Guards Red Car

Hello -

Just got a 2015 C4S Cab CPO

12,500 miles on OEM Pirelli P Zeros

Live in Northeast - the roads not in the best condition in the early spring - Lots of debris, some patchy pebbly deposits here and there and recent pot hole repairs with loose stones surrounding

Unreal amount of NOISE from Pebbles picked up by tires and spun off into wheel wells! I do not hear these noises when I'm in other cars (Cayenne, X3, X1, Sprinter van...)

The tires seem appropriately grippy, but they're not sticky like fly paper - no pebbles stuck in tread when I park

Is this wheel well stone noise common for the 991? Is the issue caused by the Pirelli's or lack of wheel well insulation per design?

Thanks

LexVan

It's not due to the tires.

The 991s are especially noisy, regarding this stone and gravel noise, compared to earlier 911s. Mainly because our black plastic wheel well liners are much smaller by comparison.

ENCT

My winter tires = reduced stone pick up/less noise
My summer tires = more stone pick up/more noise
Eric

justabout

StormRune

Unfortunately I live on a street that was paved with macadam (gravel pressed into tar) and we don't get enough traffic to press the gravel in all that well. I previously had Michelin P4S's on a prior 991 and didn't hear that much noise coming up the street. But the new car came with PZeros, so now I crawl up the street due to so much gravel getting stuck to the tires and thrown up into the wheel wells (and I assume the sides as well).

Comparing my 991's tires to those of our other non-sports cars after coming up the street you can see a lot of gravel sticking on the surface of the PZeros (not just in the tread), while the other car's tires just get a few pebbles in the tread. I have no doubt the PZeros have a stickier face than most other street tires.

BlackOptic

chuck911

I see your problem. Wrong letter. Scrape that S off, slap on a "R", magically transform every tink and rattle into a coveted aural symphony of pure joy.

Churchill

Heh. Nicely done.

But seriously, I would think that a little Dynamat on the backsides of the wheel liners would make all the different. Would maybe add 10-15 pounds total to the car. I would probably do it if I lived on a gravelly road, because the pebble noise on a 991 is pretty ridiculous.

koala

If you take a look behind the rear wheels, there isn't a liner - the exhaust system is plainly visible.

The noise is very normal. It'll get better once the roads are cleaned up. I don't even find at all that annoying, personally.

RONGLOS

I cringe but what can you do?

PJ Cayenne

Yeah- me too. Cringe and I drive slowly, particularly on my street where lots of small pebbles and wood chips on the surface. At any rate, the 911 looks like it's doing 60 mph when creeping along at 15mph...so it's better to go slow in the 'hood.

StormRune

I'm afraid I can't just dismiss the change in my case as normal since it didn't happen on my prior 911s. You might have to hear it to believe it, but the noise I'm getting from gravel on my 991.2 CS with Pirelli tires is easily 5X that I used to get from my 991.1 C4S with Michelin 4S (and the 997 C2S before that with Michelin PSS). Maybe there is some other difference in the .1 and .2 that could explain such a big increase in wheel well noise, like the difference in plumbing around the wheel area, but the evidence sticking to my tires is strongly leading me to think it is the Pirelli's.

subwoofer

My car makes quite a racket if there is any gravel on the road. Can't be helped I suppose. Same thing with my previous Porsche, a Boxster with 19 inch wheels instead of 20s.
It adds to the sporty feeling. I love it. The sound of pebbles bouncing of the wheel wells, the tire roar, the creaks and groans (not mine) etc. it is all part of the charm.

Jaws1

STG