chillinonahd

Newbie but dying that I can't drive my 991.2 GTS once the temps fall below 45. Don't and won't drive in the snow but there are still plenty of days I am missing out on. So I was looking into hi performance all-season. Found a nice set of Pirelli P Zero All-Season Radial Tires, so called dealer to get installed since I have centerlock wheels. I was told (somewhat hesitantly) that there are no Porsche approved all season tires, only winter tires. The down side of the winter tires is that I would need new wheels since they want to downsize the rears and my rims are too wide.

What's real here and what works in the real world?

Thx

Dennis C

I have two sets of wheels; one for my winter tires and one for my summer tires. I know it’s a little bit of a PITA and it’s expensive, but it’s worth it. I’ve been caught out in an unexpected snow storm on summer tires one time, many years ago. That was an experience that I’ll never forget and one that I don’t want to go through again.

good2go

I have winter tires on 20” rims. No issues.

WolfDenShoebox

You shouldn't be running all season tires across wide ranges of seasonal changes. All season compounds are engineered for specific environmental conditions.

Recommend having two sets of wheels (as most 911 owners I've encountered have). One for summer high performance and one for the winter.

Traction especially in the winter becomes severely degraded on all seasons.

spiderv6

+1 this is what I do.

It doesn't need to be that expensive, you don't need OEM wheels. It can be done very nicely for $2k - $3k. Used sets of wheels and tires come up for sale all the time.

Edit...ahhh centrelocks makes it a bit trickier/$$$

Shanh81

Used set of 991.1 turbo centerlock wheels or OZ racing wheels from tire rack. Those are the primary 2 options and will run you somewhere between 4-5k for an extra set.

thesaintusa

Ideal scenario would be 2 sets of wheels: summer tire/wheel set and winter tire/wheel set.

If you do not drive it hard and have no plans to take it to the track then 2 sets of wheels/tires would also work (all-seasons set and winter tire set). <-- this set up would allow you to not panic if there was an early or late snow fall, and not force you to keep you winter tires on for longer than the anticipated winter season.

As I park the 911 for the winter my goal is to have my summer set / track set.

For the 3 other vehicles that we drive throughout the year 2 currently have P-Zero on OEM wheels and winter tires on aftermarket wheels. However, the E63 and X3 on P-zero will likely get switched over (when the P-zero are worn) to the new Michelin 'high performance' all-season for the summer and winter tires for the snow/winter. The E63 is the winter beater and only gets driven in the summer when shuttling people around, or on occasional blasts out to the mountains for long weekends with friends/family. The X3 is driven by my wife and has way more tire than needed.

We have been caught with early snow / late snow in both the E63 and the X3 when on 'summer tires' and it is NOT fun at all.

Wolpertinger

I just put a set of Michelin Alpin PA4 winter tires on my 991.1 C2S, and couldn't be happier. The grip in both dry and wet cold is amazing. No regrets at all. I'm on 20" wheels as well. New wheels can be pricey, so keep an eye out on the classifieds. Wheel sets come up for sale all the time and you can pick up a set of genuine Porsche wheels at a fraction of the price of new ones.

WLF

Take this in consideration:

thesaintusa

Same issue applies for some 'all-seasons', the Bridgestone Potenza 980 for example. Apparently the 305 width is not a wide as other 305 width tires, so exposes the lip of the wheel to potential damage.

Carlo_Carrera

This is completely false. All season tire compounds are specifically formulated for the tire to perform well in a wide temperature range and all weather conditions. That is why they are called "all season".

Are all season tires as good as full winter tires in ice and snow? Of course not. Are all season tires going to perform as well as a high performance summer tire in hot dry conditions? Again, of course not. An all season is a decent performer all around but with performance compromises compared to condition specific tires.

As others have written, for serious winter driving it is best to have dedicated winter tires on a spare set of wheels. If you daily drive your 911 and occasionally drive in cold weather with light snow all season tires might be great for that.

chillinonahd

Good feedback, not planning to drive in snow only looking to be able to get in more nice weather days when the temps are too cold for summer only tires. So, all season should give a bit better performance than winter but less than sticky summer tires. Also, I should be able to use the same wheels. That's where I've landed from this thread. Now it's decision time. Thx!

thesaintusa

If you will not be taking your car to the track, or driving on the ragged edge than a high performance all-season will meet your needs and extend your driving season.

Just do not expect great snow performance / ice traction.

pbon

The best all seasons for performance use are the Michelin Pilot AS3 or AS4.

Andy515

I am running the Bridgestone Potenza 980AS on my 20” inch wheels (11” classic width) and they are fine. Same situation as you- I don’t drive in snow but want to get out when cold and I don’t track the car or drive crazy speeds. The tires are decent so far. Would some Mich summer tires be better in the summer- probably but I don’t have to switch my tires twice a year and time when to do it. I’m sure I give up some performance that I will never use so works for me.