Help! No Tires available

[R1STCARRERA]

Folks,

I need new tires for my rears. Michelin Pilot Sport (Rib)- 285/30/18. I have checked Tire Rack and Discount Tire and they are indefinitely out of stock. They have told me that I have to go through my local dealer. I have called the dealer and they are now directing me to PNA. It appears the dealers have no access to the tires as well.

If Porsche cannot produce the OE Tires then I am forced to put an alternate brand on the rear or replace all four. Either option, I am not particularly happy with. Shouldn't Porsche have some responsibility here?

Any advice would be appreciated

[JimPDX]

Folks,

I need new tires for my rears. Michelin Pilot Sport (Rib)- 285/30/18. I have checked Tire Rack and Discount Tire and they are indefinitely out of stock. They have told me that I have to go through my local dealer. I have called the dealer and they are now directing me to PNA. It appears the dealers have no access to the tires as well.

If Porsche cannot produce the OE Tires then I am forced to put an alternate brand on the rear or replace all four. Either option, I am not particularly happy with. Shouldn't Porsche have some responsibility here?

Any advice would be appreciated

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If you have made a dilligent search and it sounds like you have, then the tires are just unavailable for whatever reason which may mean you'll probably have to replace them all with 4 of a kind of a different brand or model.

Whatever you do don't mix and match tires. Its a pisser to have to buy 4 new tires...but the option of running with two tires needing replacement or two different sets of tires with two different handling characteristics isn't real good esp. with a Porsche.

My advice, check every tire store in your area...you may hit one that has the two rears you need. In fact keep checking stores outside your area as well.

IF you can't find Michelims like you want then I would suggest Bridgestone SO2A's...IMHO, a fantastic high perfromance tire.

Good luck...

Edited April 18, 2005 by JimPDX

[ar38070]

As long as you are not driving at the limit, mixing front to rear is not a big deal. Even driving at the limit is not a big deal if you know what, if any, handling difference there is. Just do not mix on the same axle. Buy PS2's for the rear.

[R1STCARRERA]

Does PCNA have any obligation here?

They have specified a unique sized tire for this car and now they are not available.

I am sure that under normal circumstances Porsche would NOT recomend mixing different tire brands front to rear.

I am just pissed that I now either have to buy 4 new tires or have different brands. This is poor planning on someones part(either Michelin or Porsche) and it will suck if I have to pay the price for it.

JS

[Dr. Carrera]

Buy PS2's for the rear.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm afraid PS2's do not exist in size 285/30/18. Michelin seems to have a retail stock optimisation issue. Here in Europe also I've heard of ridiculous delays to get the :angry: PS tires.

[R1STCARRERA]

Just spoke to Michelin and they have no tires available in NA. They are directing me to PCNA. They tried to make it very clear that this is a Porsche problem not Michelin.

What should I do?

[Tool Pants]

Here is a 993 article from rennlist you will find interesting.

http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/show...light=tire+rack

[dwaynemosley]

Three weeks ago I ordered a set of the exact same 18" Michelin tires that came on my '03 Targa as original equipment when new. They arrived in two weeks. I picked them up Friday and all sizes matched exactly and they have N1 on them.

The tread patterns match exactly to the OE tires. How does one tell if they are "ribs" or not?

If anyone wants to try their luck with the place that I talked to, it is Consolidated Tire Co. located in Greenville, SC. 864-277-2577. I'm sure they'll ship them to you if you're out of the area. Maybe they can even drop ship them to the installer of your choice.

Good Luck.

[ar38070]

Buy PS2's for the rear.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm afraid PS2's do not exist in size 285/30/18. Michelin seems to have a retail stock optimisation issue. Here in Europe also I've heard of ridiculous delays to get the :angry: PS tires.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Use 295/30/18 then.

[dbelleperc]

FYI Tirerack's ETA is 04/30/05 for the Ribs.

[R1STCARRERA]

FYI Tirerack's ETA is 04/30/05 for the Ribs.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That is a false ETA. Michelin states that there are no 285/30/18 PS ribs in NA and there estimated time of getting them is undetermined.

[LVDell]

The tread patterns match exactly to the OE tires.  How does one tell if  they are "ribs" or not?

Jump on th tire rack site and search for your tire since they have large pics of differnt angles of the tire. Also, the tire will say on the side which one it is.

Large Pic of PS RIB:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/BigPic.jsp?t...romCompare1=yes

PS2:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/BigPic.jsp?t...romCompare1=yes

[Cay-Ute]

Just went through the same drill trying to find PS2's. Through a friend of a friend I actually talked to a Michelin US Vice President who informed me that Porsche had bought all of the 911 sized PS2s and that the only place to buy them was at a Porsche dealer. I decided that (1) I would never buy Michelins for any car again, (2) that Porsche could stick the PS2s where the sun don't shine. Although I love my C4 and Cayenne, I am beginning to feel a little like a chump from $35 a gallon Pentosin, $65 Cayenne windshield wipers, a fiber optic stereo system that NASA couldn't add upgrades to.

PS: I put SO2As on my C4 and so far they are the best tires I have found for 911s.

[JimPDX]

Cay-Ute

Well, welcome to the world of Porsche!!!

I agree Bridgestone SO2A's are best tire I have ever had on my car...maybe thats because they say N4!!..

Jim

[Hroussard]

Cay-Ute

Well, welcome to the world of Porsche!!!

I agree Bridgestone SO2A's are best tire I have ever had on my car...maybe thats because they say N4!!..

Jim

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To say that I am thrilled to find out that Porsche is now blocking access to their preferred/ suggested tires is an understatement. Now there has to be an opportunity for someone to make a buck out of this and providing a real service to a large community of Porsche owners.

How difficult would it be to find a tyre manufacturer who is prepared to supply the handful of tire sizes we all use with a tire that meets our expectations for road use. Granted we all have our favorites and we all have a different driving style but the difference in tires, for the majority of us comes down to , how long to last , tire road noise, wet and dry weather capabilities, costs and unrestricted availability. Manufacturers such as Kumho, Hoosier and others would most likely be interested in putting a package together for us Porsche fanatics. If I would be in the car business ( what ever that would mean) I certainly would look at this and see if I could build a business around it. Let me think, 20,000 Porsches in the USA , each 2 new tires every year ( or a new set every 2 years) at 200 bucks per tire. Sounds like a lot of potential to me.

Markets are created this way..

Cheers

HarryR

[ar38070]

This is already being done. If you are not an N-rated fanatic then there are all kinds of tires for all kinds of tastes out there. Granted there is no specific Porsche focused marketing but those of us who think outside of the box have already discovered the plethora of choices.