Tyres for 996

[Lee 944]

I've been looking to buy some tyres for when I need them, although I don't need them yet though. Having spoken to some of the 996 owners up here, it would appear that people go for the GT3/2 size and put it on their 996. A few friends are running this set up.

Rears are 315/30/18 and £126 each

Fronts are 235/40/18 and £167 each.

Now then, there is a debate on Porsche warranty and running different N rated tyres front and rear ( the ones I've linked to are N2 rears and N4 fronts ) but OPC Glasgow have just fitted different N rated tyres on my friends 2 year old GT2. They say it is not Porsche guidelines, but it is not against any recommendations.

The other thing is, if you change tyre sizes, you need to change all 4. If you put different rears on it will affect the ABS sensors, as the car thinks they are turning at a different speed to fronts. So this then begs the question, "what about the speedo?". After watching a friend test it against his GPS, it appears to be no different to his previous tyres.

Anyway, I've bought my rears, at that price I couldn't resist. I'm going to change, maybe early next year, or sooner if I try harder?

[Sean Smallman]

That is a very good price, what make and where from?

[Lee 944]

Both front and rear are MICHELIN PILOT SPORT PS 2. The rears are N2 rated from Tyre Express and the fronts are N4 rated from Camskill. I had a budget of £1000, so saving £350 is quite good. One of my friends has a C4S and has 6 pairs of those rear tyres in his garage.

There was a bit of scare mongering last year and people said rubber prices were going to go through the roof. I kept an eye on prices, they have gone up, but not through the roof.

[Lee 944]

That is a very good price, what make and where from?

Sorry, forgot say they are links if you click on them. Should take you straight to them.

[Sean Smallman]

Are you putting those rear boots on stock 11" Turbo Rims? If they fit I will invest in a pair.

I paid £520 for a pair of N rated Conti's last September.

[Lee 944]

Yip, they fit fine. If you look at them, they are the size factory fitted on the 996 GT2 and GT3. But like I said, you need to do all 4 at the same time. A few guys up here are running them, all on stock rims.

[Lee 944]

I've fitted these tyres to mine, with my 15mm spacers and they're running great so far. A bit wider and fatter, but that's enough about me, the tyres fit on the standard wheels and don't rub the arches.

[Sean Smallman]

Have you had to lengthen your studs?

[Lee 944]

Yes, JZM fitted the +15mm bolts when the spacers were fitted. With the 6 pot calipers on the front, the wheel doesn't fit without the spacer. Then once the front had spacers because of the new calipers, the rears looked stupid, so they fitted spacers and longer bolts to them too.

[jmgarage]

It is OK to fit different N rated tyres as long as they are the same across each axle.

However, interestingly, to the letter of EU Block exception laws, Porsche can not insist that the tyres are N rated at all, as long as the speed rating is correct and the tyres are of a comparable quality (and Porsche would not want to say any manufacturers tyres are not "quality" for fear of being sued!!) then the warranty can not be voided.

Its the same regulations that allow us to service and maintain new Porsche cars still under factory warranty without voiding the warranty, as long as we use "equal quality parts" (we use genuine or OEM) and that the car is maintained to Porsche specifications.

However, not following their recommendations on N rated tyres can void "good will" gestures, if you have a problem strictly outside of the warranty.

[Madblackpoollad]

I run falken tyres on my 996 GT3, they are great in wet or dry and half the price of the big brands. The rears 295 30 18 are £165 from camskill.

[RichardKS]

Falken FK452's are brilliant - used them on my old BMW330ci and 986s. Now superseded by the 453 I think.

[Lee 944]

Looks like the best deal at the moment are Pirelli P Zero Rosso's

Fronts are 235/40/18 N4 at £101 each.
Rears are 315/30/18 N4 at £176 each.

[FarQue]

Yeah, but who wants P Zero's? They're grim in damp/wet conditions when making progress.

[tr7v8]

Yeah, but who wants P Zero's? They're grim in damp/wet conditions when making progress.

I didn't find them great at all on the Boxster. They certainly numbed the steering, PS2 when fitted made it a lot sharper.