UNC Nick

Looking for a little guidance here. I'm putting new rubber on and am considering the two tires above after researching treadware, noise, wet/dry grip, and performance for a daily dirver. Any have anygood comparison info between the two? They are roughly the same price and neither is "N" rated, though not a big deal to me for my purposes.

Thanks in advance!

Nick

LVDell

Nick, why would having a N spec tires not be a big deal for your purposes? The N spec tires are designed specifically for your car and it is the one place you DON'T want to skimp or deviate from. Remember the only thing keeping you connected to the road is your tires.

I sure hope the reason isn't money.

1999Porsche911

Potenza without hesitation. Of all the tires I have run (on all my cars) this is a great tire in wet or dry. Relatively quiet and ribbed. Traction will not be a concern with these.

UNC Nick

Dell- I guees I'll ask the question back... Why WOULD I absolutley go with "N" spec for a car that doesn't get tracked and whose primary function is a 50-50 combo of aroud town and highway driving? I also need v. good wet traction. I completely understand that stock and spec are N-rated, but I'm a little too much of a novice to understand why that would be a huge issue. At this point, I'm just following the advice of a few tire shops, including Tire Rack, who've said that, for my purposes, non "N" tires would be absolutely fine and give me better wear. Also, through searching here and other boards, it seems that there are quite a few of us running non "N" tires out there- both of the aforementioned included- with very good reviews and results. Sure, price is less and, if they have to be replaced with less frequency, they're much cheaper to run. But you are correct, price isn't a factor in the matter if there truly is a major reason to go with the "N" tires.

I'm not trying to argue a point here, more trying to derive the best information possible. Please chime in with info.

Thx!

LVDell

Totally know that you are not trying to argue just want to make sure you understand the difference as well as thinking about how much you are really saving (or are you) after you you need to replace the non-N spec tires.

Here is a great article to get you on your way:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete...currentpage=62

UNC Nick

Thanks Dell. I'm going to do a little more research. Looks like the Pirelli's and PS Rib's are available, but I'm really not a fan of either due to wear issues and noise on previous cars. Just from a Devil's advocacy stance, anyone experience any real issues driving non-N's?

teflon_jones

There's no reason you MUST have an N rated tire. There's plenty of tires that aren't on the OEM list that are suitable for a 996, including the Toyo Proxes and Yokohama AVS Sport.

RJMDAD996

Nick , What about the S02's - I have on my second set - I got 20K + miles before I had to change my rears, awesome rain tire.

kilrgt

Put on what ever fits....its just a tire, they all wear out , its just a tire dammit

Tbred911

Nick,

RE750 is a *way* better choice for your car than F1-GSD3...

UNC Nick

Thanks for the replies, guys! RJM- Hello Amigo! I owe you some pics but it's not *quite* ready for them yet. On the way, though, I promise.

After reading up some more, talking with another couple of tire places, and reading your replies, I think that I'm going to order the RE750's tomorrow. Unfortunately, no one local has them stocked so it looks like it will be week's end before they arrive. However, it still leaves about 12 hours before I can finalize this so anyone that can convince me otherwise, have it it

Tbred911

for the $$$ I don't think you can beat them... unless you want to go for TOYO T1-R of course... also a great tire, new technology... but slightly faster wearing.

ckl93

I'm running S-03's on my car and I'm loving them. I don't think they're N-rated either.

Kims996Cab

Nick,

I bought my 996 (used) almost a year ago, and then spent a long time researching tire choices to replace the cheap ones it came with. The result was the recent mounting of a set of the Eagle F1's (18") you are considering. I couldn't be happier.

I do not track my car, either .... daily driver and highway trips with my wife. In addition to wet/dry traction, road noise was important to me, as the roar I was hearing from the original tires was not a pleasant way to cruise in a car I bought strictly for pleasure.

Consumer Reports, whom I consider to be neutral and reliable, rated the Eagle F1 very high for wet & dry traction .... a little lower for noise .... a good compromise.

N rating .... I don't consider to be a factor. By sheer chance, I was in Zuffenhausen and visited the big Porsche Zentrum dealer adjacent to the factory just prior to making my decision. A lengthy discussion with the staff there led me to understand that N-rating is an "after the fact blessing" of a tire, as opposed to the oft assumed sign of "made to order for Porsche".

A salesman went to a new car and pulled out the owner's manual. He pointed out that: (1) it only mentions N rating in the context of matching mounted sets of the same N-rating. (2) it specifically mentions buying non-Porsche recommended tires and simply reminds one to buy from a reputable dealer and adhere to the specified quality (speed, traction, wear, etc) ratings.

Bottom line of the discussion, the use of N-rated tires is not seen by Porsche as a requirement in any way. This has been skewed somewhat by a deal between Michelin and US Porsche dealers to have the dealers as exclusive outlets for some Michelin N-rated tires .... thus assuring a recommendation from the dealer that "you must use N-rated tire".

Lest anyone get the wrong idea. A set of Eagle F1's does not represent a savings when compared to Michelins, Bridgestone, etc. I paid well over $1000 for a set. Its about finding the right tire for your needs / preferences / driving style.

Ironically, the very first N-rated tire was a Goodyear.

I love my Eagles, and the quiet, very stable ride they have given me in high speed cruising and heavy traffic commuting.

nycebo

Kim,

I have the exact same car as you. Be certain to get back to us with some more feedback on the Goodyears when you have accumulated a bit more mileage. Like you, I have been considering those tires as well. A lot of extremely involved drivers have been recommending these to me of late. Indeed, and I am loath to say this, Corvette owners have been fanatics of these tires for years.

Edward