944 S2 - Tyres?

[zcacogp]

Chaps,

A quickie.

I have a 944 S2, and although it doesn't need tyres now, it may do soon (go figure ... !)

What tyres do people recommend for this? It's an S2, so has the 16inch wheels, a la Turbo. Currently it wears Continentals (IIRC), which I am happy with, but have nothing else to compare it with. (I found that good tyres - Bridgestone RE720's - transformed every Golf I have ever owned.)

Also, where to buy? I have always had good experiences with www.mytyres.co.uk. Had anyone bettered them?


Oli.

[tr7v8]

Goodyear GSD3 F1's although be careful they're not available in all sizes.
As for good place I use RM Tyres in Strood, which would mean a run out to Kent but it's 5 minutes from J1 M2. They're on 01634 716336 they're very careful with Alloys and good pricing. Tell them Jim with the Porsche 944 sent you.

PS see you at the SELNK TiPEC meeting Friday?

[wildoliver]

I'm running bridgestones on my 964 at the mo, same wheels as yours, tbh I'll be fitting conti's next time.

But the bridgys are ok.

[aasc]

Falken 451's (or even the newer 452's) - cheapest is directly from falken.co.uk or a very similar site. Great all-weather tyres & not bad on circuits either.

However they have no 'N' rating so depending on how much you're swayed by the BS around that you may or may not be up for them.

[zcacogp]

Wildoliver, Why do you rate Conti's over Bridgestones? Every experience I have ever had with the two has suggested that Bridgestones are superior (although admittedly with very different types of car - FWD hatches.)

TR7V8/Jim - Yes! I have PM'ed you on porsche-1 about 1/2 hour ago, asking about it! Funny how these things co-incide ...


Oli.

[zcacogp]

aasc said:

However they have no 'N' rating so depending on how much you're swayed by the BS around that you may or may not be up for them.

Thanks ... what's an 'N' rating? Naughty? Nasty? (made of) Nougat?


Oli.

[wildoliver]

I like conti's because on 911's you need a very stiff sidewall for the rears, hence Nrating. the Bridgys have a bit too much flex for me.

On a 944 it won't be as important so try the Bridgys

[sleep envy]

zcacogp said:

what's an 'N' rating? Naughty? Nasty? (made of) Nougat?

Oli, it's Porsche's development number.

Starts off at N1 and works up to N2, N3, N4 etc with N4 being the newer design over the N3.

Nothing to stop you going away from the N numbers but the cars were developed with those tyres.

When I had to buy rear tyres for the C2 there was only £4 difference between the N rated and non N rated - if you look around you shouldn't get shafted.

Also worth doing a search - loads more has been posted about this kind of topic by those more knowledgable than me

[zcacogp]

sleep envy said:

Oli, it's Porsche's development number. Starts off at N1 and works up to N2, N3, N4 etc with N4 being the newer design over the N3. Nothing to stop you going away from the N numbers but the cars were developed with those tyres. When I had to buy rear tyres for the C2 there was only £4 difference between the N rated and non N rated - if you look around you shouldn't get shafted. Also worth doing a search - loads more has been posted about this kind of topic by those more knowledgable than me

Intersting, thanks.

So, are they only on one brand of tyre, or on more than one? Presumably only the one.

Which Porsche were they developed for tho'? The 944 and the 911 (and the different variants of the 911, come to think of it) will have very different tyre demands, surely? Front or Rear engined, 4WD for some 911's, differing power outputs, differing total weights, different tyre sizes - surely if Porsche were developing tyres, they would want to develop one tyre for each model?


Oli.

[aasc]

Some tyre-fitters won't fit non-N rated rubber to Porsches. I've always put this down to their profitability - particularly for 944s & 968's - as the N-rating thing has only been around for about 11 years - which pre-dates 944s.

They try several tricks such as "you won't be insured without an N rated tyre", this could stem from German TUV rules - then again Michelin Cups seem OK for TUV reqs...

[bite-me]

Pirelli P-Zero/Nero's all round no problems

[basil brush]

I used to run Goodyear F1s on 16" D90s on my old 944S. Great tyres.