Went to the gym this morning so mean while I dropped off the Pcar to get the tires balanced and the alignment done.

I was informed that the front tires' inside tread was cupping. The sumoto ii tires that I were on the car when I purchased it are known to do this and cause hellacious road noise which I do experience. Also the tech working on my car told me the tires were from 2006, how can he tell? Is he some sort of tire whisperer?

So I'm thinking of what to go with when the time comes? What have been some of your experiences with other brands?

When it's time I am going to upgrade the wheels but am sticking with 18's as I have heard it's the optimal setup for the 996.

Thoughts?

 

Modern tires have the date code molded into the tire sidewall.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tirete....jsp?techid=11

I'm currently using Continental Extreme Contact DWS tires in 18".

 

Yokohama Advan Neova AD08. Fantastic tire with outstanding grip wet or dry. Wear is 3:1 rear:front. No issues with abnormal wear. Had several flats but twice Discount Tire replaced the tire and once repaired it.

The car came with Continentals but they had terrible grip with half the tread left. I think they may have just been old and hard so I wouldn't use my experience to compare to new Continentals.

 

I am currently running Sumitomo HTR-Z III tires on my summer wheels. They were good for the first 10,000 miles, and then they rapidly deteriorated. I'm planning to put new summer rubber on my summer wheels when I swap them with my winter wheels in a few weeks (I live in the mountains).

I'm not going with the Sumis again. They were cheap, but I don't like the way they performed and the way they wore after a few miles. They became very loud after a few miles too.

I think I'll go with Michelin PS2s or with Contis for my next set. I know there's been lots of debate on n-spec vs. non n-spec, but I've decided to go back to n-spec tires.

Good luck with your choice.

 

I'd stick with Pirelli or Bridgestone. Both have stiff side wall that minimizes body roll and protect the wheel when you have a blow out.

If you like the softer ride, Michelin is your choice.

Order a set from tirerack or shop on ebay for a good price. Or, ask your shop to match the price.