Cayman 987 Rear Tyres - what's going on? - Page 2 - Boxster/Cayman - PistonHeads UK

I always hate, "which tyre" threads but having been to look for new rear tyres for my 987, it appears as though my only option these days is an array on ancient Michelin tyres (PS2, supersports etc), an array of ancient Goodyear tyres, or the Bridgestone Potenza Sport (I had a set on the front a while back and was a bit underwhelmed by their longevity). Am I missing something? Are there supply issues with PS4S and other newer designs? If I can't get them, what would be a decent match for the PS4S's I currently have on the front? I tend to use the car for leisure and/or winter track days (it's done 100s of track days but has been somewhat retired since I started racing 4 or so years ago)

I think perhaps your longevity issues with the Poyenza Sport is down to the fact that it starts at 6mm when new. And/or track use? It's still a very good road tyre, just not great value for the amount of tread. Does it sound like a short term supply issue or is that it? What's the size? I really like Conti 7s but perhaps not in the right size for you? Kumhos PS71 or PS72 are surprisingly good too.

nickfrog said: I think perhaps your longevity issues with the Poyenza Sport is down to the fact that it starts at 6mm when new. And/or track use? It's still a very good road tyre, just not great value for the amount of tread. Does it sound like a short term supply issue or is that it? What's the size? I really like Conti 7s but perhaps not in the right size for you? Kumhos PS71 or PS72 are surprisingly good too. Yeah I'm basing that on them falling apart after a track day. Maybe I will give them another go. The size is 265/40/18. It might be a bit of an unusual size these days?

If you're not going to track them then Blackcircles have the Conti 7s for less than the Potenzas. That would be my choice.

PS4?

I have Goodyear Eagle F1 on mine Very happy 18 months in

Continental Sport Contact 7 would be my choice.I prefer them over the Michelins on my 982. Very much like the Michelin PS4s but with a slightly sportier feel, more direct steering. Ultimately a little more grip. They wear quicker, but that's offset by a lower price (£190 for the rears & 235/40 r18 are £130 if that's your front size? Those are fitted prices from Blackcircles so you may be able to do better). There are some general tyre supply issues currently. However, The MPS4s is long overdue for replacement and supply issues seem particularly poor for it in the UK. Pure speculation but perhaps they are running down stock ahead of its replacement (general release PS s5).

The rear tyres seem to be an odd size, as when I was looking for tyres two or three years ago there were only old tyres available. I wasn’t impressed with the wet performance of the Bridgestone’s, so I opted to go to 275/60/18 Michelin PS5.

What's the problem with getting PS4S tyres? I just bought a pair or rears in 265/35R20 for my Boxster S a couple of weeks ago. I even got them in N0, not that I'm convinced there's much difference from the non-Porsche spec...

FYI the Potenza Sport Evo address the longevity issue of the Sports.

LunarOne said: What's the problem with getting PS4S tyres? I just bought a pair or rears in 265/35R20 for my Boxster S a couple of weeks ago. I even got them in N0, not that I'm convinced there's much difference from the non-Porsche spec... A lot of these newer tyres are easy to get to fit 20s, but cars on 18s not so much.

Magic919 said: LunarOne said: What's the problem with getting PS4S tyres? I just bought a pair or rears in 265/35R20 for my Boxster S a couple of weeks ago. I even got them in N0, not that I'm convinced there's much difference from the non-Porsche spec... A lot of these newer tyres are easy to get to fit 20s, but cars on 18s not so much. Yep. For a while they didn't even make PS4S in 18" sizes initially.

I changed from PS2s to Conti SC7s. The Contis wear faster. A lot faster. They’re comparable in terms of dry grip, but frankly the PS2 was far better for wet grip. I’ve had few twitchy moments on the SC7s (as recently as Tuesday morning on the M53 / M56 junction) but never on PS2s.

I don’t get why folk overcomplicate tyres on these cars. Just buy N rated tyres and be done with it. If you track the car and don’t drive it in the winter time, get a set of N rated Cup 2’s - they’re the best! Otherwise, go with what Porsche recommend.

^ I didn't see anyone over complicate anything here so far. The simplistic option here to go for the only available N tyre would mean ending up with a tyre launched about 20 years ago, the PS2.

nickfrog said: ^ I didn't see anyone over complicate anything here so far. The simplistic option here to go for the only available N tyre would mean ending up with a tyre launched about 20 years ago, the PS2. Yeah things move on & the PS2 s are ancient now. Potenza Sport Evo s get great reviews & new Pirelli P Zero R if you can get them. Conti SC7 sit behind these two.

