Winter tyres/wheels 997.2

[StuH]

So I had a good look through the archive but there seems to be quite a few conflicting posts!

All I want it to stick 4 winter tyres on my 997.2 TT PDK. Ideally I'd like to use my normal wheels and switch the rubber, but if I need to switch wheels no biggie. I'd also like to keep it sensibly priced so if I need wheels I'll be trying eBay.

So, has anyone got experience of what tyres work well, and the best place to get them?

[DasChin]

tyreleader.

winter tyres have some different brands to summer tyres which work well indeed so don't just go for the usual premium stuff.

brands like Nokian, nankang! Vredestein, Toyo make some cracking winter tyres as they specialise in these as well as agricultural tyres.

I have some Nokians on the audi Q5 and they are brilliant in the wet, cold and snow

[StuH]

DasChin said:

tyreleader.

winter tyres have some different brands to summer tyres which work well indeed so don't just go for the usual premium stuff.

brands like Nokian, nankang! Vredestein, Toyo make some cracking winter tyres as they specialise in these as well as agricultural tyres.

I have some Nokians on the audi Q5 and they are brilliant in the wet, cold and snow

Thanks - just had a quick look but alas nothing in the size for the rears - 305/30 ZR19 102Y

Only winter tyres of that size are Pirelli ScottZero, but I've not had good experience with Pirelli's previously..............

[gsewell]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

Took me some time to find the right wheels for mine - and I went with a second set. makes it so much easier. Also my summers are multispokes and horrid to clean. Winters are a 5 spoke doddle.
They are out there for the wider / odd sizes of the 4WD but harder to get on Ebay

Same as Paddy!

[majordad]

A friend of mine is selling a set of genuine 997.1 turbo wheels that would be ideal for winter tyres or trackday use. He bought them some years ago and did three track days and they have been in storeage since. Can deliver to UK. PM me.

[DasChin]

StuH said:

Thanks - just had a quick look but alas nothing in the size for the rears - 305/30 ZR19 102Y

Only winter tyres of that size are Pirelli ScottZero, but I've not had good experience with Pirelli's previously..............

you don't need to have the same size wheels and tyres for winters.

most folks in Europe would drop an inch in diameter and go for thinner tyres. as long as you can get them over your brakes.

its worth going for thinner tyres as you get better purchase in the snow/cuts through it quicker and less likely to aquaplane in lots of water.

maybe go to 18s if you can and maybe a 285 rear? you won't be going 170 mph all the time so not much to worry about.

thinner rears = more fun too ;-)

[majordad]

For the 997 GT3 and Turbo the recommended winter tyres are a size smaller, ie 295s rather than 305s etc.

[FarQue]

9apart near Bury generally have wheel/winter tyre sets available. Prolific on ebay.

[MaxA]

I'd run a dedicated set of 18s with narrower tyres - no one in the Nordics can be arsed to switch tyres around, you just do the whole rim and it's a matter of minutes. You can even do it at home (with a proper jack). In my experience, Nokians are the best, followed by Continentals. I've read good things about the Goodyears. I've never tried Pirelli's but having driven a number of rentals on budget winters, I'd stay away from them too. The biggest challenge might be in finding the two pairs of tyres in the right sizes from the same place.

[Trev450]

FarQue said:

9apart near Bury generally have wheel/winter tyre sets available. Prolific on ebay.

I got my 18's for winter use from these guys. I then went online and got my tyres (Vredestein Wintrac Extremes) from Mytyres.

[Oso]

I have found this document to be useful. Helps with recommended tyre and wheel sizes and offsets.

I have a set of Porsche winter wheels/tyres in the garage that I used on a previously owned wide bodied rear wheel drive 997. They came with the N rated Nokians, which were great. Totally different experience to the summer PS2s which were unpredictable when cold, even when the road was dry. Used the car all winter on the Nokians. Car had great front end grip on turn-in, was progressive on the limit at the rear and great on the brakes. Drove home one night down the M6 at minus 15 degrees and it just gripped and gripped. On another occasion I drove it back to back in four inches of snow with my A4 quattro (also on winters) and I had more confidence in the 911 - it turned in more positively and had plenty of traction with the weight of the engine out back over the driven wheels. Going to try the same set of wheels and winter tyres on my 997.2 turbo this winter, looking forward to seeing how it goes with the 4wd, I reckon it will be great.



edit: PM me if you want me to email you the document - not the easiest to read on the screen grab.

