[jphughan]

OP what's driving you toward carbon ceramic brakes? The ONLY reasons to go carbon ceramic are:

1. You want to change your rotors and pads a lot less.
2. You hate brake dust.
3. You go to the track a LOT and would experience brake fade with the stock brakes.
4. You're such a great driver that the weight reduction makes a difference.

Notice one thing that's not on that list? "You want shorter braking distance." Why not? Because until you fade your brakes (which would only happen on the track), the limiting factor in braking distance is TIRES, not brakes; think about it, stock brakes are perfectly capable of locking up the wheels, otherwise ABS wouldn't be necessary. I snicker when people say they went carbon ceramic so they can stop on a dime, not realizing that they'd have the exact same stopping distance with steel brakes. These people are delusional.

If #3 and #4 don't apply to you because you won't be tracking, then make sure #1 and #2 are worth $5-8K to you, because that seems to be the upgrade cost from other manufacturers. As for replacement cost, I believe Porsche's carbon ceramic rotors are $5K -- each. Now they tend to last 60-80K miles or more, but that's still far more expensive than the extra sets of steel rotors you'd need in that amount of time.

Also bear in mind that carbon ceramic rotors are VERY sensitive; if they get even slightly chipped by a piece of road debris, they have to be replaced -- and the other side might need to be replaced as well to maintain proper balance across the axle. That's why some people, even those who DO go to the track, prefer steel brakes and go with big brake kits to deal with fade; it sucks to have to pay $8K-16K to replace a rotor or two just because you went off-track and kicked up a small rock or something. Check out Porsche forums and you'll see how many people have switched from PCCB to steel for that reason. Another major hazard is taking the wheels off; if you nick the rotor when removing the wheel, time for a new rotor or two!