981 S 2016 ... which tyres

[carspath]

The rear tyres on my 981 S Boxster need to be replaced .
The fronts still have lots of thread left .

This was probably the very last Boxster sold in the UK , and it came with Goodyear Eagle F1 tyres .

I don't do track days in this car ( actually a single lap of the Nürburgring immediately after its run in period --definitely the polar opposite of Bellof's with the slowest lap ever of the 'Ring ) , and I am not worries about comfort or noise .


I just want the car to be as responsive as possible in fast road driving , tough if I unexpectedly find myself in less than ideal conditions , and long-lasting ( in that order of priority )


Wont make much differ\rence having 2 different brands of tyres on the different axles will it ?


My car is still under manufacturers warranty --- am I limited to getting the tyres done at an OPC , or can I shop around for the best price ?

Thanks for telling me of your experiences with the different tyre possibilities

[Koln-RS]

I really like the GY F1s and have had them on several cars, inc 981s. Subjectively very good all round, and always notice the improved compliance and low road noise.

They come in 'N' spec and seem to be pretty good value.

I'm a bit fussy about tyres and prefer matching brands and spec on both axels. Although the fronts wear more slowly, because they do so much work - steering, braking, grip - I generally change at anything below 3mm or more than 4/5 years old.

[Wollemi]

If you are under Porsche warranty they will insist on exactly the same tyre on all four wheels, so you will have to get the same. (Same make, model, and N number)

You don’t have to get tyres at OPC but you should find that they will be competitive on price, sometimes they will price match for you. At least they will be fitted properly and carefully, and these days nitrogen filled.

[DRH986]

I have Michelin MPS4S N rated tyres on my 981S Cayman on 20" rims. Road use only for me but great tyres.

[Wollemi]

Interesting that your rears have worn much faster than the front. Usually I have found the tyres on my 987.2 wear at much the same rate all round, although on the current set the fronts are wearing faster.
I guess it depends upon how hard you corner and brake?

[Wollemi]

Interesting that your rears have worn much faster than the front. Usually I have found the tyres on my 987.2 wear at much the same rate all round, although on the current set the fronts are wearing faster.
I guess it depends upon how hard you corner and brake?

[Red 5]

If budget and warranty are the real main concerns, then you must buy another set of the Goodyear rears.
The car will feel a bit unbalanced for a while, until the new rears wear in a little though.
This is normal.

You tend to use full throttle a lot, but do not brake, or turn in / corner hard. This is sensible I guess on road, so two sets of rears to one set of front.

It’s pretty much inconceivable that you’d have different tyres on each end of these. Why pay all this money for a car that specialises in handling, only to ruin it for the entire life of a set of tyres. That could be a big percentage of your ownership?

If you want the current best tyre for the chassis, for mixed road diving, then that is almost certainly the PS4S, if you plan on warranty N spec.

Really mega tyres, which are a good jump on from what you’re used to.
You just need to de-prioritise budget and buy a matching set

[anonymous-user]

Get Pirelli P-Zeroes all round...

[Maddog710]

Do geometry at same time as tyres will last longer and wear more evenly
Better handling all roumd

[carspath]

Thank you all for your replies .

Red 5 -- you've surmised and summarised my use of this car very well --- it is used exclusively on the road , only for European trips in the summer , and I live in fear of cameras .


So it seems that the Michelin ps4s has the vote ? --- full set now , or a full set next time around .

[Red 5]

carspath said:

Thank you all for your replies .

Red 5 -- you've surmised and summarised my use of this car very well --- it is used exclusively on the road , only for European trips in the summer , and I live in fear of cameras .


So it seems that the Michelin ps4s has the vote ? --- full set now , or a full set next time around .

If you like the ca so far, then another set of Goodyear rears will be just the ticket

If you’d like some improvements all round, then PS4S it is

The new version on the P-Zero is also good. (N1) Way better than the old N0 version.
However, they cost more than the Michelin!

I’ve recently fitted PS4S to my CGTS and only now, does it feel like the car / chassis I’ve been hearing about all those years.

A big annoyance I have, is running a 981CGTS for 2.5 years, always on the P-Z N0.
I’m not a huge fan of the GY in this application and there was no suitable Michelin at the time.

[anonymous-user]

Red 5 said:

The new version on the P-Zero is also good. (N1)

Just not in the wet...

PS4S definitely the better tyre I hear.

[DJMC]

Go with GY F1 again and when they wear out the fronts will have too, then change to MPS4S.
That's what I'm doing.
Had GYs all round at 18k, rears replaced at 43k at which point fronts were 50% worn. So by 68k I'll need all four changing again.

[PaulD86]

Schmed said:

Red 5 said:

The new version on the P-Zero is also good. (N1)

Just not in the wet...

PS4S definitely the better tyre I hear.

N1 P Zero is "less worse", is the wording I'd go with. OK in the dry, poor in the cold and dry, bad in warm and wet, "is my life insurance up to date" if cold and wet.

