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YOUR RESEARCHPorsche tire ratings...real or meaningless?
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Recommend brands of oil...well
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Suggestion · Original poster
As for factory recommended brands of oil...well that, like tire brands, can be nothing more than a commercial tie in.
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Suggestion · Original poster
I did replace the brand new non-N rated tires with brand new N rated tires.
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Suggestion
So you have already replaced the new non-N-rated tires with N-rated tires?
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Still though, I realize I'm one of those guys still running amber lenses because
Test results, experiments and any other information would be interesting
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Suggestion · Original poster
Specific information, test results, experiments and any other information would be interesting.
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I would say that if a blind test were conducted with N and non-N rated tires of the same brand/model back to back, few people could tell the difference.
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Suggestion
The reason you might say that it matters is because using an N-spec tire helps to ensure that your car will perform as closely as possible to the way Porsche intended for it to perform.
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Last month when I bought my C2, the non Porsche dealer I bought it from had put new tires on the car...Continental. The rear were correct in size and speed rating and had the N2 rating as well. But these tires are discontinued and so they couldn't find the same ZR and N2 examples for the front. From appearance they were the same as the back tires but only Z rated and with no N rating. The Porsche dealer would not balance the wheels with incorrect tires on them. That was easy to fix since I know of some good tire stores and they did the work. But I also felt the turn in was not as firm and sharp as it should be. Was this just in my mind? Maybe but it is still what I felt. A couple of days ago I found two fronts that did match the rears, and though it is a small difference on the street, I do feel it. And both sets are brand new so wear is not an issue. My own thoughts are that the unique design and weight distribution (and performance envelope) of a 911 would benefit from tires that are designed as part of the package...regardless of make of tire. Specific information, test results, experiments and any other information would be interesting.
It does have some meaning, but it may or may not matter to you.
Many manufacturers, including Porsche, work with tire manufacturers to develop tires for specific vehicles that provide performance within limits defined by the manufacturer. These tires are developed and tested by the manufacturer in various conditions and they provide the performance that the manufacturer desires. This impacts grip in cornering, stopping, etc.
The reason you might say that it matters is because using an N-spec tire helps to ensure that your car will perform as closely as possible to the way Porsche intended for it to perform.
The reason you might say that it doesn't matter is because you might find that you can't tell the difference, or that you prefer the way the car performs with a different tire.
Manufacturers have to balance ride quality, road noise, handling and braking performance, etc. As an individual buyer, you might care more about handling and braking performance at the expense of ride quality. You might care more about cost of replacement tires than you do about some of the other criteria. You may, therefore, prefer a different tire than the manufacturer recommends.
The N-spec rating isn't necessarily about being a "better or worse" tire, it's about delivering consistent performance within the parameters defined by the manufacturer.
I've tried N-spec and non N-spec tires. Personally, I haven't found a tire that I like better than the N-Spec Michelin Pilot Sport PS2.
Car & Driver did a nice piece on tires a few years ago. Here's a clip from that magazine:
"ORIGINAL EQUIPMENT (OE) MARKING: These letters—or a symbol—indicate that this is the automaker-specified version of a tire that came as a car’s original equipment. These tires can often be a very different blend of rubber compound compared with the off-the-shelf variety of the same tire, even though the tread pattern is identical. Examples of OE markings: General Motors—all have a TPC SPEC number; BMW—most have a five-pointed-star symbol; Mercedes—some are emblazoned with “M0”; Porsche—all have the letter “N” followed by a number, i.e., N1, N2, etc."
I think you gave a good summary there Dennis.
I would say that if a blind test were conducted with N and non-N rated tires of the same brand/model back to back, few people could tell the difference.
To those that can, the N rating has meaning.
However, most people could probably tell a Continental DW from a Michelin PSS in a blind test. The brand and model of tire yields a more significant difference than the N rating.
And then still others couldn't tell one tire brand from another.......
After much research and careful consideration, I just forked out for N-spec Michelin PS2's simply because I wanted to keep the car as close as possible to what Porsche intended when they designed it. My$$, my opinion..
Still though, I realize I'm one of those guys still running amber lenses because
that's the way it came
.
*Great summary, Dennis..
I did replace the brand new non-N rated tires with brand new N rated tires. And I do feel a crisper turn in. I also did it for warranty reasons...I did not want anyone to say that wear on the front suspension or steering could be due to incorrect tires. The warranty is third party service contract and though they have a good reputation, I didn't feel like taking that chance. As for factory recommended brands of oil...well that, like tire brands, can be nothing more than a commercial tie in. But weights of oil I would take very seriously. Of course things are always evolving. When I first started racing Alfas the oil of choice was Kendall 40w racing oil, and the hot tire was a 185/70 14 Pirelli CN36.
Glad you went with the tire that makes you more confident. I'm near certain that you could not legally be denied a warranty claim for this reason. If you drove a C4 and installed a very incorrect size tire, I could see a claim for the transmission/front diff being denied...
One of the tenets of Magnuson-Moss is that a warranty cannot be voided for not using branded parts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magnuso...s_Warranty_Act
You can't really believe Porsche makes any money with a commercial tie-in by pushing N rated tires or oils?
I mean there are at least 4 brands of tires available with N ratings: Bridgestone, Continental, Michelin, and Pirelli. Do you think tire makers are so desperate (and stupid) that they'd kick back some money to Porsche for non-exclusionary rights to sell tires specifically earmarked for such a small car market represented by Porsche cars?
And while Porsche uses Mobil 1 0w-40 for factory fill oil, its approved list of oils lists maybe 40 or more oils to choose from. I would expect most oil companies lose more cases of oil off the back of the delivery trucks than they sell into the Porsche market.
I've never run non N-rated tires on my Porsches. I have read enough posts by those that have and have reported back issues with non N-rated tires to convince me my sticking with N-rated tires is wise.
As far as tires and oils, to each his own. If I was lapping the n-ring daily, I'd be very much more concerned about the tires. Since 75% of my driving is in traffic at speeds under 50MPH, I'm less concerned.
I don't buy unbranded eBay stuff for brakes rotors and pads, brake lines, or any other equipment I consider safety-related.
Mobil gets a tremendous amount of advertising just by have that M1 sticker under every trunk. Maybe I'm just a career cynic, but I find it hard to believe the Porsche gains nothing from this relationship. I've seen how aggressively Porsche defends its trademarks and copyrights, right down to the Porsche font. If there's money to be made, Porsche wants a cut - which I understand. Plastering Mobil ads on each of its cars is not something I believe Porsche does out of the goodness of its corporate heart.
