gr8330

I'm looking for tires also. I have PS2's now and wouldn't mind trying something else especially if it's cheaper. The Sumitomo's HTR Z III doesn't offer a tire for the rear of the 997s. I priced the Handkook V12's at around $712 plus shipping as compared to $1866 plus shipping for the PS2's.

tejoe

Anybody: still waiting for comments from people riding on Hankooks.

Sids911

Ok, so I ordered The Hankook Ventus V12 Evo's ... I noticed tirerack doesn't have any numbers on them (hey, tirerack, can you include this tire next time?), so I 'derived' the Hankook performance as an average of the Dunlop and the Kumho due to C&D's results. The revised table looks like this ..



I ended up ordering the Hankook's instead of the Sumi's HTR ZIII since it appears that the Hankook's will be better performing than the Sumi's (and the PS2s). Considering this isn't an expensive or a long term commitment, I could have gone the Sumi's route ... but ... whatever.

Anyway, I'll get them on the rear wheel over this weekend, I'll let you guys know how they feel ... My front's will still have the PS2's since they've got plenty of thread left ...

luisimo

Looking forward to get your feedback.

Sids911

I was going to wait longer to post some feedback since I have just 100 miles on them so far.

Setup:
Car: 996 C2, stock suspension
Fronts: 205/50ZR17: Existing Michelin PS2s (8-12k miles left)
Rears: 255/40ZR17: Brand new Hankook Ventus V12 Evo

First response:
1. Immediately after getting the tires on, as I was getting out of the area, I had a nice 3' skid ... just for kicks The new tire surface is quite slick for the first 1/4 to 1 mile (don't try this unless you know what you're getting into). Anyway, on the street with light rain (after several dry days) + new tire meant that I wasn't pushing the car/tires and didn't notice anything weird.
2. Next day - a dry day - during some spirited driving, I noticed that the handling was utterly fu**ed !! The rear felt very 'shifty' where I felt that the weight would 'shift' from left to right (and vice versa) by a foot or so (the car didn't shift, just the feeling of the weight). It felt a lot like driving on a rear flat tire (been there ...) and I thought I had busted a brand new tire. Turns out they inflated it to 46psi instead of 36psi :O !! I was extremely surprised since my shop is generally great when it comes to tires...

After correcting the tire pressures:
After 10 miles of driving as described above, I dropped the tire pressure to the official rated pressures (36psi on 255/40ZR17 for a 996 C2) and then --- boy was it fun! The rear felt totally planted and my tire worried went away instantly!!! The funny thing is that now I can "hear" the noisy PS2s in the front (vs noise coming from all 4 tires) ... I may just get rid of the good PS2 in the front.

Like I said, it's just been 100 miles and I've not gone out on any Porsche driving event since the change, so it's limited data. But so far, they feel at least as good (if not better) than the PS2s.

Cheers
Sid

Bruce Eyring

After the Car and Driver test...and after talking to people who know something about tires.....I put Hankook V12 Evos on my '08 C4S...insanely priced PS2's came off....235/35 and 305/30 19's. I have only 700 miles on them and so far they exceed expectations. I can only tell the difference between the two brands in that the Hankooks are much more quiet...especially on the interstates.....very stable...excellent directional stability at all speeds. Don't know about wear..yet....or how much louder they will get with age....but I'd bet they will continue to be very good. Best part....$988.00 out the door for four at Gran Turismo Tire in Chamblee, Ga.

ECS

YEP! That is a rediculous weight difference and makes taking off the PS2s an non-option.

stevepow

Looking at that chart, seems like the Dunlops are in the sweet spot of price/performance. Anyone running those? I have been a PS/2 guy for a long time - had an '98 M3 with stock Dunlops that were grippy in turns, but wandered in straights - I ended up getting them swapped out for PS/2s - but that was a long time ago.

I like the way my car feels now, but if there's better/cheaper/quieter, then why not?

BobbyB

Are PS2's still a real option for those with 305 x 19's? Other than dealers who have them is stock, it doesn't appear that Michelin still ships that size to the US.

stevepow

Maybe no - still have M/PS2s for the 18's which come standard on the C2 - not too bad a price at Tirerack ~ $300 each.

07Carrera

I have a 07 standard Carrera Silver Coup on 18" wheels. After 50 years of driving high perfrmance sports cars on the edge, I am now 72 and have decided that a softer quieter ride has become a high priority when it comes to tires. I use my car mostly for medium to long distance touring. The car came with Pilot Sport's and I didn't like the harsh ride and the loud road noise, but no complaints on performance. So after 15k on the PS's I decided to go with something less aggressive.

After looking at a lot of reviews and test results, I decided to try the Bridgestone Teranza Serenity's, (Not recommended by Porsche). As an example, if you look at the Tire Rack evaluations you will see the following ratings for 235/40-18 fronts and 265/40-18 rears, (on a scale of 1 to 10):

Michelin Pilot Sport's:
Hydroplaning - 7.9, Wet - 8.0, Cornering - 8.9, Dry - 9.1, Steering - 8.8, Comfort - 7.7, Noise - 7.3,
Treadware - 6.6

Bridgestone RE 50A's:
Hydroplaning - 7.5, Wet - 7.7, Cornerng - 8.7, Dry - 8.9, Steering - 8.7, Comfort - 7.6, Noise - 7.2, Treadware - 6.4.

Bridgestone Teranza Serenity's:
Hydroplaning - 8.8, Wet - 9.0, Cornering- 8.8, Dry - 9.2, Steering - 8.7, Comfort - 9.3, Noise - 9.1,
Treadware - 9.2

The Serenity's are speed rated at 95W and 97W = 168 MPH, for "Exotic Sports Cars".

I now have 4k miles on the Serenity's and the above comparison between the PS's and the Serenity's are accurate as far as comfort and noise. Significant improvement in ride quality and a MUCH quiter ride. You will notice a softer steering response to steering input but a good solid feel in the corners. I am extremely happy with the new tires. They have delivered exactly what I was looking for.

Of course it all depends on what your looking for. I woudn't dream of taking the Serenity's out on a track. But if you are looking for a softer quieter ride the Serenity's deliver. I purchased them through a local Pomps Tire dealer up here in northern Wisconsin. $1225 mounted, balanced & tax, out the door.

Kirby C.
Rice Lake, WI

luisimo

Thank you Sids911 and Bruce Eyring. I used my car as a daily driver and for long drives on the weekend. I am debating about more comfortable lasting tires as I am clocking 8K miles every six months. But with the price of the Hankooks I might put up with the harshness and short live.

amerlemans

The Kook V12a are sitting in my garage awaiting delivery of new wheels which should be here by the end of the month. Will have them installed immediately and report back.

helispud

Thank You for the report, Kirby (07Carrera). For the way I use my car the Serenity's sound like a good way to go.

Edgy01

Keep in mind that with a 911 it is all about the tires. Been using the Bridgestones RE050A on the car from day one but did try running on a set of spare wheels that I picked up (18 inchers) that came with the N Continentals. WORSE tires in the world, compared to the Bridgestones. Harsh ride, noisy, and the handling suffered. I'll never put Continentals on a 997. I also think the Pirellis are a bit harsh, from my driving a 997S coupe with them.

You get what you pay for,--and you pay for what you get.