The original Potenza Sport is an amazing tyre, for the road. It is incredibly grippy while keeping amazing steering feel, which many tyres lose, but this is more so with the rear tyres than front, and also, don't mix tyres front and rear, it may work OK, but you will unbalance the car, maybe a little, but maybe a lot. It is also incredible in the wet. However, that tyre has been banned in the EU due to not meeting emissions regulations, MPG figures not hit and combine that with a low wear rate and they didn't make it. The EVO version as someone said above sorts this out. But will it make it as good a tyre? I hate the PS4S (non N rated) on these cars as the steering goes all wooly, so think I would go Continetal Sport Contact 7, but do front and rear, or put on what you have on the rear to keep it matched. I had 2 sets of wheels, both 19s, one with Michelin and one with Bridgestone, the Michelin are quiet'ish, comfy, grippy, great in the wet and last a long time, but, swap over to the Bridgestones and you realise the steering feel is shocking. You lose that razor sharp off centre precision and the initial turn in is beyond crap. Initially when I got the Michelins I had my geo checked over, they said it didn't need anything doing other than nearside toe in brought back from 0.04 to 0.03 again, but I thought maybe they had screwed the geo up. I took it somewhere else and they showed me it was where I like it. It was only then that I thought maube it was the Michelins? I had bought another set of wheels, so put the Lobsters back on with the Bridgestones and bingo! The car was back to feeling like a sports car and not a Golf GTi. I got the Bridgestones put in the new wheels and didn't even bother putting the Michelins back on the Lobsters. I was amazed at just how much difference there was, and more amazed at how much praise the PS4S actually get when they numbs things as much as they do. I have not tried the N rated version, which Porsche has said they have completely changed the compound on as they found the same with the standard 4S. Much stiffer side wall and the inside and outside 1/4 or so of the tyre use a much firmer compound too, so you don't get that twisting of rubber as you first turn. I jsut don't think I would risk it going forward until I had got to try someone else's car with the N rated version first.

I found the Bridgestones weren’t as good in the wet as the Michelins. I found the Bridgestones were easier to get the back end out and had more understeer in the wet. I won’t go back to them. I should add that I had the front tyres replaced first.

Portofino said: nickfrog said: ^ I didn't see anyone over complicate anything here so far. The simplistic option here to go for the only available N tyre would mean ending up with a tyre launched about 20 years ago, the PS2. Yeah things move on & the PS2 s are ancient now. Potenza Sport Evo s get great reviews & new Pirelli P Zero R if you can get them. Conti SC7 sit behind these two. My 987 Cayman has DOT 23 PS2s on the front and DOT 24 Bridgestone RE050As on the rear; both are N rated. For the street, at national speed limits, they're more than enough tyre for my driving.

maz8062 said: My 987 Cayman has DOT 23 PS2s on the front and DOT 24 Bridgestone RE050As on the rear; both are N rated. For the street, at national speed limits, they're more than enough tyre for my driving. Porsche Technical Service Bulletin Quote [TSB] "Mixing N-Spec Tyres Use only tyre types tested by Porsche. Only tyres with the same manufacturer and with the same specification code (e.g. "N0", "N1" ...) should be mounted on the vehicle. Tyres should be replaced no less than in pairs on one axle at a time. Only tyres of the same tyre make and type must be used. Since many Porsche vehicles are fitted with different sized tyres on their front and rear axles, this requires matching the tyre brand, tyre name and N-specification front to rear."

maz8062 said: My 987 Cayman has DOT 23 PS2s on the front and DOT 24 Bridgestone RE050As on the rear; both are N rated. For the street, at national speed limits, they're more than enough tyre for my driving. I literally had the same on my 996 when the tyre place realised they had been sent the wrong size rears. I drove that car for a week on that mix and it was terrible. You could feel the traction kicking in, and it was the only time the car has ever let go without provoking it, it was on wet roundabout doing about 20mph. I love that RE050a for feel though, the best tyre for steering feel. But rock hard, noisy and and just not great when it starts to cloud over, let alone rain.

williamp said: I have Goodyear Eagle F1 on mine Very happy 18 months in Might be a bit late for you now but you'd have no cause for complaint with these.

Still happy woth them