Just bought winter tyres

[sasha320]

Just bought winter tyres for my 997 C4S, they are new Pirelli N rated winters and I paid around £1,100 for all four (2 x 295 & 2 x 235).

I bought the tyres on ebay from a Porsche parts shop and although the tyres have been fitted to wheels before as demos, they have never actually been used on a car.

Given that these tyres *should* soon be available at OPCs at these prices, the reason I bought these tyres in this way is because I am concerned that there is going to be a shortage of winter tyres in the UK.

I have this concern having spoken to what feels like every car tyre distributor / wholesaler / dealer in the country and not one could assure me of a set of N rated winter tyres - even on a full advance payment.

So, the reason for this long and boring post is to ask how others fare in their pursuit in purchasing winter tyres this year; a part of me would like to see if my early purchase was founded, the other part of me is not looking forward to the pi55 taking if and when the UK is flooded with N rated winters!

Any experiences to date, or to come with respect to buying N rated winters this year welcome!

p.s., I drive to the Alps once a month throughout the winter for work, so arguably have a need for winter tyres a little beyond the increased performance at UK lowish temperatures and for the odd few days heavy snowfall.

[Scelto]

sasha320 said:

Any experiences to date, or to come with respect to buying N rated winters this year welcome!

I ordered a set of winter wheels and tyres from OPC Colchester in August and they had immediate availability. At OPC prices of course

I'm having them fitted this coming Friday (because it's my last visit to the UK before winter really takes hold) and they'll be storing my summer set for me.

So no drama for me, but that might simply be because I ordered while the sun was still shining so it'll be interesting to see how others fare in the coming months.

I sort of expect manufacturers to have woken up to the growing market in the UK after last year's reported shortage....

[Diesel130]

sasha320 said:

p.s., I drive to the Alps once a month throughout the winter for work...

So wouldn't it have been easier and probably cheaper to buy them in France or Germany en-route to the Alps in November?

[HAPPYFEET]

2 posts in 8 years !!!!!!!

You should be on here ..... http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Tino]

Last year I bought a MK3 golf for £300, insured for £100 and taxed and MOT'd again for £150. Used it over the winter and sold in the spring for £400. Total cost £250 and far less stress.
Might do the same again this year

[Scelto]

Diesel130 said:

sasha320 said:

p.s., I drive to the Alps once a month throughout the winter for work...

So wouldn't it have been easier and probably cheaper to buy them in France or Germany en-route to the Alps in November?

With the exchange rate the way it is, it was hundreds of pounds cheaper to buy the set in England than to get the exact same set over here in Germany!

[monthefish]

sasha320 said:

Just bought winter tyres for my 997 C4S.

Let us know how you get on. You should be practically unstoppable with that combination.

I'm not putting any on my Porsche, but my other two cars will have some.
On one, I have winter tyres left over from last winter (They were taken off in Feb/March) and I'm just about to buy a full set of Pirelli Sottozeros for the other car.

[drgav2005]

I'm in the process of getting winter tyres for the 997 C4S - refurbished the original Carrera S alloys on the car and have Pirelli Sottozeros on the fronts but still waiting for the rears to come in

Should help out in the coming months (even if we are enjoying an Indian Summer over the next couple of days!)… only things that may stop progress will be ground clearance and other cars!

My wife's 330d was totally transformed with winter tyres last year - going from totally useless to at least as good as my X5. Should be interesting on the porker!