P-Zero or Pilot Super Sport

I will be buying new tires in near future - after BRBS, I have narrowed it down to the OEM N-rated P-Zero from Pirelli or the Michelin Pilot Super Sport. The Michelin tires are highly rated on Tire rack but the Pirellis are N-rated. Any thoughts on this?

Just curious, Mike. What tires have you got on there now and how many miles on them?

The car came with P-Zeros. I have about 15,000 miles on them. The fronts are still OK but the rears are gong to need replacement in the not too distant future.

For whatever is worth, my car came with PZero Rosso's when I bought it. As the tires wore, they became very noisy and hard as a brick. I switched to Michelin Pilot Sports and then Super Sports. No comparison - the Michelins have been far better.

If you did, the P Zeros would be a real change--firmer for sure, more noise, less tread wear and more $.
When the time comes to dump our P Zeros, it will be either GY F1 or Mich. SS

A cheaper alternative that i like a lot is the BFG G-force Sport Comp-2.

Wears better than PSS, very good in wet, and i've even had it on two tracks with good results.
I have those as my street tires on both the base 986 and my Audi S6 wagon.
Of course, i cant get the PSS for either....

Pirelli's, IMNSHO, are expensive, but not exceptional.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

But its not that bad, and the other characteristics are class leading. If you want more progressive at the limit, and N=-spec, get the PS-2.

Or the BFG's that i suggested.

Nothing wrong with the Pirellis mind you, i would put those above any Conti's or most Bridgestones.

One point i'd like to disagree with Marc about - its generally hard to characterize at the manufacturer level. Yes, Michelin ( and thus BFG) have the highest "quality" in the industry. But this means, failure rate, roundness, etc. It has NOTHING to do with performance characteristics, which are a trade off anyway - wear for grip, dry for wet, ride for steering response, etc. If you want the tire that will tickle you the most you need to get down to the specific model.

The PSSs are really, really good. So are the PS-2s, and the BFG g-force sport comp-2 blah, blah. The BFG's are in some whys the best trade-off of many balanced characteristics. A couple weaknesses - some lack of steering responsiveness/perceived stability. Much more noticeable in the Porsche than in the Audi. A bit more squirm, and NVH. But i have no complaints overall. PSSes are better in these respects, better dry grip, ok++ in wet.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

Anything's possible, but from what my tire guy can see, and he;s Pirelli's On-site Grand Am engineer, (no united Sports car racing) the carcass is the same.

And my experience is not guess-work, its just what is.

Grant

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

different formulations, positioning, tread patterns, etc.

BFG is treadwear 340, PSS 300, PS2 220.

BFG tread is quite open (water dispersal) but less stable than longitudinal ribs ( Michelin).

Different tires, but based on the same technology, processes and management.

G

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

In the 20 inch size, the only tires available are Goodyear F1(n rated), Michelin PSS, Bridgestone Potenza (N rated), and Pirelli P Zero (N rated) - in order from cheapest to most expensive. Only the Michelins are not N-ratd.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/24/2014 08:40PM by Lawdevil & CURVN8R. (view changes)

If you trust TR's tire comparison and testing, the BS S0-4 looks very impressive as an alternative and a lot cheaper ($100/tire) if you buy it in a slightly larger size--245-275/40/19. The fly in the ointment on the BS is that tire weight goes way up--about 5lbs/tire. On another car it might not matter, but on the 981 it could really affect steering response.

Actual tire price competitive with Tire Rack.

Jeff Benson:

2016 Boxster, See it here: www.greatvalleyhouse.com/Boxster

---

First car: 1952 Hudson Hornet

First roadster: 1962 Austin Healy 3000 III

Still have: Computer free 1974 MGB

Previous Porsches since 1982: 924, 944, 944S, and four Boxsters; 97, 03, 08 & 2012

then switched to Michelin tires. The price difference was inconsequential. Often a $100 or so (per set of 4) and once or twice the Michelin tires were a few dollars less than other brands.

The word I got from various trusted sources was the Michelin tires were better tires than other comparable brands of tires.

Based on my experience, I would have to agree. Not oodles better but at the same price or nearly the same price I'd choose Michelin over any other brand.

Now I have to mention I've never ventured to use non N-rated tires on my Porsches. I've tended to discount the reports of those that have used non N-rated tires on their cars and had nothing but praise for their selection. What else would they say?

OTOH, I have come across enough reports from those who found the non N-rated tires less than satisfactory that convinces me that my choice to stay with N-rated tires is the right choice for me.

Up to you of course, what you do. I'm not looking to start a N-rated vs. non N-rated tire debate.

But comparing apples to apples, N-rated tire to N-rated tire, barring some unacceptable price premium for the Michelin tire, I'd go with Michelin over Pirelli.

Have to say though the Pirelli tires have not been bad. The only negative from my experience with them is they get noisy as they wear and age and harden from the heat cycles. But they deliver good road feel, grip, and tread life. The other tire brands though do the same. While I had a bit of apprehension when getting the car back with Pirelli tires the car exhibited no signs of any negative issues from having gone from Michelin to Pirelli tires and after just a few minutes of driving I put the fact that the car now had Pirelli tires instead of Michelin tires mounted out of my mind.

BTW, the 996 has only had Continental and Bridgestone tires. My experience with these two brands is they are good tires, too.

What it boils down to if you had a number of sets of different brands of tires: Bridgestone, Continental, Michelin, or Pirelli; from new to nearly worn out and swapped these sets between test drives, I'm not sure I could tell you which brand of tire was on the car. I would hazard a guess of the sets of worn tires the set of tires that made the most noise, or at least I believed to be the noisiest, that the tires were Pirelli tires, but whether I'd be right or not who knows?

Thus based on my experience when it comes to tire selection for either of my Porsches, while my 1st choice would be Michelin (assuming the cost is on par compared to the cost of the other tires) I would not give it a second thought to have Pirelli or Bridgestone or Continental tires mounted. All N-rated, of course. I'll leave the non N-rated tires to the experimenters.

I would have gotten them if they made them in my car's size.

Grant

gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com

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