Tyre help please

[SteveMorrow]

I need to replace the rear tyres on my 2002 c2. Currently I have the following Michelin Pilot Sport tyres:
Rear: 285/30 ZR18 N1
Front: 225/40 ZR18 N1

I can no longer get the N1's, so it's looking like I may have to replace them all with N3's.
Best local quote so far is £1332 for the full set of Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 N3 !!! He did warn me to sit down first.

I've had a look at tyreshopper.com and Porscheshop (redirected to Michelin web site) and am a bit concerned that the tyre sizes I have are classed as optional, on the Michelin site, or, not at all, for the rears on the tyreshopper site.

Should I be using different sizes?
Can anyone recommend where I could get tyres mail order?

 

[944s2]

http://www.micheldever.co.uk/car_tyres.html

www.blackcircles.com/

www.mytyres.co.uk

 

[dij999]

Blackcircles? http://www.blackcircles.com

Dave J

 

[ashley]

try North Eastern Tyres in Middlesbrough still stocking N1s

 

[adrian996]

Hi Steve. I had trouble getting N1's for my car (all same sizes as yours) last year. Probably the last place I would have originally gone but my local ATS did a national search of all their branches and came up with a set down in Portsmouth. They were more than willing to get them transported to my local branch at no cost to me.

In the end I got the rears from my local OPC as they matched the ATS price (can you believe that!!?). It might be worth you giving your local ATS a call....

You might even find that they're doing discounts...?

http://www.atseuromaster.co.uk/retail-customers-special-offers-multibuy.htm
http://www.atstyreshop.co.uk/eshop/en_GB/productDetail?id=1-1NHK7M&mode=beforebuyingsequence

FYI I discovered that the N3's don't have the same curb-protection beading 'round the outside wall of the tyre so wouldn't have matched my front ones - so I'm glad that I hadn't forked out for them! It's only a minor cosmetic thing but I'm sure that you'd want to have the fronts looking the same as the rears.

 

[kasspa]

Steve,

I had Michelin N1's on my C4S, £600 to replace rears only & I got a set of Contis N2 for £715 from Event Tyres, fitted at my home address...

Have yet to see how they wear mileage wise but was told by Cambridge OPC that they were 'quieter' than Michelins.

Hope this helps,

Paul (kasspa)

 

[Richard_Hamilton]

I'm sure someone here spoke to Michelin and were told that it is OK to mix Pilot Sport N1 and N3's (but not on the same axle).............

 

[adrian996]

Yep. That's what they told me anyway. The only consideration is that the outer walls of the N1's and the N3's aren't the same to look at. Mixing on the same axle is apparently a no-no.

ORIGINAL: Richard Hamilton

I'm sure someone here spoke to Michelin and were told that it is OK to mix Pilot Sport N1 and N3's (but not on the same axle).............

 

[SteveMorrow]

Thanks for all your replies guys, there is some great information there. I'll make a few phone calls tomorrow and see if I can source some N1 rears first.

 

[Diesel130]

ORIGINAL: Richard Hamilton

I'm sure someone here spoke to Michelin and were told that it is OK to mix Pilot Sport N1 and N3's (but not on the same axle).............

That was me... have N3's on rear with N1's on front. Michelin UK head office confirmed this was an approved configuration. My outer walls look pretty similar - can't see any obvious differnces (although mine are 17" versions so that may make a difference).

 

[SteveMorrow]

Diesel130 wrote:

That was me... have N3's on rear with N1's on front. Michelin UK head office confirmed this was an approved configuration. My outer walls look pretty similar - can't see any obvious differnces (although mine are 17" versions so that may make a difference).

That's interesting, was the confirmation verbal or was there something in black and white? I'm just worrying about the insurance side of things, they will use anything to get out of a payout. []

 

[Diesel130]

Verbal. I'm 100% certain there are no insurance requirements on having the same N-rating on all 4 tyres. Many 911 users don't even use N-rated tyres...

 

[watlina]

Here's a link to a thread I did a year ago about my move to PS2 N3
http://www.porscheclubgbforum.com/tm.asp?m=452957
with some pictures of N3 vs N1

After a year and about 6,000 miles I've been happy with the N3s The fronts are hardly worn but the rears are getting there. I'll get another couple of thousand out of them over the summer but I'm sure I'll need a new set by the winter (8,000 out of a set of rears is about right for me)

 

[jonc4s]

I just got Pirelli P-Zero Assimetricos from Kwik Fit online for less than £200 a corner if you fancy a change given all four are being replaced.

 

[unclewinks]

Had all four ps2 n3 for £820,protyre,opc exeter quoted £920