The age old tyre pricing question

Just curious if anyone has bought any rear tyres recently? I'm hunting through all the usual suspects but obviously I'm curious as to where to find the best deals. I've a C4S with Michelin PS2's - 295/30/18 and I'd prefer to stick with the same. Bit confused as to whether I need N1 or N2 but sure that will become clear. Unfortunately one of the site sponsors selling tyres either doesn't seem to stock Michelin PS2's in that size or is selling them for free :roll:

Hi Chipfork Just bought 2 Michelin Pilot PS2's for my own car (996 Turbo). bought N2 as I understand that is the 2nd generation of tyre for that brand - as in revision 2. My local muppet tyre place virtually refused to fit them as they were different to my N3 Pirellis on the front!! Rang my insurance company to confirm and no problem at all!! Also confirmed with my mates at Cardiff OPC. Only thing they say is dont mix tyres on same axle but its fine on front and rear being different. THe Michelins are the dearest tyre in that size. Try: Elite in Rainham Mytyres.co.uk Bathwick Tyres Event Tyres Blackcircle. Im sure someone else will come on here to advise too. Incidentally, my rear tyre noise has almost disappeared since swapping to the Michelins from the Pirelli's. Regards, Ian

Just had mine replaced on Saturday 295/30/19 Michelin PS2. Originally was going to use local Kwik-Fit with their 15% off two tyres but local dealer came up with best price £630 fitted the pair. Phoned OPC more for a laugh than anything else quoted £740.

Ian, Many thanks. Not had a chance to check through all those tyre places as yet but will do. After a quick browse, looking at about £290 per tyre which is inclusive of fitting, does that sound about right? I already have reasonably new Michelin PS2's on the front so I shouldn't get any grief from the garages. Also noticed that all the PS2's I've looked at are N2 rated. Iain

www.etyres.co.uk Might be worth a punt, always found them good value and they come to you which is always a benefit.

Chipfork, Yes that around the price I would have paid had I not relied on someone who owed me a big favour and I paid a bit less than that. But off the street as a retail customer, £290 per tyre is around the best deal I think you will get. There is not much to be made in tyres now, what with the cost of manufacturing tyres going up and the dismal dollar rate and sterling woes but you know that you have got a good price when you ring your local tyres places armed with a £290 price and they say that they cannot touch it! I went for the Michelins because I am led to believe that they are the hardest wearing tyre. But I have the benefit of reduced road noise and no reduction in grip over the Pirelli. Let us know how you get on. Cheers, Ian

Wow, Michelins are expensive.... I recently paid £150 each for brand new N-rated Bridgestones SO2A 285/30/18. Are Michelins really worth twice the cost? ~ Maxie

They are indeed expensive! Pirelli Assymetrics were hovvering around the £210 per tyre region but I could have got a local place to fit for £195 wihich I thought was a result! Went for Michelins in the end due to good reports. I may reconsider when it comes to renewal if the £ only gets 1 dollar!!! Never say never!!

I've just had two rears for my C2 from etyres and they worked out considerably cheaper than anywhere else I could find locally. Plus the convenience of them coming to your home or to work. :thumb: Cheers, Nigel

etyres are £300 each fully fitted for the Michelin PS2's. I've yet to search through all the suppliers suggested but I'm hoping there's a better deal to be had than that.

Regarding N-ratings, it doesn't matter if it's N-1, N-2, N-3 etc, as long as it's N-rated it means it's had Porche approval for use on it's cars. The -1,-2,-3 just means the revision of that particular tyre design. i.e, N-0 is a brand new design of tyre which has been approved by Porsche, N-1 is the first revision of that design, N-2 the next revision and so on and so forth. Anyone who tells you that you have to replace N-3 with N-3 or whatever is talking cr*p. Oh and as far as 'tyre experts' go, I had a M-roadster BMW last year in to Kwik-fit for two michelin pilot sports on the rear, a tyre with an extreme 'handed' tread, i.e. only work in one direction. FIVE guys working on my car (quiet period) managed to put the tyres on the wrong way!! The manager was rather embarrassed when I pointed out their error, which I noticed from the waiting room!! If I didn't know about these things, ths first time I took the car out in the rain could have proved catastrophic, even fatal! That said, they did a good deal on Pirelli P-Zero rossos for £550 all round, fitted and balanced, last august. Just check the direction of your tyres when you get them replaced. :thumb:

just out of interest, where did you get your tyres? cheers Ray 8)

Had my rear's done just today, 996 C4S on 19's, Pirelli P Zero Rosso's, 525 fitted, Blackcircle.com

Generally, for best results put the same make, model and N number on all 4 corners (I have spent a lot of time asking this question in the past of people who I am confident know what they are talking about). However, there are no real safety or insurance issues of mixing and matching between the front and rear axels. Handling (particularly at track speed) cannot be vouched for if you do that though. And if you do mix them and take it near an OPC I am sure that they will try to convince you to change half of them :what: Some people reckon that there may be potential insurance issues of non-N rated rubber, but I have heard little to back this assertion up and mine certainly doesn't have an issue with it. The latest PS2 in 295/30/18 is the N3, but the last time I looked most places were only carrying stocks of N2s.

Hi Ray I got them from EU Tyres in Huddersfield: EU Tyres 53 St. Thomas Rd Huddersfield - 01484 431376 I got a full set of Bridgestones for £570 inc VAT, fitting, balancing & disposal of old tyres. The rears they already had but the fronts were ordered in late so the special deal was on the rears only (£300). ~ Maxie