Edited by Oso on Tuesday 27th October 12:08

Edited by Oso on Tuesday 27th October 12:17

[StuH]

Oso said:

I have found this document to be useful. Helps with recommended tyre and wheel sizes and offsets.

I have a set of Porsche winter wheels/tyres in the garage that I used on a previously owned wide bodied rear wheel drive 997. They came with the N rated Nokians, which were great. Totally different experience to the summer PS2s which were unpredictable when cold, even when the road was dry. Used the car all winter on the Nokians. Car had great front end grip on turn-in, was progressive on the limit at the rear and great on the brakes. Drove home one night down the M6 at minus 15 degrees and it just gripped and gripped. On another occasion I drove it back to back in four inches of snow with my A4 quattro (also on winters) and I had more confidence in the 911 - it turned in more positively and had plenty of traction with the weight of the engine out back over the driven wheels. Going to try the same set of wheels and winter tyres on my 997.2 turbo this winter, looking forward to seeing how it goes with the 4wd, I reckon it will be great.



edit: PM me if you want me to email you the document - not the easiest to read on the screen grab.

Edited by Oso on Tuesday 27th October 12:08

Edited by Oso on Tuesday 27th October 12:17

Brilliant - thanks!

I'll get on eBay and see what 9apart have got.....

[FarQue]

Jasmine Porshalink also have set of wheels. They're in Colne and trustworthy.

[StuH]

So these look like the thing? http://www.mytyres.co.uk/cgi-bin/rshop.pl?dsco=110...

Just need to find some cheapish wheels...........

[hondansx]

Must say, i've had bad experience of snow tyres. For the last few years over Winter i have switched to various tyres recommended in tests and they have been pretty scary in the wet. They give instant confidence when cold, but as soon as you introduce rain they are bloody awful.

As such, i'd advocate getting spare wheels and switching only when you really need too. I'd also agree with actively hunting for narrower tyres.

[DasChin]

those Nokians would do the tricks.

loads of options on fleabay for winter wheels plus tyres:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_tr...

these even have the nokian winters on the wheels:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Set-Of-Genuine-Porsche-9...

18 inch wheels but bin the tyres:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bargain-18-Inch-porsche-...

centre locking 19s with winter tyres too:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Porsche-997-Centre-Lock-...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/18-inch-winter-wheels-or...

ebay.de is a great place to buy them as so many over there and they have to run them for 6 months a year.

find someone over there to collect and bring back?

Edited by DasChin on Tuesday 27th October 14:29

[StuH]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

OP- not wanting to teach Grandma' the suck thing, but you do realise they won't drive like summers?

I am not a driving legend but every time I swap from Summer to Winters, or vice Versa even I am "Whooooaaaaa there" you can definitely sense the difference. It surprised me.
The Winters feel like you are (unsurprisingly) moving around on the tread block a lot more. Needless to say a few miles / days and you recalibrate, and I do believe they are worthy (I am rural North Yorks, city living in Plymouth, perhaps less worthy).

Just saying so you realise.

I'm the OP so think you're aiming this at somebody else?

[StuH]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

I meant in a way to counter those that say of winter tyres - 'urggh I tried them and when braking from a ton up round a bend they felt horrid'

I see! I'm alright then as I drive like Miss Daisy in the winter

[MaxA]

Paddy_N_Murphy said:

I meant in a way to counter those that say of winter tyres - 'urggh I tried them and when braking from a ton up round a bend they felt horrid'

I don't know about anyone else but when I am on a winter road - doing a ton etc - I'd still much prefer to be on proper winter tyres...

[Carl_Manchester]

StuH said:

So I had a good look through the archive but there seems to be quite a few conflicting posts!

All I want it to stick 4 winter tyres on my 997.2 TT PDK. Ideally I'd like to use my normal wheels and switch the rubber, but if I need to switch wheels no biggie. I'd also like to keep it sensibly priced so if I need wheels I'll be trying eBay.

So, has anyone got experience of what tyres work well, and the best place to get them?

My tyres get switched on my Turbo today.

The ones you need are Sottozero 2's with 295 on the rear.

Ebay had a couple of used sets available with wheels (centrelock) for about £2k-£2.5k.

Indy will be around £1050inc for the tyres only (excluding fitting). OPC will be around £1300inc fitting.

Centrelock wheel and tyres package is £2800 excluding vat from OPC but tyre changes are complimentary (saving about £130 per change).