A different Tyre question

[Shane Hodges]

Just about to replace all 4 tyres so I have a number of options, but I'm now down to 3.

I fancy the Dunlop SP Sport 9000's (I like the directional tread pattern) but can find no mention of an "N" rating anywhere. Are my search engines letting me down or is there in fact no rating?

FYI, the other options are:

1) Conti Contact Sport 2's. I have the 1's at the moment.

2) Michelin Pilot Sport. However, I prefer the N0 tread pattern but they don't do this any more. The pattern on the N2 and the SX MXX3 are similar to the Conti's, so will probably have the Conti's unless the Dunlops turn up an N rating.

Cheers,

 

[Sundeep]

problem is that no certain manufacturers bothered with the N rating....

as the best tyre out there "Goodyear F1 GSD3" isn't N rated, or rather Goodyear couldn't be bothered...

but the N rating does have slight differences in the construction.. apparently ! so does / may / may not / could / should / make a difference ????

or another marketing ploy by Porsche & tyre companies to make more money out of us []


still wondering about those F1's though ![8|]

 

[Stewart Rix]

Shane
I've just changed mine and stayed with Conti N2's. The N1's, being OE on our cars have been superceded now for some time and hence you're unlikely to find them. I don't know how the other tyres that you're considering perform, but I would certainly recommend sticking with rubber with a N rating (any N rating apparently as the higher the number, the later it is in the Porsche approval series). Whether or not there is a tangible difference is ride or handling characteristics, I'd still be left with the nagging doubt that you should have what Porsche specify.

 

[Shane Hodges]

Cheers.

Re the N rating, my nagging doubt has always been the insurance.

If disaster struck, to be met by the words "Sorry Sir, it appears you had non-approved tyres on your vehicle, a modification, and hence your insurance is invalid" would be more than heartbreaking.

 

[tim court]

N ratings are given to tyres tested by Porsche as suitable for their vehicles. When Bridgestone brought out the SO3 I telephoned Porsche and they said they may get round to it sometime but may not. I could try the SO3's and form my own opinion....

Spoke to the insurers and they said as long as it is legal and the correct size then it is okay.

Check out the Pilot Sport PS2 reviews- seems very highly rated by Porsche drivers.

 

[Shane Hodges]

What a nice surprise ..... despite my belief that the edges of my rears were a tadge on the low side (and the fronts getting on a bit too), JZ say there is still 5mm of tread and hence 5k+ miles in them - that will do me for the summer! Will post an update later to the steering lightness solution.

Re the tyres, Conti N2 and Michelin PS N2 are still at the top of the list ... unless anything new comes out over the summer.

Maurice, I think your N Rating missive was in PP rather than on the forum? A copy a paste job would be useful so I can save a hard copy on my PC (all my PP's go to the recycling van!)

 

[Black80XSA]

You can still get SO2s in Porsche N rated sizes, and prices are not too bad either.

SP9000s are disguised as SP9090 for Porsches - may be N rated and non N rated in this nomenclature so check.

Interestingly i though i saw SO3s on a new C4S this week - tread pattern looked like SO3, but they were badges as SO2-A and N rated.

 

[Sundeep]

but there is a link in the FAQ to N rates tyres..... for that Porcshe Doc , thanks to the Champion of the Cupholder cause .. Mark !

 

[Guest]

All very interesting comments. Particularly the bit about the Goodyear F1 GSD3 rubbish ok for Audis et al. Might be driving a lowly 928 but after extensive research including the fact that at this short cut you can see the Dunlop SP9000 are N rated all beit as said above under pseudonym SP9090:

http://www.dunloptyres.co.uk/site/tyres/car/searchResults/patterns/SP9000/

Strange to have to look on their website of all places. Only joking!

Other interesting sites and reviews re: the above:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/gy_f1_gs_d3.jsp

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/bs_RE050A_rd.jsp

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/surveyresults/surveydisplay.jsp?type=MP

Particularly like the last shortcut that gives you a good idea about comparisons - wet and dry - and overall.

