path

Let Me first start by saying that I've read so many comments & opinions on this forum about tires that I have no idea what to buy. Pirelli Pzero's, Michelin Pilot Sport (PS2 or rib), Bridgestone (S-o2 , S-02A,S-O3), there seems to be no general consensus on the one tire that outperforms all others. I'm looking for a good all around tire, by that I mean good in wet & dry weather. I have Continental SportContacts on my C4 right now and they're way too noisy. I'm willing to sacrifice some handling for a quieter ride. Tire Rack does a good job reviewing tires but I rely on my Porsche brethren for honest advice.

What tire do you recommend I buy and why?

Thanks!

SYMA

Here we go Viken.......

Viken

LOL! Nope. I'm not getting into this again. It's like talking to walls when it comes to tires.

Gordon_F

hey Path,
I also had continentals on my 1999 carrera 4 coupe and with only 15000 miles on my car and the tires, they looked like new but made so much noise that I could not stand them, bought a set of michelin sport ribs from tire rack, I could not be happier.

TurboMark

I have the Mich PS with rib on my C4. I like them and I dont not consider them to be that noisy, even when the are just ready to be replaced. That said, I am going to try the Kumho Ecsta 712 this time around. Yes, I know they are the low end of the tire spectrum!

pstoppani

I would NOT get the Kumho's; the last person that bought them returned them rather quickly because they flatspot overnight quite a bit more than other tires and your Porsche is very sensitive to this.... You'll feel vibrations until the tire warms up and get round again.

Regarding tire noise: well, on rough pavement most high performance tires will be quite loud and Porsche's tend to transmit quite a bit. I've used S03s and Mich PS Rib and I'd say the Ribs are quieter. I don't have comparisons for the Contis. The S03s also flatspotted overnight a bit on colder nights while the Ribs don't.

TurboMark

OK, maybe not ....

b-man

I recently got some Kumho Ecsta ASX's for my 2002 996 (17" wheels). They are not great performance tires (in my opinion) but, I spend a lot of time on the highway and wanted something quiet. I am extremely happy with these tires.

I had been using Continental Sport Contact 2's and Pirelli PZero's. I thought both were pretty noisy.

I hesitated to buy the Kumho's becasue they were so inexpensive. But, I thought I'd give them a try. These are very quiet. I have had no experiences with flat spotting.

b-man

rost12

I just recently got Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s for my M5 and already put a 1000kms on them. They pretty much transformed the car, which originally had Dunlop 8080s. Turn in, grip in the dry, etc were all elevated to a new level, it even started to feel more nimble I haven't had a chance to drive them in the rain, thank god , but the tire dealer mentioned that Michelin gave PS2s same ratings in the dry and in the wet, which means they're pretty confident that this tire rocks in the rain as well.

Oh, and I also recently purchased a set of S03s for one of the family cars, they also grip very well in both dry and rain, and they look amazing Only two downsides, they're heavy and are supposed to get pretty loud with miles, from what I've heard.

Scouser

Well.........

I replaced my Pzeros with Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3's. I will never look back again. After putting 7000 miles on them they still look like new.
They are glued to the road and "especially" in wet weather. They are
also the quietest tyres I have had on my cab. But best of all is that these
tyres have got rid of that awful wheel shake at 80 mph I used to have (depsite 3 independent wheel balancing and tracking being redone).
They give incredible raod holding.....and they look incredibly cool to boot.

But they are pricey, not easy to get hold of, and they are not Porsche approved.

lexpilot

I have the Toyo T1-S. I had them on my 993. A wonderful tire and it was the 2nd best rated ultra high performance tire in the November 2003 issue of Consumer Reports. They tested handling, braking, cornering in wet and dry conditions and noise as criteria. In Oregon the most prolific tire shop carries the full Toyo line. They have the best service so that is a factor here.
The top rated ultra tire by CU was the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3. It was cheaper than the Toyo's according to their report.

01 C4 Cab NYC

Chalk up another one for NOISY Pirellis. Had Dunlops they were great, got P Zero Rosso's...harsh ride and noisy.

earlyapex

P Zero: Nice comfort vs performance balance when new. Sharp drop off in comfort within a few thousand miles. Wear quickly.

I'll be shopping for tires this month.

Riad

I had the p-zero's on my 01 C4 and really loved the handling. My 04 c4s cab has the Michelin Pilot Sport (PS2) and they are wearing much better than the p-zero's but I would give them a D grade for rain... I almost lost control driving the speed limit in the rain when these tires had 3000 miles on them... very, very unexpected because my p-zeros were rock solid.

I'm going to look at the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3's that Scouser is using next... living in the northeast, tires (tyres for you UK folk) that perform well in the rain are a must.

Rob

Eli at Pelican

My 2 cents is to go with the Michelin Pilot Sport .....

They really handle nice on the M3 in "Sunny California".

-Eli