Michelin PS4S like driving on soap!
#61
I don't know man...I'm following this thread with curiosity and interest. I just bought a set for my 997.2 base coupe in March and I've driven about 2 tanks of gas on weekends since. These replaced some Bridgestones - forget the model number, but the PS4S equivalent. Had the same Bridgestones on my old 987.1 Cayman S before it. Always seemed like good tires for the street...i have zero interest in track time, so ignore if that's your thing.
I frankly bought the PS4S due to overwhelming and universal good reviews, and Michelins have been fun on my wife's run-of-the-mill Audi. So far, they've exceeded my expectations tremendously. They simply stick like nothing else i've ever had on one of my cars! Low noise too, but I have no idea how they are in the wet. Don't typically drive it in bad weather.
There's a road near me that's been my "low-speed handling test" for years. Super old and polished asphalt leading into I guess what you'd call a mildly off-camber sweeping corner and there's zero curbs, buildings or people anywhere near. Perfect. On my old tires, if you went through the corner at about 25mph at steady throttle, you'll lose traction juuuuust enough to trigger PSM. Any 1st or 2nd gear throttle jabs above 3k RPMs on the same road - rear tires break loose.
Same road, same car PS4S at 31/37 psi cold - stuck like glue. Period. I haven't really tried to find out where that higher point is with these yet, but I'm impressed. I have other similar observations as well, but that should illustrate the story somewhat.
Another satisfied Michelin customer here...
I frankly bought the PS4S due to overwhelming and universal good reviews, and Michelins have been fun on my wife's run-of-the-mill Audi. So far, they've exceeded my expectations tremendously. They simply stick like nothing else i've ever had on one of my cars! Low noise too, but I have no idea how they are in the wet. Don't typically drive it in bad weather.
There's a road near me that's been my "low-speed handling test" for years. Super old and polished asphalt leading into I guess what you'd call a mildly off-camber sweeping corner and there's zero curbs, buildings or people anywhere near. Perfect. On my old tires, if you went through the corner at about 25mph at steady throttle, you'll lose traction juuuuust enough to trigger PSM. Any 1st or 2nd gear throttle jabs above 3k RPMs on the same road - rear tires break loose.
Same road, same car PS4S at 31/37 psi cold - stuck like glue. Period. I haven't really tried to find out where that higher point is with these yet, but I'm impressed. I have other similar observations as well, but that should illustrate the story somewhat.
Another satisfied Michelin customer here...
#62
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
The negative experiences (which I've no reason to doubt whatsoever) are truly perplexing. There's gotta be batch-to-batch variation...
Karl.
#63
Racer
Don’t get me wrong, I liked the way they handled but couldn’t put up with the constant and rhythmic out of balance that rotated front to back and changed slightly with each balance job. I now think PASM was somehow trying to compensate. Clearly there are some flawed tires and I guess that happens with all makes.
#64
Rennlist Member
I had the dealer put on a set of new PS4S on a 997 turbo and could not get rid of the vibrations, had the tires removed and spun the wheels to make sure they where true. Turned out the fronts where made in France and where okay and the rear 325's where made in the USA and where out of round. Have a video of the undulating while rotating. PITA to say the least, had them replaced with Cup2's and there perfect. This was in March 0f this year.
#65
#66
Rennlist Member
#67
#68
Wayne, I tried everything including an alignment. I wasn’t about to start trying to diagnose/repair a suspension/PASM issue, that’s a black hole. The last ditch effort was a high end tire and wheel specialist. They said the tires were at fault. I decided to spend the money on a new set as a last ditch effort before selling my car. Bingo….problem solved and am I one happy guy. Have a replacement DSC controller coming this week (original was faulty and I hoped it would solve the suggested suspension Issue). I’m in love with the car all over again as I endured Bridgestones before the PS4S’s.
On the last spirited run my back tires were rebounding off of the pavement** which only made the tires more unpredictable. I ended up juggling with too many ***** in the air to know whether or not the tires got OK after enough miles. They did push the car around a lot less on the final 250 more freeway drive home. So I remain hopeful.
**Just west of the 5 CA36 has a series of tight turns on what is referred to as the roller coaster. It is definitely a section that will test your suspension!!!
#69
#70
It is known that the 997 is very sensitive to balances and very sensitive to the road. Let's talk about it!
As for production. It may sound weird but I also noticed that his front (235…) tires are made in France and the rear (305…) in the USA.
#71
#72
RL Community Team
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
2009 C2S 174K miles
I am on my second set of PS4Ss and they are mooshy. I acquired the first set when they first came out... they are the same to me.
Peace
Bruce in Philly
I am on my second set of PS4Ss and they are mooshy. I acquired the first set when they first came out... they are the same to me.
Peace
Bruce in Philly
#73
Instructor
HaHa! Mooshy is a great way to describe the feeling. When I tried the PS4S I got "torque" steer from a launch-like it had front wheel drive. Awful, awful tires for a 911, unless the ones I had were defective.
#74
All four of mine were made in the USA. Of course the front date codes were early in the PS4S manufacturing cycle while the rears are recent.
I'd put my experience off to old vs new at front vs back combined with AWD if we had brake vectored stability management, but we don't. And every other tire refresh has been rear axle only with no problems.
Also, it appears others are having problems with four new tires.
So I'm down to manufacturing problems. I've seen a lot of problems like this (manufacturing) in these days of Covid. So IMHO it's highly possible.
At this point the scientific part of me wants to know what happens as these tires age. So I will continue to test them.
I'd put my experience off to old vs new at front vs back combined with AWD if we had brake vectored stability management, but we don't. And every other tire refresh has been rear axle only with no problems.
Also, it appears others are having problems with four new tires.
So I'm down to manufacturing problems. I've seen a lot of problems like this (manufacturing) in these days of Covid. So IMHO it's highly possible.
At this point the scientific part of me wants to know what happens as these tires age. So I will continue to test them.
#75