Tire choice for a C2 1999

[Hroussard]

Folks, I am due for new tires front an back . I have the 18 inch Porsche rims, see attached picture ( 225 front , 265 back).

I am going to drive in the rain for the next 4-5 months followed by a nice California summer, mostly on Freeways. As such I am looking for low noise, reasonable wet weather traction, dry road traction and braking as good as possible I am not particularely concerned with the N1-2-3 crap ( am I wrong here?). I have ContiSportContact 2 ( N2) on the back , Contisport On the front ( 20K miles). They were pretty acceptable BUT noisy ( especially in the last 6 months or so ie half worn) and I felt they were not too grippy ( but OK ).

Tell me which ones and why please.

[Hroussard]

Well here is a picture of the rims .

[quicksilver77]

I am pretty biased, but I am a Michelin fan. I too live in California, and would highly recommend the PS2's. They are pricey, but they have excellent wet weather traction, as I found at Laguna Seca, and still have great dry weather traction due to the tread pattern of the tire. Expect to get about 10-15,000 from the rears and 30,000ish from the fronts. They have a very compliant ride quality, even on my 19" wheels. Low road noise, and they do not follow grooved pavement. A great all around tire!

That is just me on my soap box! Happy hunting!

-Sean

PS: other tires I have tried: Pirelli P Zero Nero

Pirelli P Zero Asym

Michelin Pilot Sport

Dunlop SP9000 (something like that)

Hope this helps, but remember this is just my 2 cents, our driving styles can be completely different, and what I like, you may hate!

[wwest]

After about 8000 miles my OEM conti's were so noisy you couldn't hear yourself think(??). Conti re-embursed me for the "unused" mileage and I put Bridgestone Potenza RE730's on.

BIG MISTAKE.

Within 5,000 miles it sounded as if my front diff'l bearings had failed.

My 2001 C4 is now shod with Michelin PS2's, only about 3,000 miles, Memphis to Seattle, very pleased so far.

[Kim]

Folks, I am due for new tires front an back . I have the 18 inch Porsche rims, see attached picture ( 225 front , 265 back).

I am going to drive in the rain for the next 4-5 months followed by a nice California summer, mostly on Freeways.  As such I am looking for low noise, reasonable wet weather traction, dry road traction and braking as good as possible  I am not particularely concerned with the N1-2-3  crap ( am I wrong here?). I have ContiSportContact 2  ( N2) on the back , Contisport On the front ( 20K miles). They were pretty acceptable BUT noisy ( especially in the last 6 months or so ie half worn) and I felt they were not too grippy ( but OK ).

Tell me which ones and why please.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Here is what I just posted on this subject on another forum:

I bought my 996 (used) almost a year ago, and then spent a long time researching tire choices to replace the cheap ones it came with. The result was the recent mounting of a set of the Eagle F1 GS-D3's (18") you are considering. I couldn't be happier.

I do not track my car, either .... daily driver and highway trips with my wife. In addition to wet/dry traction, road noise was important to me, as the roar I was hearing from the original tires was not a pleasant way to cruise in a car I bought strictly for pleasure.

Consumer Reports, whom I consider to be neutral and reliable, rated the Eagle F1 very high for wet & dry traction .... a little lower for noise .... a good compromise.

N rating .... I don't consider to be a factor. By sheer chance, I was in Zuffenhausen and visited the big Porsche Zentrum dealer adjacent to the factory just prior to making my decision. A lengthy discussion with the staff there led me to understand that N-rating is an "after the fact blessing" of a tire, as opposed to the oft assumed sign of "made to order for Porsche".

A salesman went to a new car and pulled out the owner's manual. He pointed out that: (1) it only mentions N rating in the context of matching mounted sets of the same N-rating. (2) it specifically mentions buying non-Porsche recommended tires and simply reminds one to buy from a reputable dealer and adhere to the specified quality (speed, traction, wear, etc) ratings.

Bottom line of the discussion, the use of N-rated tires is not seen by Porsche as a requirement in any way. This has been skewed somewhat by a deal between Michelin and US Porsche dealers to have the dealers as exclusive outlets for some Michelin N-rated tires .... thus assuring a recommendation from the dealer that "you must use N-rated tire".

Lest anyone get the wrong idea. A set of Eagle F1's does not represent a savings when compared to Michelins, Bridgestone, etc. I paid well over $1000 for a set. Its about finding the right tire for your needs / preferences / driving style.

