Another 996 tyre question - Page 1 - 911/Carrera GT - PistonHeads UK

Evening all…..it’s new tyre time and I was hoping to get some Michelin PS4S for my 98 3.4 997…but, I’ve just seen they do not make them! Gutted.. So my question is…do I stick with another set on Pirelli’s Roso N4 or do I go for for Pilot Sport 2s…which seem to of been out for ever. Or go for standard Michelin PS5s? Type sizes for the 996.1 are 225 40 18 and 265 35 18 Is there a chance of anything else being released? Thanks

I’d go PS5 personally. When my 987 needed tyres a few years ago I replaced N fitment PS2 with PS4 and no complaints whatsoever. The PS2 were the most expensive option and very long in the tooth by then. No idea what I’ll do if I need to replace the rears as PS4 no loner looks to be available in my size (265/40/18).

I've had those Piirellis on my 986 and they were awful. When I bought a 996 with them on, the first thing I did was replace them. I've had Goodyear F1 Asymmetric 6's on my Boxster and don't have any complaints about them. I was going to buy Michelins but due to an out of stock situation, went for the 6s. Worth reading numerous comparison tests to see how good they are. i've ended up going for Continental SportContact 7's on the 996 based on numerous reviews and again, they have proved to be great. I'm unsure of the longevity of them but I'm not overly concerned about that. They have won numerous comparative tests so are definitely up there with the best, if not the best road tyres around currently.

Another happy Eagle F1 A6 customer here. Bought after comparing different test results that reported they have good feel on turn in due to a stiffer sidewall than the Michelins. Great in the dry, damp and wet and they held up better than expected (for a road tyre) on track. They were a fair bit cheaper than the Michelin at the time too. As above, the Conti gets great reviews, although I believe the new Pirelli equivalent is the current darling of Ultra High Performance (UHP) tyres now.

I had PS5 on my 996 when I had it a few years ago. They were great

I recently had this same issue, and in particular with the rear was very confused about what to do. Eventually went with PS5's at 275/35/18 and they have been decent.

PS5 on mine, they are great, certainly no worse than PS4S ive had on other cars! Ive got PS2 on my standard wheels and they are fine but not as nice all round as PS5. Other contenders for me were Good Year Eagle F1 Supersports or Contisport 7's (PS4S alternatives but I like them better than PS4S on other cars ive had them on)

I've got Continental SC7 and very pleased with them, but can only compare to worn and 8 year old Dunlop sport maxx

Conti sport Contact 7 or Eagle F1 Assym 6 are both a better tyre than the PS4S for 996 and 997's, Much better turn in and over all steering feel, the PS4S is really wooly. I took mine off after 1500 mies they were just so numb. I have not tried the N rated version though, as they don't do them in my sizes, and hear they are much better with a much firmer side wall and outside edge rubber.

When it comes to tyres, personally, I’m not one to follow consensus or other people’s opinions - I look at the data, the tyre composition and the intended use of the tyre. One of the metrics that I have found reliable over time is the tread wear rating of a tyre, especially a summer tyre. While not the be all and end all, the lower the tread wear rating the softer the compound, the higher the grip of said tyre, although wear will be higher than one with a higher rating. Pirelli Rosso and PS2 N rated tyres have a 220 treadwear rating. Continental SC 7 has a 240 treadwear rating. PS4S, 300; PS5, 340, and Cup 2s, 180. Folk will say treadwear rating is not important, but if I was choosing a tyre for performance, not necessarily longevity, I’d choose the lower treadwear rated tyre, but that’s just me. I have Pirelli Rosso on my Boxster and Cup 2’s on my 997. If I were changing tyres today, I’d go Pirelli Rosso again and maybe try the Conti’s for the 997.

I have Pirelli on my 911 - they were the original fitment and Porsche recommended I keep Pirelli on the car when they were replaced... I had quite a discussion with them about which brands they recommend.

The problem with going softer is you are also losing the support needed to give that razor sharp steering feel off centre and a precise, direct turn in at the expense of gaining a bit more grip at the absolute limit. There is a reason Porsche work with the tyre manufacturers and have a different compound on the oem tyre compared to the off the shelf version, and that is so the steering and dynamics of the car is how they designed it to be all the time. Throw on a softer tyre and the steering goes out of the window and you also start to get less feedback from your car on the limit, sure it will grip a smidge longer but when it lets go it does so with a snap that is far more difficult to catch. I think most people would prefer a little less grip for a car that they can feel is starting to let go and is very easy to get back under control, with the added bonus the steering and that razor sharp turn in will also return. You can get more grip by letting the tyres down to 24psi too, but it will ruin the handling of the car too. Don't get me wrong I love Rossos, great tyre, I have run them on my BW tourings over the years are they are super comfy and those cars have very little steering feel to start with, but they are are quiet, comfy and I don't worry about snap oversteer as I never push that car too hard anyway. I even live with the 8k mile tyre life on the rear. But I think on a Porsche you are losing out a lot using a Rosso. But we all want different things, so no right or wrong, but they will make a huge difference.

I guess it also depends on how much ‘track work’ and ‘road work’ you want to do. My 996 is purely for ‘road work’ so my tire guy would only sell me the PS5. I’ve done c. 10k miles on them in all conditions (including just one outing at Goodwood). I’d buy the same again.

Nothing wrong with PS5, but you have thrown away the steering and turn in feel that makes 911's so great.