recommendations for longer lasting rear tires

[cabjose]

All: would appreciate any recommendations for tire brands for my rear size 17 wheels on my 2002 Boxster S--have tried Michelin Pilots and currently have Kumhos. I would like to get more than 25K from the rear tires. I don't AX or DE my tires. Many thanks for any ideas. Cabjose.

[kls]

I think the only way you're going to get 25,000 on the rear tires is to let them ride in the trunk for about 10,000 miles. I got 17,000 on my Bridgestones and was very happy. I just put on a pair of Pilot Sport Plus on the rear, and I expect about the same mileage, and I'm a very conservative driver.

[cvhs18472]

Originally Posted by cabjose

All: would appreciate any recommendations for tire brands for my rear size 17 wheels on my 2002 Boxster S--have tried Michelin Pilots and currently have Kumhos. I would like to get more than 25K from the rear tires. I don't AX or DE my tires. Many thanks for any ideas. Cabjose.

Kumho 's , espically Excta SPT's, are one of the longest lasting tires. Not being able to rotate tires and the rear alignment settings contribute to low mileage for the tires. If you want to play you have to pay. No pay means driving a Yugo. Happy new Years , Ed

[mikefocke]

you are doing better than 98% of Boxster owners. I have about 15k on my Michelin Ribs and could get another 4k before they are down to the wear strips but they were made in 02/02 so next year I'll change them just for age reasons.

Feel the old tire tread. Did it wear evenly? Did the noise from the tire become more cyclical as it wore? You can get better mileage from a mileage-friendly alignment but you are already doing better than most of us so you may already have one. That and your driving style help you get mileage.

[Mike_Yi]

Buy a front-wheel drive car. If you drive a performance car, your tires will not last that long. It's just the way it is.

[pk2]

Originally Posted by Mike_Yi

Buy a front-wheel drive car. If you drive a performance car, your tires will not last that long. It's just the way it is.

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Actually front wheel drive cars mow throught the front tires roughly twice as fast as the rear tire. Deive it hard and it's more like 3 to 1.

Regards, PK

[mebiuspower]

Originally Posted by pk2

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Actually front wheel drive cars mow throught the front tires roughly twice as fast as the rear tire. Deive it hard and it's more like 3 to 1.

Regards, PK

With a front wheel drive car you're more likely to be able to do tire rotation from front to back, therefore not a concern.

[Mike_Yi]

Originally Posted by pk2

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Actually front wheel drive cars mow throught the front tires roughly twice as fast as the rear tire. Deive it hard and it's more like 3 to 1.

Regards, PK

That may be, but he didn't ask about making front tires last longer. Just rear tires. In a front wheel drive, the rears will last much longer.

[Bladecutter]

Originally Posted by cabjose

All: would appreciate any recommendations for tire brands for my rear size 17 wheels on my 2002 Boxster S--have tried Michelin Pilots and currently have Kumhos. I would like to get more than 25K from the rear tires. I don't AX or DE my tires. Many thanks for any ideas. Cabjose.

If you want the best possible idea, then here's my suggestion:

Buy another set of 17" front wheels, and place them on the rear of the car (Yes, it will work just fine). Then install 225/45-17 tires on all 4 wheels, using a tire that has an asymmetrical tread pattern. This will allow you to rotate the tires front to rear, and side to side anytime you want.

Using the same size wheels and tires all around won't compromise the driving performance, because you don't use any of it, and you will no longer have any issues with the rear tires wearing out as fast.

Congrats, now you can drive the way that you want.

BC.

[Paul]

Originally Posted by Bladecutter

If you want the best possible idea, then here's my suggestion:

Buy another set of 17" front wheels, and place them on the rear of the car (Yes, it will work just fine). Then install 225/45-17 tires on all 4 wheels, using a tire that has an asymmetrical tread pattern. This will allow you to rotate the tires front to rear, and side to side anytime you want.

Using the same size wheels and tires all around won't compromise the driving performance, because you don't use any of it, and you will no longer have any issues with the rear tires wearing out as fast.

Congrats, now you can drive the way that you want.

BC.

Agreed but be aware of oversteer, especially if you put the same pressure in all 4.

[mebiuspower]

Originally Posted by Paul

Agreed but be aware of oversteer, especially if you put the same pressure in all 4.

I'm sure for someone looking to get 50k+ on their tires, they're not turning at anything over 15mph.

[pbanders]

As others have said, rapid rear tire wear is a fact of life with rear-drive mid-engined and rear-engined sports cars. That said, there are things you can do to minimize tire wear. First thing I do before swapping in new rear tires is to get an alignment check. Too much rear camber will increase wear. Tire pressure is also important, you need to monitor it every week or two and keep it correct. Over or under inflation will cause uneven wear and premature replacement. Driving style is obviously a factor, but IMO, Porsches are meant to be driven hard and if you're going to tiptoe around to avoid tire wear, you'd be better off in a Toyota .

Tire selection is a major factor. Kuhmo's are cheap, but from my experience, they require frequent balancing. I suggest doing a road-force balance to start with to minimize re-balancing issues through the life of the tire. Pilot stick great but wear like erasers. I've had extremely good luck with Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 tires. They wear well, stick great in dry or wet conditions, stay in balance, are reasonably quiet, and are cheaper than Pilots. This tire may be or is already phased out by Goodyear, hopefully, they're offering an improved replacement.

[jcb986]

New Porsche recommended tires will cost you, say, $1000 to $1200. They ride nice have a very good grip and last...maybe up to 40,000 miles. Most Porsche drivers like it a little on the fun side...that's why we buy a Porsche. I just installed Falken 912's on mine and so far they are performing great. Now, I live in Florida and we have heat and rain which these tires are great for...not recommended for the snow country. I have 225x40x18 on the front 265x35x18 on the rear. Cost installed $604.00 at Discount Tires.