Anyway, only having a lowly Manual 928 S4 which obviously doesn't produce enough torque or heavy enough to test the grip and performance of tyres, but saying that, the 4 new Eagle F1 GSD3s I have just put on are fantastic. Grippy? I'll let you guess.

This in mind - price - cost me 397 quid for the four all in with VAT - thats 2 225/45/17 Y rated and 2 255/40/17 Y rated. Balanced and fitted. Compare the performance and price. You decide. I'm not sure I care about N rating.

 

[Guest]

Hi Maurice,

It wasn't my intention to criticise yourself or the N rating at all. What I wanted to illustrate is that there is a bit of tyre testing going on out there comparing different tyres and it makes interesting reading. I know I found it interesting as I'm sure I would have the Porsche Post articles you are referring to. In addition the N rating says Porsche have tested and approve them but an absence of an N rating does not meen Porsche don't approve of the tyres in question but then that's obvious. The reviews and surveys out there provide feedback on a huge scale from thousands of users not just what we know on a regional level. I personally like this sort of data and find it helpful in making a choice. The information is certainly relevant.

With reference to the 911 model line as apposed to the 928 I concede there are differences in the performance requirements due to the huge lump of horsepower sitting at the rear but I'm not sure it would be correct to say that all non-N rated tyres are inappropriate. Tyres that are N rated will of course be fine, but there are tyres out there that are yet to be tested. So I suggest it is useful to keep an open mind. After all I believe the latest Pilot Sports are yet to get their N rating. I wouldn't suggest they are only good enough for Audis.

 

[Guest]

This is always going to be a problem and it is where experience with other Porsches is useful but perhaps from people running older 911s where the official recommendations are no longer current. One thing is for sure, if you do what I've just done for members of the 928uk group and survey what people are using for tyres, oil etc, you'll realise that there are many alternatives and options out there. If you ring a respectable tyre fitter they'll tell you what everyone else is fitting to 993s and what they recommend.

Doesn't help though if the insurance companies keep getting twitchy about cars only having recommended tyres. Particularly when the last ones that were recommended are no longer available!!

 

[Guest]

I know you are right about the vehicles. I thought the Bridgestones although a lot of people say they are rubbish, are waiting for testing. Lastly, I think being grumpy is great!! It always makes me feel better.

 

[Shane Hodges]

Blimey, I go away for a few days and WWIII breaks out!

Martin, cheers for the link to the well-hit dunlop site (your post 11 above), but my car rides on 17" wheels. 18" is a different ball game on my 993 and the only Porsche approved N0's showing on the site are for 18" tyres. Even the various SP9090's dotted about the place (which don't appear to have an N rating) don't equate to my wheel size. If this is all the info there is, then I think it look as though there are no N rated Dunlop tyres for me ... unless there's other info available?

Just to put my penneth into the debate about the tests, personally I only tend to look at Porsche tests / owners comments. I tend to chat to the garages / check forum postings and don't tend to listen too much to the guy in his Golf GTI who loves his latest purchase!

At the moment, the majority of the info I am getting is saying stick to N ratings - they do as they say on the label.

 

[peterarcher]

After Maurices piece on N ratings in Porsche Post recently we should all be 'N' experts now. The issue for me is not what 'N' rating but where can you get the best deal. Those rears just wear away and thats leaving the lights in a well behaved manner. Ah well, motoring bliss for the price of a tyre.
Peter

 

[Guest]

No probs. Just think when you ask around amongst other Porsche drivers it's surprising they often recommend other tyres. In addition when you start looking at reviews of tyres like the customer surveys on the Tire Rack website and they are reporting ratings off the back of anything from 500000 (Pilot Sport PS2) to 16 million miles (Bridgestone Potenza S03) then in my book it's worth including the info in any assessment. It's not just Jonny Lager Lout talking Escorts - that would be an uneducated stance. I'm suggesting an educated one. But as you said, we all have to make up our own mind.