pcst

What da hell is N-rated tires? I guess I can search that term but I've been just ignoring it...

jes999

From Tire Rack:

Porsche N-Specification Tire Approvals

Sports cars are often described as vehicles that "stick to the road." Sports car tires make a major contribution to this phenomenon. These tires are very complex products meeting numerous, largely contradictory demands. Finding the proper structure that balances these demands for any given application is the great challenge in tire design.

Porsche designs and manufacturers some of the highest performance vehicles in the world. Because of the integral role that tires play in vehicle performance, Porsche has integrated tire development throughout their process of vehicle development. To be an Original Equipment tire provider on a Porsche vehicle or be approved by Porsche for the replacement market requires the joint product development efforts of the tire engineers working alongside the Porsche vehicle engineers.

The focus in recent radial tire development for Porsche vehicles has primarily included optimum handling on dry surfaces and the safest possible behavior on wet surfaces, even at high speeds. Tires developed by various manufacturers, in concert with Porsche, offer a specific set of wet grip properties which few, if any, other automobile manufacturers demand in equal measure from the tires they use on their vehicles.

Tires may be specified for a particular vehicle or range of vehicles and must successfully pass the tire company's laboratory tests to assure that they would be capable of adequately supporting the Porsche vehicle while allowing it to reach its top speed on the German Autobahn. Additional laboratory, test track and race track tests are conducted to confirm that the prototype tires meet Porsche's noise, hydroplaning and handling requirements. Prototype tires will also be evaluated to assess their high-speed durability, uniformity and serviceability. Upon test completion, the tires will be released for production.

Production tires that have passed all of the tests and received the engineering department's release can be branded with an N-specification. The N-specification brandings include: N-0 (N-zero), N-1, N-2, N-3 or N-4. These markings on a tire's sidewall clearly identify them as approved by Porsche for their vehicles. The N-0 marking is assigned to the first approved version of a tire design. As that design is refined externally or internally, the later significant evolutions will result in a new generation of the tire to be branded with N-1, N-2, N-3, etc., in succession. When a completely new tire design is approved, it receives the N-0 branding and the succession begins again.

It is recommended that only matching tires be used on Porsche vehicles. Since many Porsche vehicles are fitted with differently sized tires on their front and rear axles, this means matching the tire make, tire type and N-specification. If a vehicle was originally delivered with N-specification tires that have been discontinued and are no longer available, it is recommended to change all four tires to a higher numeric N-specification design appropriate for that vehicle. Mixed tire types are not permissible.

It is also important to know that while Porsche N-specification tires have been fine tuned to meet the specific performance needs of Porsche vehicles, the tire manufacturers may also build other tires featuring the same name, size and speed rating as the N-specification tires for non-Porsche applications. These tires may not be branded with the Porsche N-specification because they do not share the same internal construction and/or tread compound ingredients as the N-specification tires. Using tires that are not N-specific is not recommended and mixing them with other N-specification tires is not permissible.

wirunner

BLAH BLAH BLAH

mdrums

As long as the load rating on your replacment tires is the same or higher then you will be fine. If you were tracking you Cayenne or on the Autobahn getting every little bit out of it then maybe the tread and rubber compund difference of a N spec tire might help. For driving to work, to the mall and business trips just get a tire with the same or better specs.

Techwizard

I just put a set of Continental Extreme AWS Tires on my 2006 Cayenne Titanium Edition. These tires are Amazing!.

Let me start by saying I have owned 2 Cayenne's over the last 5 years. Each time I replaced my tires with the OEM Michilen Dimaris Tires @ 300 each.
Treadwear would vary from 9K to 17K before I was back for more. Overall a fabulous performance tire - but with a very poor treadwear rating. Also the ride was not exceptional.

Looking to break the cycle, i stumbled upon these http://www.conti-online.com/generato...ct_dws_en.html

They have the XL load rating needed for a 6K truck, and come in high performance 245x20 sizes and most of all a treadwear rating of 540!
What this means is you are warrentied for 50,000 miles.

pause...

Ok now to the tires, I am totally delighted with these tires. The Ride quality is way better than the Mich. The grip in wet is phenomenal. The grip in Dry seems as good as the Mich if your not on the track. AND there even rated as snow tires..

Simply.. Go check these out! I'm thrilled so far.

Techwizard
2006 Cayenne Titanium Edition Loaded

Slow Guy

I'm running the Yoko Parada SpecX in 20" and have been very pleased with them so far. They've performed great in light snow, rain and dry (not so well on 2 in. thick ice going downhill though).

So far wouldn't hesitate to go with them again.

cordsig79

Michelin Energy are the best, I have had and are very quiet. I left my number at a few dealerships and used tire places and try to find them mildly used with no repairs and I get them for about 40 bucks a pop. It takes me 2 months to find about 4 with 90% plus tread left on them..........they are 240-280 retail if you buy direct.

I have had 2 full sets in 3 years and 3-4 replacement tires purchased too........I am always at contstruction sites so nails and metal are a constant issues......and after dealing with excuses to "void" my tire warranties(must of been underinflated or we dont cover acts of god) I quit buying full retail anyway.

Raptor

Doc: FWIW - I rarely brake hard, and generally downshift a couple gears before braking. Admittedly I may face tranny issues ($$$) some day, but so far no problems at all in 65,000 miles on a 2004 CS. I got 40,000+ miles on 22" Damaris and have 24,000+ with tread on a second set. In my mind, minimizing braking on a 3-ton car does produce better tire mileage.

600RR

FWIW: 22" Diamaris on mine. Second set of tires still on with 80,000 miles on '04 CS. Stay off the brakes and keep tires inflated properly to get better mileage.

cordsig79

Never had one pair of diamaris last past 15k...........on 17's too!!!!