N rated Tyres

[andygrey]

Jumping back a bit, the Conti's that I've fitted have now settled down a bit and have improved somewhat. They are still a trifle 'nobbly' but are a little less noisy (this is common with new tyres as the harder outer 'skin' wears off when bedding).The turn-in however is still not as linear as on the P7000's. Would a strut brace (as suggested previously in this thread) help? I would assume that the answer is 'yes' as it effectivly stiffens up the front end which usually results in a tad more understeer but a more linear response to steering input. Anybody got any experience of this?

Cheers

 

[Lowtimer]

How dare they?! They are either lying to you or deluded.
Simple as that.

For confirmation, ring your insurance company.
It's pretty outrageous for a tyre fitter to claim it knows your insurance company's policies, by the way. Do they even know who you're insured with? Thought not...

PS, as for tyre recommendations it would help if you said what car you had and what your wheel and tyre sizes are...

 

[GlennS]

I have to fit N rated tyres to my car or the insurance will be void

Twaddle. I suggest you find another "favourite tyre supplier" as the ones who told you that are dishonest at worst and ignorant at best.

 

[GlennS]

I would also add that in 2011 Porsche posted a list of recommended modern tyres for their "Classic" cars, the 944 included. Whilst some of the tyres were n-rated others weren't so even Porsche isn't totally wedded to the concept of n-rating.

 

[Riverside]

N-rated tyres are ones that are 'Porsche approved', meaning they have been tested & meet Porsches (as you can imagine) precise criteria. Other tyres simply haven't been tested. N1, N2, N3 etc just means the variant of the tyre (like saying Mk1/Mk2 or escort) and should not be considered equivalent across manufacturers. Falken make a popular tyre for Porsches that aren't N-rated.

Personally I would keep the same tyres all round on a sportscar, and ideally change them all at the same time too, so if you have N2-rated Conti sports on the back, fit N2-rated Conti sports to the front. This helps maintain the handling balance & consistent feel ime.

 

[Lowtimer]

Bear in mind too that N rating is always about the needs of the 911 ahead of anything else. The idea that one particular tyre can be the best all-rounder on both a 964 and a 944 Turbo is fairly unlikely.

 

[GlennS]

The argument for and against n-rated tyres has been made many times on here. People choose to follow their own path on that one. What I think few of us would disagree on is that it isn't / shouldn't be an insurance requirement.

 

[zcacogp]

ORIGINAL: Lowtimer

How dare they?! They are either lying to you or deluded.
Simple as that.

For confirmation, ring your insurance company.
It's pretty outrageous for a tyre fitter to claim it knows your insurance company's policies, by the way. Do they even know who you're insured with? Thought not...

Precisely this. Sounds like a tyre seller trying to scare you into buying more expensive rubber.

I'd have a fairly pointed word with the manager and explain the reasons why you are going to be buying from somewhere else from now on. Here are two helpful links;

http://www.camskill.co.uk/

http://www.event-tyres.co.uk/


Oli.

 

[ChasR]

That is quite cheeky, although maybe he is trying to save his own back. After all, when my S2 once broke a handbrake shoe spring they did not even attempt to fix it, but chucked onto the low loader (not even a towing dolly) without asking any further questions. You seem to get this with many things (Christ, with a key cutter, he was saying he would cut a blade for me (or a VW key once we found out what key it should have, although he was saying that his 'colleague' would not even consider cutting one of their own VW keys or a supplied blade for a Porsche). With that advice in mind, I guess it can work both ways (over confident mechanics who believe that Porsches are just like VW in every way (crank bolt tightening torque and balance belt tension being two examples which spring to mind ).

Saying that, I guess the N rated can restrict the domain of what is 'OK'. I know that the N-rated Michelins on my Turbo are very grippy and will be considered next time . Touch wood they seem to be lasting well too (but this seems to be the case on other cars too with Michelins IME).

 

[DC911SC]

Thanks for the feedback that's what I thought!

A lot of you will be very surprised to hear that phone call I had was with the first people Oli suggested!

I buy a lot of tyres from them mainly for work cars and was really surprised. It won't stop me buying from them in the future though as they are still the cheapest, also I prefer to get them delivered and have my trusted indy fit then as he has a unit next to us.

The 944t is totally stock (and for sale now) just getting perfect after some vibration on a test drive over 70 mph.

Anyway want to put good tyres on design 90s currently 225 50 16 on the front any suggestions, prefer ones that a buyer would want!

 

[Lowtimer]

I must admit it's never even occurred to me to tell Camskill or any other mail-order supplier what car I am putting tyres on. I just order them online and the tyres duly turn up.

So, back to your original question: for tyre recommendations, what car is it, and on what wheels?

 

[DC911SC]

As above 944 turbo design 90s 205 55 16s

It was weird I knew what I wanted I called up to order, the guy asked me what car they were for and then gave me all the n rated....

edit above apologies was ordering tyres for another car today as well should read 225 50 16 on the front!

