Tire recommendations, TSB superseded(Loren?)

[GranburyChuck]

Hey all, I have gone through several sets of rear tires in the 23000 miles I have had my 2000 C2 Tip 996. As typical, fronts last a long time but inner part of rear are toast in a short period. This is my daily driver and roads are okay (not extremely harsh). I ignored the Porsche mandate for putting their recommended tires on and replaced the rears with a Yokohama AVSES100. Okay tire but inners were wearing when I hit a chunk of metal and desintegrated the tire. In an emergency I had to replace with Falken Azenis at discount tire. These are worn in about 6000 miles on the inside and making a terrible roar. I replaced the fronts (previous owner had Cooper tires on them) with Goodyear F1 all season. I have to drive my car year round and the flat spotting from the summer tires seemed ridiculous for our north Texas weather (down to 0F in winter and up to 110F in summer). I noticed that the car feels as if I am being pitched from side to side when traveling down the freeway. It is just a very faint impression but one that seems to be there most of the time. It can be exaggerated by certain road textures. I found the TSB on this website for tire recommendations but notice that it has been superceeded and I don't see a new version (Loren?). Based upon price I think I will replace with Continental ContiSportContact 2 as these are recommended by Porsche and cheapest at Tire Rack. I don't really want to replace the fronts as well but the TSB from Porsche indicates unsafe handling if mixed tires are used. Anyone else have a problem with this? I have had to put quite a bit of money into little repairs in the year since I bought the car and the cost of new Potenza's or Pirelli's just doesn't make me too excited. Right now the car is in the shop replacing a differential seal and the front trailing arms (cause of wandering feeling?). Oh yeah, steering rack is leaking so will have to replace that. Oh yeah, P0430 code indicates I probably need new cats. Oh yeah...but I still have fun with it and feel pretty lucky that I have 98k miles on it and no "significant problems".

[Westcoaster]

Hey all, I have gone through several sets of rear tires in the 23000 miles I have had my 2000 C2 Tip 996. As typical, fronts last a long time but inner part of rear are toast in a short period. This is my daily driver and roads are okay (not extremely harsh). I ignored the Porsche mandate for putting their recommended tires on and replaced the rears with a Yokohama AVSES100. Okay tire but inners were wearing when I hit a chunk of metal and desintegrated the tire. In an emergency I had to replace with Falken Azenis at discount tire. These are worn in about 6000 miles on the inside and making a terrible roar. I replaced the fronts (previous owner had Cooper tires on them) with Goodyear F1 all season. I have to drive my car year round and the flat spotting from the summer tires seemed ridiculous for our north Texas weather (down to 0F in winter and up to 110F in summer). I noticed that the car feels as if I am being pitched from side to side when traveling down the freeway. It is just a very faint impression but one that seems to be there most of the time. It can be exaggerated by certain road textures. I found the TSB on this website for tire recommendations but notice that it has been superceeded and I don't see a new version (Loren?). Based upon price I think I will replace with Continental ContiSportContact 2 as these are recommended by Porsche and cheapest at Tire Rack. I don't really want to replace the fronts as well but the TSB from Porsche indicates unsafe handling if mixed tires are used. Anyone else have a problem with this? I have had to put quite a bit of money into little repairs in the year since I bought the car and the cost of new Potenza's or Pirelli's just doesn't make me too excited. Right now the car is in the shop replacing a differential seal and the front trailing arms (cause of wandering feeling?). Oh yeah, steering rack is leaking so will have to replace that. Oh yeah, P0430 code indicates I probably need new cats. Oh yeah...but I still have fun with it and feel pretty lucky that I have 98k miles on it and no "significant problems".

Hey there Chuck, I just asked the same question:

I found the TSB on this website for tire recommendations but notice that it has been superceeded and I don't see a new version (Loren?).

For what is worth a search on TSB's would have given his answer to me, the latest is there, and superceeded means it replaced the TSB released

earlier.

