Which tyres?

[Gixxer6001]

Hi, I’ve currently got a 997.2 c2s, just had a service at my local opc, all good apart from tyres are good for tread depth but coming up to 7 years old so time for a change, currently has Michelin pilot sport, 295/30 19 rear, 235/35 19 front, on checking the usual sites, oponeo, black circles, camskill the only set of n rated I can get are Pirelli p zero, Michelin I can get n rated fronts in cup 2 but no n rated rear and no n rating in Ps4s, it’s not under extended warranty anymore so n rating not essential, the car is only really used for sunny evenings and weekends, can anybody offer advice? Thanks

[Illya Kuryakin]

Assuming you do dry weekends as well Michelin Pilot Super Sports are a great happy medium. Cup 2's are tremendous but very dicey in damp/wet conditions.

[Scrump]

Don’t worry about N rating.
Cup2 if you often take it on track.
PS4S if you drive it on road in all weathers.

[Freakuk]

Scrump said:

Don’t worry about N rating.
Cup2 if you often take it on track.
PS4S if you drive it on road in all weathers.

If you've extended your warranty you will need N-rated tyres (I'm sure you knew that), but if not agreed put whatever on.

[Scrump]

Freakuk said:

If you've extended your warranty you will need N-rated tyres (I'm sure you knew that), but if not agreed put whatever on.

OP says he is not under extended warranty

[Jim1556]

Scrump said:

Cup2 if you often take it on track.
PS4S if you drive it on road in all weathers.

This ^^^

Enjoy...

[rrroro]

I wouldn’t ignore the N rating on a 911, personally. When a car manufacturer works with a tyre manufacturer to optimise a tyre for a particular car, they do so with certain things in mind. In the case of the Michelin Cup 2 (or it could be the 4S… but probably both) and Porsche, the N rating means the tyre is reinforced for the unique weight characteristics of a 911, namely extra weight at the back of the car. N rated 305 section Cup 2’s are therefore reinforced and stiffer than standard 305 Cup 2s. The actual rubber compounds are also different (from memory the N rated Cup tyre uses 4 or 5 different compounds, whereas the standard non-N tyre only has 2 or 3 compounds). Using non N rated tyres wouldn’t necessarily be dangerous as such, but you’ll probably just notice the handling as being a bit more squishy than the N rated tyres would be, fine for road but not really (for me, anyway) on track

[FarQue]

Scrump said:

Don’t worry about N rating.
Cup2 if you often take it on track.
PS4S if you drive it on road in all weathers.

This. Pilot Sport 4S are just about as good as it gets for all-round uk use. Ok, they're not brilliant in proper snow, but you knew that...

[Gixxer6001]

Thanks to everyone for their replies, I am leaning towards the cup 2’s, if I go up to a 305 rear rather than the existing 295 I can get them in n rated, would there be any down side in going up a width?

[Melvynr]

Gixxer6001 said:

Thanks to everyone for their replies, I am leaning towards the cup 2’s, if I go up to a 305 rear rather than the existing 295 I can get them in n rated, would there be any down side in going up a width?

You will Gain some extra traction and lower the arch gap by around 4 mill.Id go up 10 mill on the fronts as well when you change them to keep the balance.Going up 10 mill when I change mine.Wheels will take them with ease, so no downsides at all.

[Orangecurry]

rrroro said:

Using non N rated tyres wouldn’t necessarily be dangerous as such

Are you a politician? It wouldn't be 'dangerous' at all.

rrroro said:

the N rating means the tyre is reinforced for the unique weight characteristics of a 911, namely extra weight at the back of the car. N rated 305 section Cup 2’s are therefore reinforced and stiffer than standard 305 Cup 2s.

So how heavy is the car that the 'standard' 305 Cup 2 is made for?

Are the N-rated front tyres less reinforced than the 'standard' Cup 2?

Are the n-rated tyres different for the Cayster from the 911?

sorry I wouldn't let it lie

[rrroro]

I’ll try to be as concise as possible

No

Dunno

Dunno

Dunno

[Orangecurry]

..so alarmist advice, advice that's not based on facts, without any balanced or full-picture information to enable us to make an objective judgement.

Never mind a politician, you must be a government minister.

Or write for the BBC.

[rrroro]

If only I got paid that much

Nobody asked what my source was - it was one of the videos on the "Tyre Reviews" YouTube channel, can't remember which one though

(PS - 'alarmist'?! I said it "wouldn't" be dangerous )

[Bluesgirl]

I put PS4Ss on my 997.1 3 years ago. They're excellent tyres, even in the wet (haven't tried snow). I haven't taken it on track tho'.

[ChrisW.]

I would definitely go PS4S … on a damp track at Anglesey my GT4 was leaving the GT3’s on PSCups struggling and we were pulling peak 1.1g.
You just won’t ever do that on the road so PSCups offer no upside and only downside in the really wet …

[STiG911]

I've currently got N2 PS2's all round on my 997, and was looking forward to going to go PS4s now that the rears are more or less finished.
Can I find any for a reasonable price? Can I heck.
Any sites that list them are out of stock and not showing a restock date, or those that do have them are charging the Earth.

Looking at alternatives isn't reassuring either. I don't really want to go back to Pirellis as they were on the car when I got it and wasn't very impressed with their performance when I was on it.
The only realistic alternative seems to be Continental. Despite them not being N rated (not fussed about that) reviews I've read seem positive, too, so I found and ordered a pair of SportContact 6 from Camskill.
Well.
I got an email saying that they don't hold any in stock and can't get any anytime soon 'was there another tyre I was interested in?'. Great.
Now leaving aside that it would have been nice to have some alternatives suggested, why are they taking my money for tyres they don't actually have?
It gets better - when i replied with the brands i was after, they asked what car they were for, so i told them.
THEN I get 'With Porsche, insurance companies insist on N rated tyres as they have been homologated for the cars'
Utter bilge - nowhere in my insurance documentation does it state that i have to fit N rated tyres - how many owners are they scaring with that ste?
Better yet, when i replied that N rating is not a requirement for insurance, I got told 'Believe it or not, 99% of insurance companies will not insure you if you do not have N rated tyres - this is the best bit - you are required to tell them if you do not have N rated tyres as this is classed as a modification' and some other BS about having an adverse affect on the cars handling and making it illegal.

Sooooo I take it all the Porsche owners they've sold PS4s to in the recent past are all aware that they're driving round illegally?
Suffice it to say I've requested a refund and won't be shopping there again. Ever.
Idiots.
I've found SportContact 5s at a local dealer for not much more that the Sport 6s would have been. I can't afford the stretch to PS4s and need them before a road trip at the end of the month. Obviously the fronts will get changed to match soon. Christ, what a ballache.

Edited by STiG911 on Tuesday 1st June 12:07

[Scrump]

When I ordered PS4 to be fitted to my 996 via Black circles I was sent a disclaimer that they required me to accept before they would confirm the order. The disclaimer was to say I was happy to fit non N rated tyres on my Porsche and was aware of the implications

[jonny996]

i just ordered a full set of Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 5 from Kwik Fit for £416 fitted. I don't track it so happy with them

[Orangecurry]

STiG911 said:

....from Camskill.
THEN I get 'With Porsche, insurance companies insist on N rated tyres as they have been homologated for the cars'

I got that with Camskill once, but years ago. I thought they would have grown up by now.