Tlaloc75

I've had the opportunity to drive the DWS 06 (newest version) and the PS A/S 3+ back to back. PS A/S 3+ is superior as a performance tire in dry or wet conditions, warm or cold. Its nearly as good as a summer tire, its really that good.

The DWS 06 is better for snow and ice.

So pick based on what you need.

Fuggit

+1 Anyone who argues that it's not for safety is potentially putting others at risk. Anyway, here's a general guiding principle - it depends on whether your "winter" meet these conditions:

"If we use a tire outside of its comfort zone, it reacts poorly. All-season tires begin to lose their grip once temperatures drop below +7C and are useless for any temperature below -10C. Summer tires turn as hard as hockey pucks in the winter, while winter tires start losing grip as temperatures climb."

Dartmouth

I had the Continental DWS on my 09 4S Cab. Worst tires at over 65 mph. Actually were scary at 85 mph. Car was all over the place on the parkway. Thought it was wind but it was the tires. My Michelin Pilot Sports run straight and true and that's what is staying on all winter.

raidersfan

Good question. I often wonder if I need MPSS for highway driving; I shouldn't be testing the limits of that tire on a public road.

The closest comparison I can make: on my M3, I had Conti winter performance tires. I drove that car all winter, including down to California in 75 degree temps. The car handled very, very well. I also had a 328i with General all-season tires, and I felt no need to go to summers. We are so far north and in the mountains that summer starts around June 25th and ends mid-September, so the window you can use a true summertime tire is very, very short.

Unless you live on the US-Mexico border, I would recommend at least all-season tires for wintertime. Summer tires are dangerous below 45 degrees. 42 degrees and a cold rain? You may not need dedicated winters, but running summer tires is a very bad idea. Even if you live someplace like Nashville or Dallas, and you need to DD your 911, you really need 2 sets of tires if one set is a summertime set.

My recommendation: buy a set of all-season tires so that you can drive in the winter safely (assuming no real snow, just cool and wet winter conditions) and keep them on into summer. If they give you trouble, grab a set of 2nd-hand wheels, mount the A/S on there, and put your summers back on. If you don't notice a difference in grip, but do notice a difference in wear and longevity, then keep the A/S year round.

If the 911 only goes out on sunny, warm winter days, then perhaps it isn't needed. Just be wary if temps are below 40 degrees or so. Hitting that roundabout at normal fun 911 speeds can wake you up in a hurry. Ask me how I know.....and that was on a crisp night in August! 38 degrees, tires not yet warm, and wasn't expecting the ***-end to move out. I got it under control, but am more careful now and always check the temps before driving.

Tlaloc75

There may have been something wrong with the tires or the inflation pressures. They are a soft sidewall tire, so they need some additional pressure to perform OK. But they shouldn’t be all over the road and should feel fine at 100+.

They work fine on an Audi for instance, just not the best choice for a 911.

Iceter

So, putting all-season tires on a 911 is putting yourself and others "at risk"? That's one of the most ridiculous statements I've read on this forum in a long time.

If you're scared to run anything but the factory recommended tires on your car, that's your prerogative. But to say that doing anything else is dangerous? That's just silly.

Fuggit

Boy you're trigger-happy on the flamethrower. Read more carefully. I'm saying all seasons underperform to the point of being dangerous to use IF the OP lives in an area where that is the case. This is common sense stuff for anyone who's ever lived in an area with snow. I also totally don't get where you pulled that "it's dangerous to use anything other than factory recommended" BS no one said such a thing on this whole thread, me included.

Mike Murphy

I live in Chicago and run Michelin A/S 3+ Year round (996). I even did 2 track days on these tires and had no problems keeping up with my buddy, who was running PSS4s. I think there’s a big difference among AS tires between the worst and the best of them. The best AS tire is probably much better than the worst summer only. It’s not just about grip, it’s about road noise, comfort, durability, etc.

Michelins are expensive, but they sure seems to be worth it.

note: I haven’t had the car long enough to experience deep snow, but around Chicago, they plow constantly, and I’ve never had to deal with anything yet above 4” with these tires. They handled those 4” just “fine” though, although not as good as when I had M+S tires on my Boxster. Those M+S Boxster S tires were tested in the arctic circle and performed twice as well as any other AS tires in snow and ice conditions. Probably overkill for Chicago, except the rare time snow was 6” between plow runs.

Tlaloc75

What do you have on your boxster?

Dennis C

I think this is a good discussion, and it demonstrates the fact that there’s no single solution that works for every Porsche owner. The right choice for each owner is heavily influenced by geography, weather, driving style, etc.

Every decision that you make on products for your car has consequences. These consequences may be acceptable, and they may not. It really depends on you as a driver.

I believe in installing winter tires on my cars (not just the Porsche). I live in the mountains, and we often see snow as early as September and as late as June. I generally install my winter tires in mid-October and install my summer tires in mid-May. I don’t typically drive my 911 in nasty weather; I have a GMC truck for that.

My decision to install seasonal tires has consequences too. I remember a day last spring when I drove the 911 down to Denver, winter tires in place, and the thermometer hit 85 degrees. Winter tires were definitely not ideal! I also remember getting caught in an early September snow in my 996 C4S with the summer tires in place. That was a white knuckle experience! The downside of dedicated tires for winter and summer is the possibility of having the wrong tires on your car in transitional seasons. For me, that consequence is acceptable.

All-season tires definitely compromise some performance in order to give you all-season functionality. They are acceptable in most conditions, but they won’t excel in any conditions. Based on the OP’s description of his needs, this seems to be a perfectly acceptable solution. Driving on the highway, I don’t think the difference between an all-season tire and a dedicated seasonal tire will be noticeable.

I think a good analogy can be found in running shoes. If you’re a casual runner, you can buy a pair of athletic shoes that are acceptable for running, walking, hiking, trips to the store, etc. They will serve you well in all these situations. If you’re a competitive sprinter, then you’ll be better served with a proper track shoe. It’s lighter, offers better grip, has a different flex profile, etc. It wouldn’t be comfortable to wear while walking around or shopping, but it’s great for sprinting. For many people, the all purpose athletic shoes are fine.

Iceter

You quoted and agreed with a poster who said that the OP needed to get dedicated winter tires since all-seasons make "little sense" on his Porsche, except AFAIK, we still don't know if the OP lives in Reykjavik or Mexico City.

Then you went on to say "Anyone who argues that it's not for safety is potentially putting others at risk."

If what you said is not what you meant, then what did you mean?

Mike Murphy

Continental ContiExtremeContact DWS. Probably would have been 8 years ago now.

Tlaloc75

Ok yeah I’ve been running those for years on the Audi. The new 06 version are even better, they are stiffer and respond more like performance tires.

On the other side, the pilot a/s 3+ has gotten much better at snow traction, not quite as good as dws but very close. Overall the a/s is the better pick for a 911 if you need all season tires.

Mike Murphy

Dennis C, well said!

Dennis C

Thanks! I got a bit wordy, but I was sitting on an airplane and I was bored.