02 Boxster got a new pair (2 pairs) of shoes... New tires. Not Michelins... Here's the story....

Parts manager went over the tires with me and the Michelin tires (PS2s, N-rated) that were on the car but worn out were the least expensive or just a few dollars more expensive than other tires and since I have had very good luck with the Michelin tires he ordered a set. The front tires came in a while back but the rear tires were back-ordered and not due until later this month around the 20th.

I brought the other car in for plugs and asked about the tires. The parts manager told me he can't get the rear tires until sometime in 2014. I asked and he said that the date (June 2014) the tire distributor gave him. The PM then said is this is the case the tire dist. will have to accept the front tires back. It was agreed the front tires were to go back.

So, Pirelli P-Zero Rossa (with "slant letters') Asimetrico tires were used. Fronts were the same price as the Michelin tires: $218 (list $278); the rears were either $15 more or less money, I can't recall now and the SM is busy with another customer, but the Pirelli tires were $251 ($298 list).

While I had the car in the front stabilzer links were replaced. One had a cracked rubber dust cover.

Tech inspected the car and spotted a camshaft cover (driver side) leak. We talked and he convinced me it was the cover and not a spark plug tube o-ring. Cost is roughly 5 hours labor and parts/supplies, probably close to $1000. But the tech advised me to wait on the cover reseal. He said with as many miles as the car has the driver's side VarioCam solenoid/actuartor might go bad and then the cover reseal would be for naught. He did broach the subject of if I wanted the cover resealed to go also ahead and as a preventative maintenance measure replace the solenoid/actuator. I balked for several reasons but the biggest is the $3K bill to do this work. Labor and parts about half and half.

The tech said that if the leak got worse -- no oil is hitting the ground or accumulating on top of the engine tray under the engine -- I could then decide. He said that under warranty the general rule is if no oil is hitting the ground that the leak is not covered by the warranty, but he did admit the tech has some say in this matter.

Anyhow, I elected to not have the camshaft cover resealed.

I test drove the Boxster and the new tires make a world of difference. The car feels like new again. The squirreliness is gone as is of course considerable tire noise.The struts are not leaking so I think I'll leave these in service too.

Techs told me that while the Pirelli get noisy as they wear/age (more so than any other approved tire, with Continental tires a close second I might add) the Michelin tires have a tendency to once they reach a certain amount of wear to wear faster. I think I experienced this with this set.

Oh, the front tires were worn but not that much.

(I have pics but I'm away from the office until Monday so I'll wait until then to post pics. In case it is not clear I'm sitting in the dealer's waiting area enjoying some WIFI and taking car of some email and other web/net stuff because I'm away from the office.)

Where was I? Oh, the front tires had almost 50K miles on them while the rears had just over 30K miles. Honestly though that last 5K miles (at least) were with the tires worn past the point they should have been replaced.

The techs said based on the tire wear the alignment as ok so I didn't get an alignment done. One tech said the heavy wear in the center is not based on his experience due to any alignment problems but arises from running too high a tire pressure. I have been careful to run the factory tire pressure but I wonder if my trusty dial tire gage is failing me?....)

The other car is in for plugs and should be ready this evening or Friday AM.

In the meantime I'm going to enjoy running around in my 'like new' Boxster with its new Pirelli tires.

Sincerely,

MarcW.