Need new tires what should I buy?

Let Me first start by saying that I've read so many comments & opinions on this forum about tires that I have no idea what to buy. Pirelli Pzero's, Michelin Pilot Sport (PS2 or rib), Bridgestone (S-o2 , S-02A,S-O3), there seems to be no general consensus on the one tire that outperforms all others. I'm looking for a good all around tire, by that I mean good in wet & dry weather. I have Continental SportContacts on my C4 right now and they're way too noisy. I'm willing to sacrifice some handling for a quieter ride. Tire Rack does a good job reviewing tires but I rely on my Porsche brethren for honest advice. What tire do you recommend I buy and why? Thanks!

Here we go Viken.......

LOL! Nope. I'm not getting into this again. It's like talking to walls when it comes to tires.

hey Path, I also had continentals on my 1999 carrera 4 coupe and with only 15000 miles on my car and the tires, they looked like new but made so much noise that I could not stand them, bought a set of michelin sport ribs from tire rack, I could not be happier.

I have the Mich PS with rib on my C4. I like them and I dont not consider them to be that noisy, even when the are just ready to be replaced. That said, I am going to try the Kumho Ecsta 712 this time around. Yes, I know they are the low end of the tire spectrum!

I would NOT get the Kumho's; the last person that bought them returned them rather quickly because they flatspot overnight quite a bit more than other tires and your Porsche is very sensitive to this.... You'll feel vibrations until the tire warms up and get round again. Regarding tire noise: well, on rough pavement most high performance tires will be quite loud and Porsche's tend to transmit quite a bit. I've used S03s and Mich PS Rib and I'd say the Ribs are quieter. I don't have comparisons for the Contis. The S03s also flatspotted overnight a bit on colder nights while the Ribs don't.

OK, maybe not ....

I recently got some Kumho Ecsta ASX's for my 2002 996 (17" wheels). They are not great performance tires (in my opinion) but, I spend a lot of time on the highway and wanted something quiet. I am extremely happy with these tires. I had been using Continental Sport Contact 2's and Pirelli PZero's. I thought both were pretty noisy. I hesitated to buy the Kumho's becasue they were so inexpensive. But, I thought I'd give them a try. These are very quiet. I have had no experiences with flat spotting. b-man

I just recently got Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s for my M5 and already put a 1000kms on them. They pretty much transformed the car, which originally had Dunlop 8080s. Turn in, grip in the dry, etc were all elevated to a new level, it even started to feel more nimble I haven't had a chance to drive them in the rain, thank god , but the tire dealer mentioned that Michelin gave PS2s same ratings in the dry and in the wet, which means they're pretty confident that this tire rocks in the rain as well. Oh, and I also recently purchased a set of S03s for one of the family cars, they also grip very well in both dry and rain, and they look amazing Only two downsides, they're heavy and are supposed to get pretty loud with miles, from what I've heard.

Well......... I replaced my Pzeros with Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3's. I will never look back again. After putting 7000 miles on them they still look like new. They are glued to the road and "especially" in wet weather. They are also the quietest tyres I have had on my cab. But best of all is that these tyres have got rid of that awful wheel shake at 80 mph I used to have (depsite 3 independent wheel balancing and tracking being redone). They give incredible raod holding.....and they look incredibly cool to boot. But they are pricey, not easy to get hold of, and they are not Porsche approved.

I have the Toyo T1-S. I had them on my 993. A wonderful tire and it was the 2nd best rated ultra high performance tire in the November 2003 issue of Consumer Reports. They tested handling, braking, cornering in wet and dry conditions and noise as criteria. In Oregon the most prolific tire shop carries the full Toyo line. They have the best service so that is a factor here. The top rated ultra tire by CU was the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3. It was cheaper than the Toyo's according to their report.

Chalk up another one for NOISY Pirellis. Had Dunlops they were great, got P Zero Rosso's...harsh ride and noisy.

P Zero: Nice comfort vs performance balance when new. Sharp drop off in comfort within a few thousand miles. Wear quickly. I'll be shopping for tires this month.

I had the p-zero's on my 01 C4 and really loved the handling. My 04 c4s cab has the Michelin Pilot Sport (PS2) and they are wearing much better than the p-zero's but I would give them a D grade for rain... I almost lost control driving the speed limit in the rain when these tires had 3000 miles on them... very, very unexpected because my p-zeros were rock solid. I'm going to look at the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3's that Scouser is using next... living in the northeast, tires (tyres for you UK folk) that perform well in the rain are a must. Rob

My 2 cents is to go with the Michelin Pilot Sport ..... They really handle nice on the M3 in "Sunny California". -Eli

I could see that. I think the compounds on those tires really needs to heat up and they stick... however, my experience with anything below 60degrees and/or rain has been far less than favorable. Rob

I just had the S-03's installed and they handle better than the P-Zero's I had on before. I put 285's in the rear and that helped fill out the rim. Haven't tried them out in the rain yet.

I put on S03's after reading Vikens report. They are quiet and sticky. This is not a complaint: They are very hard read when they are under pressured (it might be the tire wall is thick). I had a blow out at 75 mph (we think because of low pressure) and the car tracked staight off to the shoulder. Even at rest with the center of the tire cut wide open the tire looked like it had air in it. I think they're good tires, I just have to replace my dipstick (you know the one driving)..

I currently have mounted Conti II and I think there great, good rain performance and dry handling, low road noise and tire wear is very good (10K - miles thus far) - that's my two cents - keep the change...

Yoko AVS sports. Quiet, good in the wet. Got them at Tire Rack prices from Radial Tire in Silver Spring before coming west. BTW, drove the Pilot Sports at PDE three weeks ago. Get them hot and they do stick.

the Bridgestone SO-3 Pole position are a great all around tire they are quiet good in the dry and very good in the wet.

I have 8000 miles on my Continental Contact Sport II. I think they are very quiet and they show zero wear at 8000 miles. I run 40 psi cold in rear and 32 in front

My car has brand new P-zeros and I've never driven a 996 with anything else. I appreciate reading your comments, I guess I'll see how fast they wear out and how noisy they get. Our roads are not very good here and rain is a very big issue. I'm sure it won't take that long before I'll be faced with this decision - especially if the P-zeros wear out quickly as some of you have mentioned.