Winter tires for the C4S

It's that time again. We've already had our first snowfall and I need to put the winter rubber on the C4S. I've used Blizzaks for the past 4 seasons, and I haven't been totally thrilled. They do provide good traction in snow and slush, but they are very sloppy on dry pavement. Winter in Colorado involves lots of cold weather with dry streets in addition to snow, slush and ice. I decided to try something different. There are currently two Porsche approved winter tires for the 996 C4S - a Pirelli and a Dunlop. I called Damon at Tire Rack and discussed my tire needs with him. After that discussion, I decided to go with Pirelli Winter Sport 240 N3 tires. I had Damon price them and I called my local shop to get a quote for comparison. The price from Tire Rack was over $500 less than my local shop, including shipping, mounting and balancing. Thanks to Damon for the advice and the great prices. The new tires arrive next week. I'll give a few more updates on them once I get a few miles on them.

Thanks Dennis. I have always run the Pirellis on the C2 and have been very pleased with them. They weren't available for the C4S during 2011 winter season so I went with Blizzaks for the C4S and am also not thrilled with them. I might see if the budget allows for the Pirellis this season. I am assuming Tire Rack has no availability problems at this time.

I had Dunlops on my Audi TT and they were a great tire, at least on that vehicle. I also have Blizzaks on my C2. GL with your new winter sneakers Dennis.

I'm looking forward to trying them out. The Pirellis were in stock at Tire Rack. I think Damon said that the Dunlops were out of stock for one of the sizes and there would be a wait. Which Blizzaks are you running Steve? My last set was the LM-22. I know there are a couple of generations of newer Blizzaks out there now. I have nothing against the Blizzak - they are fantastic on my son's Subaru - I just wanted something a bit more performance oriented.

I had Blzzaks on a '00 Lexus GS400 and they were awesome. But a couple of sets on subsequent cars ('04 Civic Si and '06 LS430) were not nearly as "comforting". Something changed. The Michelin Alpin got good marks in a recent article (don't remember the author/pub). Don't know if they make 911-compatible sizes. TC P.S.--Tire Rack had ALWAYS done me right. Good people.

I use the Michelin Latitude Alpin on my Cayenne and they are very good. I don't think they are available in the right sizes for the 911 as you mentioned.

For what it's worth, I have Blizzaks on my C4S and the traction in snow is terrific. But I'm not happy with the dry pavement performance. I know I cant have it all. But I wish I could buy a stock sized snow tire. And yes, another plug for Tire rack! They are awesome!

i have run the pirelli snow sport 240 n3 for the last two winters - very happy with traction in snow - also good in the cold dry too. just bought new rears for this season. i think you will like them.

Hi, I'm also in Evergreen CO with a 99-C4. Who do you use locally to mount your Tire Rack supplied tires if you don't mind sharing? Thanks, Roger

Hi Roger. The recommended approved installer for Tire Rack is the Firestone store on Bergen Pkwy. I wouldn't ordinarily let them touch my Porsche, but they were highly recommended by Tire Rack and they have a Hunter Road Force Balancer. I had them shipped directly to the Firestone store. Glad to hear your review vange - the tires arrived at the Firestone store today and I'm having them mounted over the weekend.

Dennis,I have LM25 Blizzak tires purchased in Dec, 2008 with plenty of tread life still left.

For what it's worth, tire rack has 996 front 18" Blizzaks at $156 close out price. Just bought 2.

Steve - LM25s are the tires that I just replaced. I'm looking forward to seeing how the Pirellis compare. Obviously they felt great driving home today compared to worn Blizzaks, but that's not a fair comparison. Once I get them broken in and get some time in the slush I'll be able to provide a better review and comparison. I always hate taking my summer wheels and tires off for the season, but I do like the changed look of the C4S with my winter wheels. The changeover also means one more good thing - ski season is starting! I'm heading to Arapahoe Basin tomorrow morning for opening day. Woo hoo! Here's the C4S in the driveway with new shoes...

