Ultra High Perf. All-Season Vs. Max Perf. Summer Tires

[Samson]

All-seasons will obviously not be as good as dedicated snows and dedicated summers, but once you get past that, there are several good options. You'll lose some edge when it comes to turn-in and probably ultimate grip, but you'll most likely gain ride comfort and the obvious all-season and light-snow capability.

Tire Rack tests:
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=102
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=87

I've read and heard good things about the re960. My mom is picking up a set for her CL, so if you're still undecided, I can give you a better idea in a few weeks.

[mikefocke]

Further Thoughts here

But to summarize, if you want handling, you buy summer (above 40 degrees) UHP tires. You want all weather, you buy all-seasons UHP and you give up lots of dry handling, braking and ride. How much?

Well lets look at just one maker...Michelin...since they make the top rated summer UHP in a November 2007 Consumer Reports (page 58) comparison of 36 18" tires marketed as some form of UHP.

The summer PS2 had 3 excellent (5 of 5) and 3 very good (4 of 5) ratings in the dry and wet handling and braking categories. Their all season Pilot Sport A/S had 4 but also had only a fair (2 of 5) in dry and wet braking and a good (3 of 5) in dry handling.

A difference in 2 rating categories between 2 tires seems significant. The total of differences seems even more significant. Not fatal..because every tire is a compromise. But enough to really influence your decision.

Neither all season nor summer UHP tires are going to get you great tire mileage. A good pro-mileage alignment of the rear wheels will help.

I suggest reading the comparison (unfortunately, not on the web without a subscription...go to the library) and then think about your driving needs.

And whatever you do, don't drive a summer UHP much below 40 degrees. There is a beautiful '99 Boxster in the wrecking yards because I did.

[cnavarro]

I have a set of Pirelli PZero Nero M&S on my c4 cab and I learned my lesson the hard way. I put it in a ditch two winters ago and have since gone to blizzaks for winter use.

My only complaint with the PZeros is that they seem to flat spot very easy and have a bit of vibration when the rubber is cold - as soon as you put some mileage on the tires, it goes away when the rubber gets up to temp.

[dja1980]

Originally Posted by Samson

Regarding the Midas comparison... it isn't like a Pilot A/S is a multi-mile grand touring tire from WalMart. It's a very high quality solution to this particular problem.

I found out yesterday that the reviews on TireRack can be sorted by tire AND vehicle. This made it MUCH easier to search the reviews on specific tires ONLY on Porsches.

Pilot Sport A/S:
High Quality Picture
13 Porsche reviews (8 raving, 3 good, 2 bad) – It seems that the general consensus on this tire is that it blurs the line between a summer tire and an all-season tire. Based on the reviews, it’s hard to believe that this tire qualifies as an all-season tire, aside from the outstanding tread-wear.

“I bought the Michelin Pilot A/S as replacements for OEM Conti fronts approximately 6 months ago. What a difference. Other people said this tire has proved to be a better tire than most high-performance summer tires they’ve had. I found that hard to believe, however, I am shocked by just how good these tires are. Also, driving in the rain with the Contis was a white-knuckle experience. The Michelins are fantastic in the rain and in anything less than 4 inches of snow actually drive as well as my wife’s front-wheel drive Volkswagen.”

“My current tire is Michelin Pilot Sport A/S and even though I only have 2,400 miles on them thus far, there is a MAJOR difference in how my Porsche 911drives, steers, brakes and the amount of control I seem to have, and NO signs of any wear as yet!!! It does not take a rocket scientist to immediately notice how well the car handles. I give it a 10 compared to either the Bridgestone Potenza RE750 or the SO2s that I would give a five in comparison. I have never experienced ANY tire which allowed for such steering control! Mind you, I do not go to the track with my Porsche, but I love driving my Porsche the way it is designed to be driven and I do not need a track to enjoy it! Perhaps, on the race track the other two tires were better for saving me a second in lap time, or a little better grip at speeds over 150 miles per hour, but then, if I were to go to the track with my car, I would choose specific tires for it and only it to fully enjoy this aspect of my Porsche.”

PZero Nero M&S:
High Quality Picture
12 Porsche reviews (3 raving, 8 good, 1 bad) – This tire also seems to be a good compromise between summer and all-season tires. Based on the reviews, it sounds like this tire is closer to the all-season category, but still has good performance.

“They ride softer than the Michelins, handle and response to inputs like a champ, are extremely quiet, have attractive sidewalls, and forge ahead undaunted by wet roads. In short, these tires are on almost equal footing with the much softer Michelin Pilot Sport summer compound tires, but with the added confidence of an all season silicone compound.”