Ironically, the very first N-rated tire was a Goodyear.

I love my Eagles, and the quiet, very stable ride they have given me in high speed cruising and heavy traffic commuting.

*********

Another fan of this tire posted (in part):

I have had F1 GS-D3’s on my car since April. .... Over all I think these are great daily driver tires. Especially if driving in the rain is a factor.

I can not comment on ultimate dry grip as I have not had them on the track. There are some logical arguments that the tire may not offer the best ultimate grip because of the amount of rubber in contact with the surface in the contact patch because of the aggressive tread design….maybe so. However, in daily driving and aggressive street driving situations I have never thought I wanted or needed more grip.

In the wet the tires are in a word excellent. The grip is fantastic in the wet with rock solid stability which has caused me to completely forget what hydroplaning is or feels like.

....... I think the combination of wear and wet weather traction make them an excellent tire for daily and trip driving duties.

*********

Hope this info is useful,

Kim

2000 Cab

[1999Porsche911]

Potenza RE750.

[slbates]

If you think the Conti's are noisy, then you definitely don't want to get Pirelli's. After 8k miles you can no longer hear the radio. My 18" Conti's are relatively quiet at 10K miles on the rears compared to Pirelli's. I like the Bridgestone Blizzaks for the winter. I have found the Bridgesones to be a high quality tire. The snows are very quiet.

[Hroussard]

Does anybody have the new Yokohama's installed??

HarryR

[Hroussard]

I must say that the TireRack information is also very helpful after you folks narrowed it down for me. Thank you!!. Comparing the Michelin PS2 with the Eagle F1 GS-D3 is interesting. Based on the criteria I set up it looks that the GoodYear is closer to what I want. Interesting also is the wildly different thread pattern between the 2 tires and It could well be that the Goodyear ends up being less noisy because of that( less road contact in the middle of the tire but more on the outside - or at least that's how it looks).

I appreciate the input.

HarryR

[Hroussard]

It does not get better... Here is the comparison between the 2 tires in questions:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/bs_RE050A_rd.jsp

Cheers

HarryR

[Izzy]

I have had Hankooks K104 front and back on 18 in rims. 5 track days so far this year, and 15K miles on the the tires. The Rears where gone, the front are still excellent. The fronts performance are very good, great traction and turning on track days, great handling in the wet too.

The rears I just changed to Kumhos Ecta Supra 712, to see if they last longer than the Hankook in the back. So far (500 miles) I have been inpressed with the dry traction of the Kumho.

Not bad on the wallet either. Tire Rack has them, but NTB got the same price without worring about shipping and install. Same tire and rating.

You will find many opinions here. another place to look is in:

www.epinions.com

Izzy

[D_Man]

Does anybody have the new Yokohama's installed??

HarryR

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have the Yokohama ES-100 tires on my 99 C2, handle great in the rain.

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

You basic high performance tire for those of us on a budget, $100 a piece.

D_Man

[Hroussard]

Hmmm . I must have a special - made in California - Computer where everything you touch or look at gets 50% added to tthe original cost... for sheer fun . I am reading front 150 and rear 185 for my 18 inch 225/265.

Just kiddin but at those prices, they are not such a good buy as they seem to rank more than 10 percentage point lower than the suggested GoodYears or Michelin in the Tirerack evaluation. Nevertheless, something to look at . Thank you for the info..

HarryR

[johnp77777]

With a mismatch of Kumho's and Bridgestones on my car when purchased used, I was dying for a reason to replace them. I wanted low noise first and foremost. Wet traction and decent tread life second. I didn't mind sacrificing some performance since the car is faster than I can drive it anyway.

I wanted the PS2's but the PS Sport Ribs had the N rating and similar specs/cost. So, I went with the N rating. Still wonder about that one. I did consider the F1's but more than one shop told me they get noisier with age. Anyway, I love the Sport Ribs. Great traction wet or dry. 8K miles later, the rears seem to have lots of tread left. Granted, they don't have that cool arrowhead tread shape. I'm not sure if they are getting noiser with age. It's possible but hard to tell.

One last thought-A friend of mine believes in going cheap on tires, drive the heck out of them, and replace often. Others (like me) tend to sway towards quality parts for a quality car. Choice is yours.

[Hroussard]

I question for KIM. ( or anybody else who likes to chime in here) I assume you installed The GoodYears with 265 in the back??/ If you had to redo it would you stay with 265 or would you go 275 or maybe even 285?? I have 7 1/2 inch / 18 in the front and 10 inch ( 65 offset) in the back. I do not want to roll the fenders at this point.

