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Michelin PA4s on 20" rims will work just fine in the snow. I ran that setup on my TT as well as on my '13 C2S with no issues. You'll run out of ground clearance long before you run out of grip. The GTS should be able to use any widebody OEM rim or an aftermarket rim suitable to the 991 widebody application. I have my PA4s mounted on HRE flow forms. Worked great on my TT last winter. I plan on using them next winter on the GTS I have on order.
I purchased a Tequipment Carrera S 20" wheel with stock size 20" Pirelli Sottozeros package for use this past winter. Excellent in deep snow, great traction and ride comfort in cold weather on dry roads, quieter than the Pirelli summers on dry roads, fine in rain, but a bit skittish on deep slush. In slush, the rear weight bias and the torque of the 3.8 become real obvious, requiring careful throttle modulation to keep in a straight line. This is with all wheel drive.
I saw the above photos and another member mentioned using their C2S in snow condition. How's it? Is it "ok" for light stuffs (<ground clearance)? I'm not planning to use mine in deep snow storm, but I learned my lesson that even a dusting of white stuff will be way to dangerous to drive on high performance summer tires. And the weather forecast here is anything but accurate. I just don't want to be surprised and got stuck at work at night....
It's not just slippery surfaces... the rubber that grips so well at 70 degrees just quits below 40 degrees. Even if the roads are clear and dry, high performance summer tires are dangerously slippery in the cold months.
I have a set of 20 in Michelin Alpins (as many others in this thread have said) for winter driving. I mounted them on a separate set of wheels so that I can just swap them out when the weather gets cold. As mentioned, the high performance summer rubber gets hard in the cold weather and the grip is poor. The winter rubber is more compliant at colder temps - so even without snow, they are still better in the cold weather. The Michelins were good. They are definitely a "softer" or "squishier" feel than the summer performance tire, and that obviously affects cornering ability and the "feel" of the car. You have to get used to that...it is just how it goes with winter tires. That said, I had no complaints, and with the handful of snowstorms we had in February in the DC area, the tires performed better than expected. In fact, they were better than my wife X5 with her all-seasons (i.e. no-season)
My $0.02...
It's not just slippery surfaces... the rubber that grips so well at 70 degrees just quits below 40 degrees. Even if the roads are clear and dry, high performance summer tires are dangerously slippery in the cold months.
This is exactly the reason I own two sets of wheels/tires for my cars. It's about having the appropriate tire compound for the temperature. I'll probably never drive my 991 when there's snow on the ground so my preference is for the Pirelli which is cold weather performance versus the Blizzaks (had and loved on the daily driver) or Alpines (had on the 997).
The added bonus is that with two sets of tires you essentially double the life of your tires since you're using them half as much. Sure it requires more of an initial outlay, but the added longevity coupled with the peace of mind knowing you have the right tire for the right circumstances is well worth it to me.
I have a 991 C2s here in Northern Virginia and have been using Pirelli winter tires on 19 inch Porsche rims. I have been very happy with this setup, having used it for 2 winters. I don't drive in deep snow but have had no problems in light snow or extreme cold weather.
Originally Posted by LandShark
I saw the above photos and another member mentioned using their C2S in snow condition. How's it? Is it "ok" for light stuffs (<ground clearance)? I'm not planning to use mine in deep snow storm, but I learned my lesson that even a dusting of white stuff will be way to dangerous to drive on high performance summer tires. And the weather forecast here is anything but accurate. I just don't want to be surprised and got stuck at work at night....
I have a 991 C2s here in Northern Virginia and have been using Pirelli winter tires on 19 inch Porsche rims. I have been very happy with this setup, having used it for 2 winters. I don't drive in deep snow but have had no problems in light snow or extreme cold weather.
Good to know especially from someone local. Thanks! Hopefully the Continental will be at least as good as the Pirelli.
I have a set of 20 in Michelin Alpins (as many others in this thread have said) for winter driving. I mounted them on a separate set of wheels so that I can just swap them out when the weather gets cold. As mentioned, the high performance summer rubber gets hard in the cold weather and the grip is poor. The winter rubber is more compliant at colder temps - so even without snow, they are still better in the cold weather. The Michelins were good. They are definitely a "softer" or "squishier" feel than the summer performance tire, and that obviously affects cornering ability and the "feel" of the car. You have to get used to that...it is just how it goes with winter tires. That said, I had no complaints, and with the handful of snowstorms we had in February in the DC area, the tires performed better than expected. In fact, they were better than my wife X5 with her all-seasons (i.e. no-season)
My $0.02...
+1 The summer performance tires do get rock hard below about 43 degrees. Not only do they loose a lot of grip because of this, but the ride also gets noticeably harder. Because they are softer at cold temperatures, winters have both better grip and better ride. On the other hand, because they are softer, winters wear really quickly in warmer temperatures and should be changed out as soon as the weather is reliably above 45 degrees. Winter tires can also lose chunks of tread due to heat build up when run at high speeds in very warm weather. I don't know how much of a problem chunking is for high performance tires because their tread compounds are meant to cope with heat build-up, and tires such as the Sottozeros don't have really aggressive tread patterns. I'd avoid running them at really warm temperatures just the same.
Just ordered a 2016 GTS with PDK and 5 lug Carrera wheels.
I will be a daily driver on Long Island, N.Y.
It comes with Pirelli tires. Will use in summer and 2-3 track days/year.
What winter tires, for rain and light snow do you recommend?
Obviously, not for 3 foot snow drifts.
Porsche will not allow a change in tires, will get them from tire rack.
Don't say "chains".
Porsche won't allow a change in tires? I got my winters through Porsche!
Most here are using a dedicated set of wheels with the winter tires. That said, your options are more open. I went with 19" Carrera Classics in the WB offsets, and the N spec Pirelli Sotozero tires. I always liked the Classics, easy to clean which is a plus in winter, very strong design, and recognizeable as Porsche wheels! The 19" tires have slightly taller side wall (profiles) numbers: 295/35/19 vs 305/30/20 rear and 235/40/19 vs 245/35/20 front. I like the slightly higher profile tires during winter when the pot holes are at their worst! They ride awesome in cold temps, have great grip, and are very quiet for a winter tire. I do use 5mm spacers up front for the 8" vs 8.5" wheels. This set up keeps the "sling" just inside the wheel wells front and rear. Hope this helps. My $.02
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