Before you guys explode into the "DO A SEARCH" extravaganza, this is a *new* issue (I already know I need winters).

So the questions are:

1) Should I mount winters on my stock wheels (235 front/305 rear) given that wider = bad in the snow? I would then buy a set of BBS LM-Rs for summers.

2) Will the OE Porsche 18" wheels like the Carrera Classics fit my widebody C4S or will I need spacers to avoid the hidden wheel problem? Also, will they clear the brakes? 18" is a better choice for winter, IMO, but not if I can't find wheels that fit properly.

3) Should I just keep one set and swap winters/summers as needed? We have a great service called Tire Van around here that is accustomed to dealing with Porsches.

Thanks in advance - I know it's early, but it's nice to know my plan of attack...

 

Chris, if you talk to Damon at Tirerack, he'll give you the right answer. Here's his reply you might find useful.

Hi Jack -

An 18 x 8.5" front and 10" rear and 235/295 track and 235/265 winter tire combo would work great as both a track and winter setup. And it allows you to utilize the same wheels all the way around the car both summer and winter. My pick would be:

WINTER

235/40R18 PI WIN 240SZ S2 N1 241.00
265/40R18 PI WIN 240ZS S2 N1 285.00

18X8.5 5-130 ET53 OZ ALLEG HLT 380.00
Reuse OE hardware. Wheel will
accept OE Porsche cap.
BERU 43MM LONG VALVE STEM 8.00
BERU 433MHZ SENSOR 4 NM 92.00

18X10 5-130 ET65 OZ ALLEG HLT 399.00
BERU 43MM LONG VALVE STEM 8.00
BERU 433MHZ SENSOR 4 NM 92.00
MOUNT AND BALANCE - NO CHARGE

Mds Total. $ 3,010.00 plus freight.

235/40 and 285/35 would be the best overall size to run track tires with. Unfortuately we don't carry a 285 in the right size for the rear as it's a good idea to run a 25.5" tire in the front and a 26" tall tire in the rear. Toyo and Nitto both make a few good ones that we don't carry.

Please give me a call if interested!

Thanks.



Damon Witters | Sales Specialist

 

I have always preferred having a 2nd set of wheels for ease of switching when the times comes. You also don't have your tires mounted and balanced twice a year and can swap back of forth for that freak May storm.

I would go with 18" wheels if you're planning on driving in a lot of snow. From what i know the Porsche 18" wheels will clear the S brakes. I'd try to find some 18" wheels off a 997 C4 widebody. They will be the proper fitment for your C4S widebody and will be narrower for better snow traction.

Just my $0.02.

 

Chris, I forgot to mention...The specs that Damon gave me was for C2S.

 

I do the Elusive thing,--=a second set of rims for winter. Since you're definitely in snow country (for a limited time) you should seriously consider (if you have the garage or basement space) having a dedicated set of rims with snows on them. I recommend the narrowest rims (I have the 18" Carrera Classic IIIs) for these as too wide a tire is never good for snow conditions. Tread is the most important. Today's snow tires are incredible, as many feature a unique chemical formulation that makes them more effective than ever before. They also need to be of a size that you can get chains on them that will clear the fenders,--just in case conditions get that bad.

 

I have a separate set of Victory rims with Pirelli 240 winter sports. November rolls around, and the lobster forks come off, and the 18's go on.

I have a 997 C2S, and the winter sports are fantastic. I've driven through some pretty deep snow with ease. Even with only RWD, the Pirelli's make my 911 handle better than many SUVs.

You definitely will want a separate set of 18 inch rims with winter rubber, provided you have a place to store your summer tires/rims. Driving in the snow is a blast.

 

Chris-I bought a second set of 18" wheels and snow tires from Tire Rack when I had my '03 C4S. After I traded for my '06 C4S, I used the winter set on that car last winter and it was all good. For both cars, I use(d) 21 mm spacers on the rear that I also got from the Rack. No problem with brake clearance on either car. I tried going without the spacers on the '06 but it looked awful. I used to change out the wheels myself but started using Tire Van a couple of years ago and they do a great job.

 

Thanks for the input guys - sounds like the best plan is to find a set of 18" Carrera IIIs from a 997 C4, order a set of TPMS sensors and winters from Damon, and keep them in the garage. Many thanks!!

 

Call me if I can help Chris. I'll do my best to keep your costs down.

Thanks.

 

Watch the for sale forum for wheels (even with summer tires) and even eBay - I found my track wheels that way, with tires, for less than the wheels new. I bought my winter wheels in a hurry (bought the car right before snow) from wheelenhancement - they are knock-off Carrera classics (5 spoke, easy to clean in winter) and have been just fine. I'm using 18s for winter and 19s in summer (18s for track, too). No clearance or fittment problems on my '07 C2S.

BTW you should think of these as winter tires, not snow tires. They're useful when the temps get below 40f or so, regardless of precipitation.

 

Yep - I've had winters on my Evo, RS4, etc. Don't leave home without them once it's consistently cold outside.

Damon - I'll definitely contact you once I've got the wheels sorted. If I don't find a good solution (i.e. not super-pricey) in Porsche OE, I'll check with you about the replicas on your site.

Thanks again!

 

Damon - One other question: Can I use either narrow-body or wide-body 18s from a 997? I understand if I use a narrow-body wheel I'll need spacers, but is that undesirable in this application?

Thanks for all the help.

 

Winter tires in Santa Barbara? According to weather.com your average low temp in winter is 40°.

 

Doesn't "average" kind of imply that some days are colder? And aren't there some hills/mtns nearby that might get a tad colder? Or perhaps the occasional longer drive into the other colder areas of the state? If it was just a boulevard car in SB there wouldn't be a need for winters I'd guess, but Edgy has posted about drives outside of the city many times...

 

Chris, I use two sets of wheels, my winter set are 19's -picked up a set of take offs at a great price and put a set of winter Pir from TR. We don't get a lot of snow so I'm mostly concern about the low temps. if we should get that big snow, I wont drive my C4S -good luck