readydiverone

Hi all, about to order winter wheels and tires here in DC area for C2 cabriolet, wondering what size to get, 20/21s or 19/20s? Would prefer to get 20/21s so as to match existing black wheels but hear 19/20s may be better in snow. On other hand, not a lot of snow here in DC and don't think can get black wheels in 19/20s; suppose I could have them painted but not sure how that would be.

Thanks.

TrackJunke

I always try to downsize tires for snow if possible. The slightly taller sidewall helps flex a bit more and clear snow. That being said, in your area the gains are probably marginal. The 19/20 set is about 1k-1.5k cheaper.

After driving around all winter with the 19/20 and going to your “summer” set will probably feel like a new car which is a refreshing experience. I will be ordering 19/20 for my vehicle and this was also one reason I did not buy the PCCBs in order to allow this change in size.

lucycan

For snows you want SKINNIER wheels. Regarding diameter, the extra 1" of sidewall will make it ride MUCH nicer!

readydiverone

Thank you both. Predicting little snow this winter and volatile temp swings here in DC. Would it be crazy to just stick with the existing wheels and tires and maybe avoid longer trips on very cold days??

detansinn

Don’t drive below 40F with summer tires. They’ll develop cracks that you can’t see that can later to lead to potential catastrophic failures. Once you get below 50F, summer tires really don’t provide much grip anyway. It’s just dumb.

Performance winter tires are the best choice. You’d be amazed at the pace that you can keep in the cold weather with the right rubber. It’s not just about snow. It’s about the cold. On those days where those temps climb into the 60s, you’ll still be fine with winter tires — no big deal.

If you live in the milder parts of the country, all season performance tires on your “winter” wheels can be an excellent choice. Yes, you make some compromises, but it gets you through those cold days in the winter months.

19/20” fitments are cheaper than 20/21”. Plus, as mentioned above, every little bit of sidewall helps in the winter.

Tires are the single most important part of your car from a safety perspective. Don’t spend six figures on a car and then, go half *** with summer tires in the winter. If you can afford a six figure car, there are people in your life that are counting on you not to be dead or seriously injured.

detansinn

I used to subscribe to the skinnier wheels, but the tires are so good now that I’d rather have the grip for when snow isn’t on the ground.

readydiverone

So @detansinn you’re saying get the 20/21 winter wheels and tires??

detansinn

I have the 19/20s. It’s their third season and I am very pleased with them. In the summer, I run with 20/21 RS Spyder Design wheels.

lucycan

The 19/20 set is ideal as a start.

Keadog

And, surprisingly, Porsche's pricing on the 19/20s winter tire and wheel package isn't bad. I plan on getting a set next winter.
When I order, I usually take whatever the stock ("free") wheels are and order a set of aftermarket forged wheels for the summer tires, putting winter tires on the OEM wheels.
With the 19/20s available as a winter set, I ordered the Turbo (forged) wheels and will buy their 19/20 set when the time comes.

Drew46

Lot's of advantages to sizing down to the 19/20s, not the least of which is cost and availability of winter tires. Of course, keeping the one set of wheels and swapping tires is considerably less expensive. The hassle of swapping is also offset by the ease of storing a set of tires as opposed to a set of mounted wheels.

Personally, I think the car looks amazing with the 20/21s and it would bother me to look at the car with the smaller set up 5 months out of the year.

​​​​​​Of course, all these decisions really come down to personal preference and I don't think there is a wrong answer.

readydiverone

Ok, let’s say I go with the 19/20s, these specifically:

https://www.getporscheparts.com/oem-...g2LWdhcw%3D%3D

Can I paint them black?

readydiverone

@Drew46 you make a good point--where and what kind of tires do you recommend?

achilleas101

pirelli pzero winter tires are NA0 porsche rated
https://m.tirerack.com/tires/tires.j...omCompare1=yes

readydiverone

Ok, I know this has been discussed before, but what about taking the tires on and off every year, isn't that hard on the tires and hard on the wheels?