures. Set myself a daft target, and 4 hours later, with the help of my girlfriend (who's a contracts negotiator for a big firm!) got the deal I wanted! We've threatened to pull out a few times, and every time we get a better offer made! Currently 'discussing' that the satnav MUST be upgraded before I collect it...

Didn't want a tip at all, but they had the guys from the Porsche driving tuition course thingy at my OPC who took me out and showed me what it can do... seriously impressed! Then, when I got cold feet a few days later, they gave me a 1000-mile old Cayman S tip for the weekend. 250 miles later it convinced me tip was the right choice!

So, black Cayman S with satnav, grained black leather and 19" Carrera Sport wheels (prefer them to all the others).

Saturday can't come soon enough!

This is a long (and possibly boring) story, but I promised a few people that I would tell them why I owned my Cayman S for only 3 days...


So, let's start at the beginning.

I received an email from Porsche Chester to "...experience the Porsche model of your choice.... you will be accompanied by a dedicated Porsche Driving Consultant, a specialist in advanced road, rally and circuit driving, who will assist you in exploring and understanding the vehicle’s technology and handling capabilities" so I checked my diary, saw I was free that day and arranged to go along.

I initially test drove a white 997, followed by a black 996, and eventually a black Cayman S. While I was doing this, a Sales Executive had my own vehicle, a Boxster S appraised and valued. I then sat down with him and discussed which vehicles were available to me, and after a lot of negotiating, eventually struck a deal on a black Cayman S which was Identical to the one I test drove, just a few years older. We arranged for the deal to be completed the following weekend, and I completed and signed a Vehicle Order form, and a finance Proposal Form detailing the financial package we had agreed.

The following day (Monday), I received a phone call and email from Porsche Chester, advising me that the finance figures we had agreed would have to be increased. I told him I was not happy with this and that I would be inclined to cancel the deal due to the increased figures. This I confirmed to him by email. I then began to look elsewhere for a vehicle and sourced a newer vehicle from a specialist with lower mileage, and for a lower price. A deal was discussed and agreed on Wednesday afternoon with regard to the vehicle I had sourced, however before this could be completed I received a call from Porsche Chester to advise me that they would be able to make an offer based on the original figures.

This put me in a difficult situation; I had refused the offer made on Monday, and believed that to be the end of the matter, having sourced a replacement. I discussed this with Porsche Chester who politely advised me that I was bound by a legal contract with regard to their sale. My understanding was that the deal had ended when I declined the revised finance figures.

I discussed this matter with the Sales Manager in person the following day. He repeated the benefits of purchasing from Porsche Chester instead of an independent, and offered me £500 more for my part-exchange vehicle. He also told me that Porsche Chester should not have contacted me to increase the figures, but should have gone back to Porsche Finance to renegotiate the deal we had originally agreed. I went home to consider this offer, and after deciding to take up the offer, revisited Porsche Chester on the Sunday, to finalise the paperwork.

Throughout the following week I kept in contact with Porsche Chester to enquire about the progress of my Cayman, and on Friday the Sales Executive confirmed that the vehicle was due back from the bodyshop in the afternoon and would be to Porsche standards. He also told me that 2 of the tyres were being replaced.

I arrived early the next day to collect my Cayman, handed over a copy of my insurance documents, then went for some breakfast while they taxed the car for me. I returned an hour later to be told that I was being offered £500 less for my part-exchange as some details on their vehicle appraisal form did not match the actual vehicle. This had been completed by Porsche Chester on the actual vehicle while I was on a test drive. I refused to accept the extra charge of £500 and left without the Cayman, after being advised that Porsche Finance would seek legal action against me.

An hour later I was contacted by the Sales Executive who told me that he had managed to revert back to the original valuation for my Boxster, and so we could complete the deal at the agreed figures. Therefore I would no longer have to pay the extra £500.

When I arrived later that afternoon I checked the vehicle thoroughly. I found a large chip of paint missing from the drivers' side rear wheel arch, and also a scratch on the rear quarter panel. The Sales Executive apologised for these, and said he would have the vehicle collected from my home that week and these quality issues would be rectified. I then checked the tyres, and none of them had been replaced, as agreed. I asked about this, and was told that they had, but on further inspection it was revealed that they had not. The Sales Executive told me that the tyres had arrived, but had been 'booked out' to another vehicle by mistake. He also agreed that this would be rectified along with the other faults. Whilst examining the tyres, I also noticed that the wheel centres were not the correct colour for the dark grey wheels. He agreed that these were also incorrect, and that they would be replaced.

I had been told that the vehicle would be 'prepped' for me to the high Porsche Standard that the Sales Manager had gone to great lengths in explaining to me. This was a key point to me agreeing the deal. In my opinion, the vehicle was sub-standard. If I as a customer could see these faults, then a Porsche Centre should.

I took the car on the agreement that these points would all be rectified. Later that day, I discovered what appeared to be a cigarette burn to the leather base of the passenger seat. However the worst discovery was yet to come. Whilst driving home that evening, I noticed that the mileage seemed to be incorrect. I stopped the vehicle, restarted it, and the mileage read the same - nearly 28,000 miles. I checked the Vehicle Order form, and it stated 22,754 miles! When I contacted Porsche Chester the following day, I was told it was a 'simple administative error'. Unbelievable.

The day after my initial agreement to purchase the Cayman, I contatced Porsche Chester asking for pictures and a full specification of the vehicle. This never happened. I also requested a copy of the RAC inspection report, a copy of the wheel alignment details, and also full details of Porsche Assistance as I plan a tour Europe in September. I received none of these either.

I contacted the Sales Manager at Porsche Chester the following morning by way of a 3 page letter detailing all of the above. To my amazement, I received a telephone call from the Sales Executive telling me how upset he was that I had felt the need to contact his superior, and put my complaint in writing. He asked me what I wanted Porche Chester to do, and I requested that the next service that the Cayman not be charged for. This was declined by Porsche Chester.

The following day (today) I returned the Cayman to Porsche Chester and received a full refund, colected my Boxster S, and cencelled all contracts with Porsche Finance. I will also be returning the ownership document for the Cayman when I receive it from DVLA.

I take it Stelvio Pass is out then ? Or will you do it in the Boxster ?

Too bad; Some excellent restaurants and Alberghettos nearby in Bormio, Sondrio and Lago di Como .

Hell yeah I'm still going! In the Boxster or whatever I own at the time!