2011 Porsche Carrera GTS 2WD vs Snow Storm / Pirelli Sottozero Review
05-13-2018, 07:15 PM
#2
Rennlist Member
Not sure if you're being accurate on your impressions. My experience with N-rated Snow tires of Porsche is that they are NEVER as good as pure snow tires, in snow and ice, because they MUST also do 250 Km/h speed on the highway, so they're always compromised. But I do take the trade-off, as "standard" snow tires would handle like crap on our cars and I've driven on Michelin PA2/PA3 and Sottozero and they all handle just about the best a snow tire can do, and never got me stuck in snow.
Now, on the same tires Nick Murray in his C4S is doing amazing in the snow with EXACT same tires, and he even compared it to C2S, so you'd be probably doing better in an AWD car.
Now, on the same tires Nick Murray in his C4S is doing amazing in the snow with EXACT same tires, and he even compared it to C2S, so you'd be probably doing better in an AWD car.
05-13-2018, 10:43 PM
#3
Rennlist Member
Well, interesting topic as I used the N rated Sotto Zeros this past winter for the first time.
My findings are as follows:
1) They are not as good as Bridgestone Blizzaks in deep snow.
2) If snow is deeper than 4 inches, I stay home as I do not have any faith in them.
3) In dry but cold weather they are superb, great grip, low noise. In rain and cold, they are ok.
4) I wish Nokian made a 19 in winter tire that fits the 911 since they are IMHO the very best winter tires extant.
5) Blizzaks are great but do not come in 19 plus they become unbearably noisy after a mere 10k miles.
Choices are rather limited for us in the snow belt, no more Michelin Alpins.
My findings are as follows:
1) They are not as good as Bridgestone Blizzaks in deep snow.
2) If snow is deeper than 4 inches, I stay home as I do not have any faith in them.
3) In dry but cold weather they are superb, great grip, low noise. In rain and cold, they are ok.
4) I wish Nokian made a 19 in winter tire that fits the 911 since they are IMHO the very best winter tires extant.
5) Blizzaks are great but do not come in 19 plus they become unbearably noisy after a mere 10k miles.
Choices are rather limited for us in the snow belt, no more Michelin Alpins.
05-14-2018, 07:05 AM
#4
Rennlist Member
Again, Sottozero, or Michelin PA2/PA3 are PERFORMANCE SNOW TIRE! They were MEANT to do BOTH Snow, and High Performance, specially high speed driving (V-rated)! In a way, they're more of an All-Season tire than pure Snow tire, but for a Porsche, the compromise is well worth it. I am STILL on my Sottozero tires as I was away for a cpl of months and haven't got around changing them and they do handle just fine in the dry where Blizzaks would roll all over the road, and disintegrate with any heat into them. I personally never got stuck with either in my C4S, unless there's too much snow that you don't clear it with our low cars.
05-14-2018, 10:40 AM
#5
Snow and 911
From my experience, (2012 GTS) I'm very wary of driving a 911 (especially a rwd ) in the snow. I've never crashed, but I know how easy it is to loose traction. I cringe at the thought. The car is just now made for that condition.
05-14-2018, 11:48 AM
#6
I used my Sottozeros this past winter in NJ. I was expecting much more in the snow based on reviews I read. As stated above, they were just fine in the cold and dry, or cold and wet conditions. They were very squirrely on dry pavement in fast curves like an on ramp, so I learded to be more cautions. I got caught in the snow and drove only 2 miles home and was dissappointed. I will say that most of my snow driving the last three years was in a GMC Yukon, so It is tough to compare. To me, the Sottos are because it is colder than 40/50 degrees, and if it is going to snow I will leave it home. As others have said in the past, it is other drivers you really need to worry about..