Which new tyres for my 993RS

[roygarth]

Hi Everyone!

Need new tyres soonish. Use the car in dry weather only. Will be tracking but this is not priority. 90% of driving is London to Norfolk and driving around Norfolk B/C roads. Bought car with P Zeros which seem fine but I have nothing to compare them with.

Any thoughts? How about the Michelins(?) on the new M3CSL where you have to sign a disclaimer as they're so useless in wet!?

Thanks in advance.
Piers
993RS

[Clubsport]

I currently have Bridgestone S02 which are great, but almost out of stock due to S03 replacement.
My previous 996 had p-zero rosso, i liked them and have heard good reports of them on 993T4....
Personally i will try the michelin pilot road tyre next,the cup semi slick look great,but I do not have the skill or impatience to drive a 993 on the roads in wet conditions. This is the UK despite the great summer it does rain.

[tony.t]

Piers
MSPC`s are possibly the best trackday tyre you could fit but they are poor on the road; grip is poor when cold (and they take spirited driving to warm up), poor in the damp (when they are just about impossible to warm up) and non existant in any standing water. The ride comfort is poor and the noise suppresion is poor. Wear rates are poor (5K on mine 2k on track and they`re marginal legaly)
SO2`s get my vote on road (964) but new ones will overheat on track.

[MauriceC2S]

Hi Piers

I have two sets of hollow spokes, with S02s on one and PZs on the other. S02s more compliant, more progressive, better in standing water - PZs cling on better in dry but go fast. S02s heat up more (4-6 lb pressure rise) and weigh more (2.5Kg per wheel) and mine needed a lot more balance weight.

Also intend to try the new pattern Pilot Sport (similar pattern to Cup) when N rated are available. You may be OK for them on 265/35 18s - worth checking. I did a few laps in the Michelin 996 @ Donington last week - despite very soft suspension the tyres were impressive.

Cheers, Maurice

[oldtimer]

I am about to go Michelin Pilot Sport ( not Cup) for road tyres on a 996, having tried the older version of these ( MXX3 ) on a 964RS as a 'wet' / road tyre to replace SO2 's....found the Michelins actually stood up well to track work in the dry...good grip, low wear, no chunking . Previously used contisports for allweather driving but had michelins recommended by don palmer.

[Melv]

S02's ARE still available -www.elite-tyres.co.uk at Horsham.

Drove a 964RS on 'ordinary' Michelin Sport tyres at Brands and they felt fine. I would only go for Cup tyres if the driving was strictly circuits only. You'll be lucky to get 3,000 miles out of the rears

Melv

[Rocket123]

If you haven’t driven with the Cup tyres before, I can assure you even if you use your car mainly on the road you will never go back to standard road tyres. It’s as if they were tailor made for the RS. The difference in grip is enormous, and you will wish you’d fitted them ages ago.

It just isn’t true what people say about them in the wet and from cold. You can drive the car perfectly normally as if on normal road in tyres in most wet situations, and for example the car is fine in heavy rain at say 80mph on a motorway.

There is no need to warm them up for road use from cold either (unless you want to drive like a lunatic from the off), grip is fine even in freezing weather. Track use is a different matter though.

Wear rate will depend on how you drive, how your car is set up and weather conditions. Hot summer weather seems to wear them very quickly, but otherwise they are fine. To give you an idea, I and a friend of mine (also with an RS) drove on new tyres to Nurburgring, did 25 laps, then drove to Spa did two days there total 700 track miles and 1000 road miles still had between 3 and 4mm tread all round.

Rocket

P.S if you like to slide your car a lot on the road, road tyres are probably more fun.

[johnny senna]

Rocket123 said:

If you haven’t driven with the Cup tyres before, I can assure you even if you use your car mainly on the road you will never go back to standard road tyres. It’s as if they were tailor made for the RS. The difference in grip is enormous, and you will wish you’d fitted them ages ago. It just isn’t true what people say about them in the wet and from cold. You can drive the car perfectly normally as if on normal road in tyres in most wet situations, and for example the car is fine in heavy rain at say 80mph on a motorway. There is no need to warm them up for road use from cold either (unless you want to drive like a lunatic from the off), grip is fine even in freezing weather. Track use is a different matter though. Wear rate will depend on how you drive, how your car is set up and weather conditions. Hot summer weather seems to wear them very quickly, but otherwise they are fine. To give you an idea, I and a friend of mine (also with an RS) drove on new tyres to Nurburgring, did 25 laps, then drove to Spa did two days there total 700 track miles and 1000 road miles still had between 3 and 4mm tread all round. Rocket P.S if you like to slide your car a lot on the road, road tyres are probably more fun.

That sounds like a very good review. I have heard your positive comments whispered elsewhere too. I would be tempted to try them.

[Harris_I]

I posted a comparison of Pilot Sport road vs Cup a while back on a 996. My conclusion was the Cups were less fun on the road if that is your priority. There's too much grip to enjoy them at sane speeds. Mind you, I've only used them in hot dry weather.

On the track it's a different matter.

[dmsims]

IMHO the cup tyres are not for the road in the wet. I drove on them at Bedford Autodrome after a few dry hours and suddenly it poured - they were lethal