My OHs car had P Zero N0 then P Zero N1 and now is on PS4S. On the Michelins it feels like a new car! More grip in all conditions, better steering feel and quieter. I can think of absolutely no reason to fit a P Zero ever. We ordered the 4S from Costco when they had an offer on and they were miles cheaper too.

[Red 5]

Schmed said:

Red 5 said:

The new version on the P-Zero is also good. (N1)

Just not in the wet...

PS4S definitely the better tyre I hear.

I really didn’t hate the N1 at all!
I never struggled in the cold or wet either.

However, they are totally outclassed by the PS4S and are more expensive too, so I see no reason to buy them anyway.

I also took the Costco deal which was £757 for the 20” set.
I admit that made the decision even easier

[bcr5784]

Red 5 said:

I really didn’t hate the N1 at all!
I never struggled in the cold or wet either.

However, they are totally outclassed by the PS4S and are more expensive too, so I see no reason to buy them anyway.

I also took the Costco deal which was £757 for the 20” set.
I admit that made the decision even easier

Totally outclassed? - not according to instrumented tests. In fact the only back to back tests I have seen suggest the PZ4 (N1) P Zero runs the Michelins very close and beats it in some areas and outclasses the Goodyears. Clearly if the Michelins are cheaper it's a no brainer. It does seem to be a cultural thing - Porsche enthusiasts on this forum denigrate the Pirelliis as crap - and French enthusiast are equally dismissive of the Goodyears. Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

[Red 5]

bcr5784 said:

Red 5 said:

I really didn’t hate the N1 at all!
I never struggled in the cold or wet either.

However, they are totally outclassed by the PS4S and are more expensive too, so I see no reason to buy them anyway.

I also took the Costco deal which was £757 for the 20” set.
I admit that made the decision even easier

Totally outclassed? - not according to instrumented tests. In fact the only back to back tests I have seen suggest the PZ4 (N1) P Zero runs the Michelins very close and beats it in some areas and outclasses the Goodyears. Clearly if the Michelins are cheaper it's a no brainer. It does seem to be a cultural thing - Porsche enthusiasts on this forum denigrate the Pirelliis as crap - and French enthusiast are equally dismissive of the Goodyears. Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

I’ve thought about this and stand by my statements.
(For me and what I appreciate)

I found the PZ N1 to be good with no problems in wet, dry or cold over 12k miles. Huge step up from N0 variant.
I really did enjoy the car on them.

The PS4S has proven to be a better performance tyre in CGTS sizes for me.

More grip and traction all the time mean I can feel and enjoy more from the chassis.
It’s a totally new and more rewarding experience for me!

I’ve never bought Goodyear for a Cayman. Only ever tried them on OPC loaners.

I found them fine, but not exciting or interesting. No reason to buy them, other than cheap price, imho.

New N versions soon though, although I’m not sure I’ll ever prefer the way GY do things.

[PaulD86]

bcr5784 said:

Totally outclassed? - not according to instrumented tests. In fact the only back to back tests I have seen suggest the PZ4 (N1) P Zero runs the Michelins very close and beats it in some areas and outclasses the Goodyears. Clearly if the Michelins are cheaper it's a no brainer. It does seem to be a cultural thing - Porsche enthusiasts on this forum denigrate the Pirelliis as crap - and French enthusiast are equally dismissive of the Goodyears. Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

And "instrument tests" show that the P Zero for our 911 had a better wet rating than the MP4S we replaced it with. And yet now in the wet it stops much more quickly and the ABS doesn't trigger unless you're braking like a mad man. And no, the P Zero N1s were not well worn at this time. They have about 5mm of tread on them and were swapped out as my OH and I both think they are a shower of sh*t. They are in the garage gathering dust and actually I should get round to skipping them come to think of it.

I've experienced several cars with P Zeros and then with Michelins and the difference on all of them has been huge. It is accentuated in the cold and, living in NE Scotland, our cars probably see more cold running but I have yet to find any condition where I'd pick a P Zero, although I will happily believe they are great in hot and dry conditions given what you hear from road testers using them in the south of France and the Algarve.

Interestingly, Porsche have switched from P Zeros on the 911 to Goodyears on the 992 it would seem from all the new ones I've seen. I haven't driven a Goodyear equipped Porsche so can't comment on them.

[purple haze]

I've recently had Michelin PS4S's fitted all round on my Boxster (19 inch rims) and they are a noticeable improvement in handling, feel, and also much more quiet than the original spec tyres. Recommended unreservedly -but they're not cheap!

[stevod]

purple haze said:

I've recently had Michelin PS4S's fitted all round on my Boxster (19 inch rims) and they are a noticeable improvement in handling, feel, and also much more quiet than the original spec tyres. Recommended unreservedly -but they're not cheap!

I'm interested in these... which ones did you fit and/or where from? I can find the fronts in 19" (235/40) but the rears (265/40) I can only see in a Mercedes homologation. Those are the 981 19" sizes.

Cheers...