Tyre change intervals - low mileage car?

[tjdixon911]

I purchased an 04 986S just over a year ago which is relatively low mileage - I'm guessing the tyres, whilst having decent tread are likely to have been on there a number of years - the fronts have a bit of cracking appearing so it's probably a good idea to change but I was wondering what sort of intervals they should be changed at age wise if they are not getting the full wear..

Also recommendations on tyres would be good too.

[ATM]

The advice used to be after 4 years even if unused they are worth changing. Now I believe people say 6 years. So you get the idea. A tyre should be date stamped unless it's very old. Google dot code for tyres that will explain. As to what tyres to buy that's tricky. Most people want wider and gripper. Some people worry about tyre roar and harshness. You need to decide what you want. Most modern porsche sports cars with decent tyres have way more grip than the human driving can exploit. If the tyres are past their best then a change to new will be noticeable. Even pressure changes are noticeable if the car's suspension is good and fresh. Finally there is the n rating debate. Porsche give tyres an n rating if they have been approved. This narrows your choice and costs you more should you choose to go for n rated.

[hixster]

This came up for me recently when the 981 I bought went in for 111 point check at
Porsche Guildford. The car is 3 years old and the tread is fine but the rubber is quite hard - they just suggested I would get on better with the car of the tyres were replaced.

[anonymous-user]

hixster said:

The car is 3 years old and the tread is fine but the rubber is quite hard - they just suggested I would get on better with the car of the tyres were replaced.

£1,000 better?

How was this "rubber is quite hard" assessed??

[anonymous-user]

tjdixon911 said:

I'm guessing the tyres, whilst having decent tread are likely to have been on there a number of years

No need to guess. Just read the manufacturing dates off the sidewalls,

https://www.kwik-fit.com/tyres/information/tyre-ag...

[tjdixon911]

Thanks for the replies, I didn't realise tyres were date stamped to be honest, I will check this out later this evening.

I'd assume in most cases tyres are manufactured and on cars within a few weeks / months max, although this doesn't stop them aging.

I had Eagle F1's on my 968 previously, I'm quite tempted to go for another set which are not N rated.

[hixster]

rockin said:

£1,000 better?

How was this "rubber is quite hard" assessed??

They were just evaluating the car that's all and that's all they pointed out.
The tyres were dry, cracking in places , there was a lot of graunching at low speed (Ackerman) and you feel the grip is finished when pushing on hard.

Newer tyres are way more supple now changed, I've noticed a ibg difference.
Didn't buy the tyres from Porsche

Edited by hixster on Tuesday 7th March 10:19

[kingston12]

hixster said:

This came up for me recently when the 981 I bought went in for 111 point check at
Porsche Guildford. The car is 3 years old and the tread is fine but the rubber is quite hard - they just suggested I would get on better with the car of the tyres were replaced.

I wonder if a lot of that is to do with how the car is kept.

I replaced the tyres on my 987S at about 8 years old and noticed no real difference on the new ones.

I wouldn't recommend leaving it that long though!

[hixster]

kingston12 said:

I wonder if a lot of that is to do with how the car is kept.

I replaced the tyres on my 987S at about 8 years old and noticed no real difference on the new ones.

I wouldn't recommend leaving it that long though!

It could be, but the car is otherwise pretty much immaculate, that's why I bought it - not a single scratch or any defects - low mileage, garaged, the previous owner was fastidious.

Edited by hixster on Tuesday 7th March 10:21

[kingston12]

hixster said:

Not really, the car is pretty much immaculate, that's why I bought it - not a single scratch or any defects - low mileage, garaged, the previous owner was fastidious.

Sorry, I forgot to actually mention the point I was trying to make - that my car was garaged rather than anything to do with the general condition of the car itself.

It is strange if the rubber has hardened much on a garaged car in only three years, but I guess conditions will always vary and it could depend on the individual set of tyres.

[ATM]

tjdixon911 said:

Thanks for the replies, I didn't realise tyres were date stamped to be honest, I will check this out later this evening.

I'd assume in most cases tyres are manufactured and on cars within a few weeks / months max, although this doesn't stop them aging.

I had Eagle F1's on my 968 previously, I'm quite tempted to go for another set which are not N rated.

If tyres are stocked at a shop / retailer for longer than allowed then they are sent back. Some of these are then sold off cheap by various place like on eBay which is why I always ask the date even if it says new.

The n rating is a problem with older models like yours. On the 986 they had n1, n2, n3 and n4. Then I think it stopped. So the only n rated tyres you can buy have been designed and approved a long time ago. The n4 pirelli rosso I had on mine were around in 2004.

Edited by ATM on Tuesday 7th March 11:08

[Magic919]

ATM said:

If tyres are stocked at a shop / retailer for longer than allowed then they are sent back.

In the U.K. there is no limit to how long they can keep them in stock.

[tjdixon911]

So checked the tyres this evening, the rears are week 38 2014 so 2.5years old, the fronts are week 28 2010... I'm guessing they were probably the replacement of the originals as the car has only done 50k miles..

Probably a good idea to get the fronts replaced.

[nsm3]

I would wait until the tread is down to 2.5mm minimum? Waste of money otherwise - If they were dangerous, they would fail the MOT?

[Slippydiff]

nsm3 said:

I would wait until the tread is down to 2.5mm minimum

Agreed, but only if you're going to roll the car out on high days and holidays to pootle down to the local cars and coffee or show and shine, then fair enough, leave the old tyres on.

But if you have any intention of driving the car as it's makers intended, I get some fresh rubber fitted. When I bought one of my Mk1 996 GT3s it had Michelin PS2's on that looked perfect, no cracking etc and had at least 5mm of tread left. What they didn't have was any grip at all. They were 4 (Rr) and 5 (Fr) years old respectively.

Despite the car having had new springs, refurbished dampers, new castor arms, a geo setup, along with ride heights and corner weights, it had no front end grip whatsoever. Quite simply the tyres were rock hard and had "gone off".

[nsm3]

I should of added, if the car is just used as a day to day ride, no tracking etc?

I'm not a good example of tyre management, currently running out of sync rears, one with 4K on and t'other with 14k on and 1 tread gulley completely gone. Still outperforms my bottle factor even in the wet! Being changed next week though

[tjdixon911]

Thanks for all the replies, the car is used generally for spirited drives around the countryside, I may do a couple of track evenings in the summer.

The MOT did pick up that the fronts had a bit of cracking and I've never felt the handling has ever been as good as I remember my first 986 being, I've had the suspension visually checked as OK so having read some of the above and general opinions a new set of tyres would be a good starting point to see if it improves.

[DJMC]

Change them.

They're old.

They're the only contact you have with the road surface.

Change them.

[LiamH66]

+1. If they are showing any cracking at all, and especially if they are on the front, you will notice an immediate improvement in road feel when you change them. And you'll get a hell of a lot more grip. If they are cracking, they are going hard, and while they might be perfectly safe in terms of tyre integrity, why would you have a nice handling sports car, and not have it handling as nicely as it can?

Liam

[Fastpedeller]

nsm3 said:

I would wait until the tread is down to 2.5mm minimum? Waste of money otherwise - If they were dangerous, they would fail the MOT?

You are clearly mis-informed, or just choose not to listen to logic.