 

[Lowtimer]

Intriguing.

I'm on a full set of these, 205/55 at the front, 225/50 at the back:
http://www.camskill.co.uk/m62b0s291p97442/Uniroyal_Tyres_Car_Uniroyal_RainSport2_Uniroyal_RainSport_2_-_205_55_R16_91W_TL_Fuel_Eff_%3A_E_Wet_Grip%3A_B_NoiseClass%3A_2_Noise%3A_71dB

Which also came from Camskill, ordered online without any nosey questions and therefore without requiring me to tell them to mind their own business.

I have about 6,000 miles on them in all weathers, lots of wet running, and they have been absolutely superb. I'm not a track day fiend and can't testify to their effectiveness in that environment but I'd have no hesitation in buying them again for general road use.

 

[charlieb]

Just a check out of interest - you mention two different sizes of tires in your posts above. 205/55/16 or 225/50/16 for the fronts.

What width wheels have you got?

Only that the D90's on mine (7.5 and 9) take 225/50/16 and 245/45/16

And since I would have thought you are looking to match all four corners going forward and a buyer the same? If you have the same width D90's as mine - you will find only a few tires which come in both 225/50/16 and 245/45/16

Also unless I am misunderstanding the OP (and your chap at the tyre dealer saying it 'must have N rated') - the Continental Contisport you are after are actually in fact N rated and currently the only N Rated Tyre available in 245/45/16 (for the rear) with the correct 225/50/16 also available for the fronts and thus if that's what you have on the rear I would suggest the very same tire for the front. (At least they were last time I had them on mine!)

Mine tended to wander a touch about dead centre when it had non matched front and rears for a short period. (at the time toyo rear and contisport front) I am guessing due to differences in tread pattern.

I use http://www.oponeo.co.uk/ FWIW and find them good.

Pure twaddle that has any bearing on insurance. And as a side note out of the two I prefer the Toyo's []

 

[Lowtimer]

I am currently running on a set of S2 D90 wheels, 7" front, 8" rear. 205/55 front. 225/50 rear. Same sizes as an early Turbo.
The car feels better than on its 7.5" / 9" wheels, generally lighter on its feet and with more sensitive steering. A further advantage is that it is much easier to get a set of four good quality tyres all the same make and speed rating in 205/55 and 225/50, than in the late Turbo sizes of 225/50 and 245/45 (the latter being the real problem, hadly any choice at all, and those that are available tend to be very noisy and harsh, and dry-weather optimised).

My 7.5" and 9" wheels are up on the garage wall awaiting a refurb, but given the way the car works on the S2 wheels I am not in any hurry to put the wider ones back on the car.

 

[Masher]

ORIGINAL: Lowtimer

Bear in mind too that N rating is always about the needs of the 911 ahead of anything else. The idea that one particular tyre can be the best all-rounder on both a 964 and a 944 Turbo is fairly unlikely.

Agreed. I had understood the Porsche N rating was carried out on tyres to account for the unusual weight distribution of the 911.

Cheers
Mick

 

[944 man]

I deleted my earlier comment as I dont wish to deride Camskill. I suspect that the comment was made through ignorance rather than it being an attempt to up-sell through dishonesty.

When my car was inspected by Sheffield OPC last year the thing which concerned them the most was the fact that it had 4x 6mm Falken FK452 tyres which werent N rated! Its obviously a corporate line despite it being a nonsense.

 

[charlieb]

ORIGINAL: Lowtimer

I am currently running on a set of S2 D90 wheels, 7" front, 8" rear. 205/55 front. 225/50 rear. Same sizes as an early Turbo.
The car feels better than on its 7.5" / 9" wheels, generally lighter on its feet and with more sensitive steering. A further advantage is that it is much easier to get a set of four good quality tyres all the same make and speed rating in 205/55 and 225/50, than in the late Turbo sizes of 225/50 and 245/45 (the latter being the real problem, hadly any choice at all, and those that are available tend to be very noisy and harsh, and dry-weather optimised).

My 7.5" and 9" wheels are up on the garage wall awaiting a refurb, but given the way the car works on the S2 wheels I am not in any hurry to put the wider ones back on the car.

Certainly sounds plausible and another option if you don't want to go down the Cup/17 route and keep stock looking.

I will keep them just the way they are since I love the way the wider rears fill and accentuate the arches that touch more, until the rubber dries up that is.

Thinking about it - is there a better angle to the car than a low shot of the rear three quarter? []

 

[Hairyarse]

Last week I fitted 2x Conti premium sport 2's to the front of my Turbo just before I sold it, £168 all in. That was for 205/55 R16 and W rated. The rears, 225/50 R16 I didn't fit but got priced at £118 each from memory although they couldn't match the pattern for the rears, they were similar Conti tyres.

 

[TTM]

The Bridgestone S-02 is still made in 245/45 16"... Still haven't come across a better tyre in 16" yet. It does remarkably well in the wet too, provided you don't behave like a hooligan.