Appreciate it!

AHrryR

T

[1999Porsche911]

I question for KIM. ( or anybody else who likes to chime in here) I assume you installed The GoodYears with 265 in the back??/ If you had to redo it would you stay with 265 or would you go 275 or maybe even 285?? I have 7 1/2 inch / 18 in the front and 10 inch ( 65 offset) in the back. I do not want to roll the fenders at this point.

Appreciate it!

AHrryR

T

I would stay with your current sizes. More than enough for the most aggressive street driver. Regardless of cost, the Potenza RE-750 in this size is the best IMO. Great wet and dry and reliativily quite. Additionally, unlike many of the more expensive tires, these remain close to maximum grip even in the coldest of weather. It take a deliberate attempt to break these tires free in dry weather. If you want a wide stance on the back, throw on some 17mm spacers.

Edited November 6, 2005 by 1999Porsche911

[Kim]

I question for KIM. ( or anybody else who likes to chime in here) I assume you installed The GoodYears with 265 in the back??/ If you had to redo it would you stay with 265 or would you go 275 or maybe even 285?? I have 7 1/2 inch / 18 in the front and 10 inch ( 65 offset) in the back. I do not want to roll the fenders at this point.

I simply asked the dealer for the stock sizes, which meant the 265s on the rear. I will readily admit that I am not expert enough to even know why I would ask for the larger sizes. I don't track the car, and the stock sizes certainly deliver all the performance I can handle.

Contribute to my education. What is the perceived advantage of the larger tires?

Thanks,

Kim

2000 Cab

[nycebo]

Contribute to my education. What is the perceived advantage of the larger tires?

Thanks,

Kim

2000 Cab

Better traction, but it comes at the expense of tracking grooves on grooved pavement and often inferior wet weather performance marked most notably by hydroplaning. Of course, many tire manufacturers have designs spectacular treads that drive water from under the tire and improve wet weather performance. Of course, this reduces rubber contact with the road, which reduces dry weather traction. Of course, wider tires would add back more rubber in contact with the road. It's a vicious circle.

Unless you are tracking it, 265 should be plenty enough for daily driving. The real question is the compromise you want to make between wet and dry handling.

[Hroussard]

Guys, I went out and collected some prices in the area ( South of San Francisco). Here are some prices :

Sit down and hold on :

Dunlop SP Sport FM 901 F 166.59 B 261.00

Good Year Eagle F1 GS-D3 F 293.78 B 402.80

Pirelli Rosso F 268.47 B 350.94

This does not include mounting, balancing, Cal tax at 8.75%, tire waste collection charge etc etc

This is just a selection of the tires they had.

Needless to say , I ain't going to go there for sure!!!

HarryR

[Loren]

But tires at: Tire Rack - Tire Rack - Tire Rack

Install at: Custom Alignment - Custom Alignment - Custom Alignment

[retna]

But tires at: Tire Rack - Tire Rack - Tire Rack

Install at: Custom Alignment - Custom Alignment - Custom Alignment

loren,

hello, and thank you for putting together such a great site. i do have a question though... i just bought a 2000 996 that's going to need tires soon... i was looking into the possibility of buying the tires from tire rack, if for nothing else their price/selection. so, the question is, could you suggest someone or shop in the L.A. area that could mount/balance them? thank you again for your time...

eric

[Loren]

I live in the SF Bay Area and have experience(s) with Custom Alignment.

So, I'll let some of our LA users speak to Tire Rack installers in the LA area.

[retna]

I live in the SF Bay Area and have experience(s) with Custom Alignment.

So, I'll let some of our LA users speak to Tire Rack installers in the LA area.

loren,

thank you anyway. it is/was appreciated.

eric

[Jeff Jenkins]

I live in the SF Bay Area and have experience(s) with Custom Alignment.

So, I'll let some of our LA users speak to Tire Rack installers in the LA area.

I just bought a 1999 C4, it seems to be a little narrower in the back than my C4S. I'm wondering if 19" by 11" wheels will fit on the back of the '99? I am looking at ordering the Savini Forged SV 10's from nrauto.com. They come in 19 by 10 or 19 by 11 in the rear. I would prefer the 19 by 11 because of the deeper dish, but I don't want to order a wheel that won't fit. I will be mounting Vredestein 275/35 19's on them. Any help would be appreciated, thanks in advance!