With regards to tire choice and the fact you mention that you drive this car a lot... I had Conti's, didn't really like them, they are the cheaper for a reason (IMHO). I now run Michelin PS2's, they are quiet, handle well and have a much superior tread wear rating all worth the extra money. Heck if the Goodyear F1's were available I would try them before the Conti's again. ^_^

Lastly, I highly recommend you follow the recommendation to replace all 4 tires with the same kind, unsafe handling is a real issue if mixed tires are used, Porsche makes a good suggestion there!

Al

Edited August 13, 2008 by Westcoaster

[wdonovan]

"Unsafe handling" is of course subjective. If you drive slow, it's not unsafe. If you drive a little fast, it's a little unsafe. If you drive way too fast, it's way too unsafe. The unsafeness I think shows itself mostly in the way of unpredictability. Wet road, oil slick surface on a turn, off camber washboard. You apparently have loosened the car by using a tire with a softer sidewall. I know this one firsthand by mounting Toyo R1A's on the rear of my 996. Car that used to handle like a gocart, changed into a Lincoln. After the tread wore a bit (very narrow, deep, flexible tread profile) the whole car stiffened up a bunch but with the softer walls, it was not the same. Never try that trick again!

[KevinMac]

I had the Conti Conta 2's they don't last and get noisey. Carrera's are known for rear wear out quicker than fronts. Withthat said I have gone to a set of Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Position, which supposedly have 40 K tread wear out guarantee. I can't say at this time since they are to new, that they will make 40K. I can say they out perform the Conti Con 2's, from a handling, noise and ride perspective.

So when the Contis are gone take a look at them. Tire rack has very high marks for these.

[GranburyChuck]

I had the Conti Conta 2's they don't last and get noisey. Carrera's are known for rear wear out quicker than fronts. Withthat said I have gone to a set of Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Position, which supposedly have 40 K tread wear out guarantee. I can't say at this time since they are to new, that they will make 40K. I can say they out perform the Conti Con 2's, from a handling, noise and ride perspective.

So when the Contis are gone take a look at them. Tire rack has very high marks for these.

KevinMac, I was considering the RE960AS as you said but they are not approved by Porsche. I was trying to stay with what they approved. However, since I have a wide temperature variation to deal with throughout the year I don't think it is feasible to have two sets of wheels and tires. Did you switch to the Bridgestone all around or just on the rears? Have you noticed any difference in handling?

[KevinMac]

I had the Conti Conta 2's they don't last and get noisey. Carrera's are known for rear wear out quicker than fronts. Withthat said I have gone to a set of Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Position, which supposedly have 40 K tread wear out guarantee. I can't say at this time since they are to new, that they will make 40K. I can say they out perform the Conti Con 2's, from a handling, noise and ride perspective.

So when the Contis are gone take a look at them. Tire rack has very high marks for these.

KevinMac, I was considering the RE960AS as you said but they are not approved by Porsche. I was trying to stay with what they approved. However, since I have a wide temperature variation to deal with throughout the year I don't think it is feasible to have two sets of wheels and tires. Did you switch to the Bridgestone all around or just on the rears? Have you noticed any difference in handling?

My opinion the Porsche approved which has the "N" designation just means that tires meet the design criteria of the Porsche design. This by no means that the tires without the "N" designation could not exceed the performance criteria. I don't think you will suffer in anyway not using "N" designated tires.

I can understand if you live in an area that needs an all season recomendation which would dictate an all season high perfomance tire. No I did not go with 4, I still have the Conti's on the front since they still have plenty of tread. After a few months with the Bridgestones on the rear

and Conti's on the front and have expierenced no problems in wet dry or handling.

[Kim]

I also have a 2000 C2 Tip .... and I also run the Goodyear F1 (GS D3), which I selected after an exhaustive search for the best daily driver tire for my situation. I love the great all weather grip and the low noise factor.

Unlike you, I get about 18,000 miles on the rear tires. Can't say on the fronts because the first set is still good and in place.