What size did you go with on the pirellis

I went with the sizes recommended by Porsche for winter tires on the C4S: 225 40/18 in the front 265 35/18 in the rear

I've actually got the same on my 02 C4S Just put them on Looking forward to snow to try them out Right now the temp is cool enough to warrant the change

The Subie was the vehicle choice for this morning, even though the C4S has new shoes. Skiing was great!

I have the Blizzak LM-60s and they are a great compromise for the winter. Not great for dry cornering, but good for confidence when it snows a bit during the work day and I have to drive home (I'm in CO). Hey Vange c4s, I like those wheels, what kind are they and what size/width?

Here's some initial feedback on the Pirellis: - Handling and grip on dry, cold roads is better than I expected. I find it to be much more stable feeling than the Blizzaks and to have better grip than the Blizzaks. The Pirellis feel more like all-season tires than winter tires. - The Pirellis are very smooth and quiet. I realize that they are still new, but I found it important to note the low noise level because winter tires are often louder than summer tires. - I just encountered my first snow and slush today with these tires. It was not deep - only an inch or two but the temperature was 22 degrees and there was slush, especially in the shade. The Pirellis provided good grip in slush and snow, although I wasn't pushing the car by any means. - I noticed that after sitting in my garage for 4 or 5 days without moving, these tires seemed to flat-spot a bit. They were rough when I first drove away from my house, but this resolved itself quickly with a mile or two of driving. This is still pretty early in my experience with these tires to provide a full review. I don't even have 500 miles on these tires, so they probably still have some mold release lubricant on the surface. I'll provide more information once I get a few more miles on them.

Hey Dennis, if you have already gone skiing this year....well, that is just NOT fair. Our season won't begin in the White Mtns. until late Nov.

I have indeed! We have Arapahoe Basin and Loveland open right now. Winter Park should open in the next week, and then Keystone and Breckenridge right after that. Early season snow has been good so far, so we're hoping for a big snow year!

I don't have snows for my Porsche but I've run Dunlop Wintersports on my cars for years. I love them. I first put them on my TT and have been sold ever since. I'm glad you like the Pirellis. I'll give them a look when I need a new set! -Eric

Quotes source post: 10846766

I also ran Dunlop Wintersports on a 2002 Audi TT 225hp and they were exceptional winter tires.

With help from TireRack I also ordered the Pirelli WinterSports. I had looked at the Blizzaks for a while but by the time I came to order there were no front sizes left. I ended up ordering a set of their wheels as well and they showed up yesterday (well before the snow). It also happens to be well before the C4S which I am picking up in South Carolina this weekend. Glad to hear the Pirellis are good - they look good even sitting in a pile in my garage.

The Dunlops get great reviews. Unfortunately, the size required for the front is back ordered. Damon felt that the Pirellis would perform a little better on dry pavement and the Dunlops would perform a little better in snow.

Let us know how they work out. I had Blizzaks on my X5, and they did an impressive job of keeping its bulk under control on snow and ice.

Quotes source post: 10827137

Nice Dennis, I like the new Avatar too.

It's hard to believe the snow is actually coming. It seems like just last week we were at the beach. Oh well, let's get the snow and get it over with! If anyone needs help deciding what works best, please call me. Inventory is peaking now and will start to be depleted through November. Thanks.

Quotes source post: 10848967

Thanks! A friend took that shot at our last PCA tour.

I have also been shopping for winter tires for my C4. I have 17 inch rims for an extra set of winter wheels and finding anything that fit was near imposible. Thanks to Tire Rack I have settled on the Dunlap SP 3D. The size is a bit off but the all important Diameter is a good fit with 215/50 front and 245/45 rears. I did not want to give up dry handling any more than necessary as we do not have that much snow in the low lands of Seattle, but I wanted the safety of Winter tires for my Daily Driver.

I have the blizzak LM 60, which did fine on cold and slick Berthoud Pass last winter (after it was plowed). But, I was not impressed with performance in a few inches of slush or ice. Might have been better in a C4 or C4S.