Also posted on 993 board!

I recently felt absoluetly horrible vibrations in my car. It was really weired as sometimes I could feel that the vibration was coming from the rear (i.e. shaking in the but and the dead pedal) and when breaking or releasing the throttle, from the front (i.e steering wheel shaking). I decided to go to a local shop in Atlanta where they balance tires both on and off the car to see what they could for me. Well, they lifted the car and turned each wheel on its own freely and showed me tire deformation on the inside and all around each tire. They told me that it was typical with Pirelli and that that's why they never recommend Pirellis. I've had 4 sets of Pzeros and this is the first time that I have something like this... Anyway, they told me that they had a bunch of similar Pzeros at the back of the store and claimed that Pirelli does not help customers who have this issue. Bottom line, I ordered a set of SO3s even though these tires (N3s if it matters) had les than 4000 miles and are not worn at all!!!
Bummer. Anyone else with similar issue?
BTW, my car's a 996,

 

I would highly recommend you get a full geometry and wheel alignment check carried out. Increased tyre wear is not uncommon but your lack of mileage suggests a set up problem. You also do not tell us what you have been doing with your Porsche. I also do not agree with the advice given to you. Whilst I am not a great fan of Pirelli I have always found them to be co-operative in such matters, especially related to their Porsche approved products. I would go direct to Pirelli and at least ask. You will never know until you ask,
Ciao,
Adrian
911C4

 

Adrian,
Thanks for your reply. I have a track car (Supercup) and a street car (996C2) and therefore the 996 does not see the track often and when it does, it's never as brutal as in my race car. My geometry is perfect (that was the first thing I checked), and I really don't drive very aggressively. I must have miscdescribed the problem as the tires are not worn at all, they are "weavy". In other words, if you lift the car and let the tires run on their own, you see that instead of being round it's like a "daisy" flower with petals all around. Very difficult to explain, you need to see it to believe it. The guy at the store (very reputable and used by a lot of racers and sports cars owners) showed me the stack of Pirellis. He also told me that at first, he was sure that Pirelli would do him good and therefore he accepted to replace the customer's tires before Pirelli Paid him. Bottom line, he's out of pocket over $40,000 (all of this, according to him of course and I have no way to substantiate this claim).

Anyway, I have changed the tires to SO3s and I'm in love with them. It's just that I would have liked to keep the Pirellis another year to reduce my tire bill a little ...

 

I've owned PZeros, P700Zs, and P600s and something has gone wrong with every set--6 in all. Either a cord shift, cord separation, out of roundness, you name it. You may notice it right away or half way thru the tread. Or maybe after a rotation--the culprit now being on the front and causing a pull to one side, for instance. i just got sick of it. There's no excuse--especially at these prices. It pains me never to order Pirelli tires again because I really like their driving/handling characteristics best out of all the performance tires.