Dealer says its time for new tires for my '11 gts
says fronts have dry rot after 18k miles stored in garage when not driven. Do you buy that ?
If so should i buy the "n 1 " rated tires ?
Replace my bridgestone re050a with same or how about michelin super sports or bridgestone pole position so-4 ?
Appreciate your expertise !

 

2011? Front tires could be going on 6 years old (or older -- check the tire date code on the sidewall) and Porsche considers 6 years to be the replace by date for tires.

Dry rot bad enough to warrant replacing the tires should be pretty obvious. Sidewall cracking and all.

Even with no real signs of "dry rot" if the tires are at or even just close to 6 years old I'd seriously consider replacing them.

If you want to stay with N-rated tires there are a number of tire brands you can use. (If you want to stray off the tire reservation and run non-N-rated tires I can't help you. I have no experience with non-N-rated tires.)

I've used Continental and Bridgestone tires on my 996 Turbo and both brands of tires perform just fine. I've run Pirelli and Michelin tires on my Boxster and the same applies.

In short, I don't think you can go wrong with any brand of N-rated tire. Some rave about the newer Michelin tires and while the Michelin tires on my Boxster were very good I didn't feel that going back to Pirelli when the Michelin tires were in short supply was a step backwards.

If you are replacing just a pair of tires you should stick with the same brand, type and N-rating as the other pair of tires.

If you are replacing all 4 you can then go with any tire you want. I tend to prefer the higher N-rated numbers because if a tire picks up a nail and I have to replace one or both tires the odds of finding one or two replacement tires with the same everything as the tires still on the car are better.

 

Great input, macster. Thank you for the solid info !

 

love my Super Sports but FYI there seems to be a national backorder.
I have a flat rear and can't find one in stock or even get a dealer to give me a delivery estimate. The other three tires have near full tread...
so on go the winter tires until the backorder fills in.

 

Had to get all 4 recently and went back with the SS's. Intended to change brands but got extremely good wear out of the Michelin's I decided to stay with them.

 

I get about 10K miles on a set of Michelin PilotSport (N2) tires. No track time. Mostly freeway driving. About 10% spirited driving in the twisties. What's the trick to getting 18K?

 

I love my Super Sport too. Sadly, all Michelin high performance tires (i.e., Super Sports, PS2 and Super Cup) have been on backorder since February 2015. I spoke with a rep from Michelin NA and a rep from Tire Rack. They both told me the same thing. Michelin elected to combine and streamline its factories for high performance tires into one location. They are behind schedule. The lastest forecast (August 2015) did not show any high performance tires available; there is no date yet for delivery.

 

That sounds like an Epic Fail! I need some new SS too!

 

All I can offer is be sure the alignment is spot on. This is tricky as I understand it there is some allowable variation of the alignment settings that can make or break tire life, rear tire life at least.

When I have my cars aligned I ask for the alignment that maximizes tire life yet does not in any way compromise the car's road feeling, handling or stability. The tech complies for afterwards the car feels just wonderful -- even at speed for some of my usage has me driving for sometimes hundreds of miles for days and in areas where I can experience some very high speeds -- and yet tire life is very good. I've managed to get nearly 23K miles out of the rear tires on my 996 Turbo and even then there was enough tread -- 3mm -- to qualify (courtesy of tire road hazard coverage) for a new rear tire when one picked up a nail. 'course, I had to buy the other rear tire but at 23K miles I felt I got my money's worth.

Oh, most of my driving is freeway, I'd say 75% or more. I hit the twisties once in a while -- not as often as I used to -- but don't get too crazy. No wheel spin or sideways action. I keep things just short of tire break away.

Even around town, if you hard accelerate around turns, especially right hand turns, or at any time spin the tires, you can be guaranteed a much shorter tire life.

 

Thanks for the response. That is twice the tire mileage that I get on my C4S! Please post your alignment specs, if you have them handy. I'll get the same settings.

 

If you track or Autocross the car, The Yokohama AD08R's are incredible. You do sacrifice a little road noise and reviews claim there are better in the wet but I've been very happy with mine.