Thinking about New Tyres

[TUZZ100]

Porsche designs and manufacturers some of the highest performance cars in the world (with the exception of the butt-ugly Cayenne). All this design and performance is worth nothing if you put cheap Korean tyres on your Porsche though, and because of that prospect, Porsche introduced the N rating or N specification system. In order for a manufacturer to be an OE (original equipment) supplier of tyres for Porsches, they must work with the Porsche engineers at the development and testing stage. They concentrate on supreme dry-weather handling but they also spend a considerable amount of time working on wet-weather handling. Porsches are typically very tail-heavy because of the position of the engine relative to the rear wheels, and with traction control off, it's extremely easy to spin one in the wet. Because of this, Porsche specify a set of wet-grip properties which is way above and beyond the requirements of any other car manufacturer.
OE tyres for Porsches must successfully pass lab tests to prove that they would be capable of adequately supporting a Porsche at top speed on a German Autobahn. Once the lab tests are done, they must go on to track and race tests where prototypes are evaluated by Porsche engineers for their high-speed durability, uniformity and serviceability. If they pass all the tests, Porsche give the manufacturer the go-ahead to put the car tyres into production and then they can proudly claim they are an N-rated Porsche OEM (Original Equipment Modifier).
The N-ratings go from 0 (zero) to 4, marked as N-0, N-1 etc. This N-rating, stamped into a tyre sidewall, clearly identifies these tyres as having gone through all the nauseating R&D and testing required by Porsche as described above. The number designates the revision of the design. So for a totally new design, the first approved version of it will be N-0. When the design is improved in some way, it will be re-rated as an N-1. If the design changes completely so as to become a totally new tyre, it will be re-rated at N-0.
If you've got a Porsche, then you ought to be aware that as well as using N-rated tyres, you ought to use matching tyres all around because many Porsches have different sizes tyres front and rear. So for example if you have a Porsche with N-3 rated tyres and the rear ones need replacing but the model has been discontinued, you should not get N-0's and put them on the back leaving the old N-3's on the front. You should replace all of them with the newer-designed re-rated N-0 tyres. But then you own a Porsche so you can certainly afford four new tyres....
One final point. You may go into a tyre warehouse and find two tyres with all identical markings, sizes and speed ratings, but one set has an N-rating. Despite everything else being the same, the non-N-rated tyres have not been certified for use on a Porsche. You can buy them, and you can put them on your car, but if you stuff it into the armco at 150mph, Porsche will just look at you and with a very teutonic expression ask why you didn't use N-rated tyres. 

[PaulQ]

Yawn........ 

[Menoporsche]

they get different results with Tiptronics though.

[hopz121]

If you stick your car into some Armco at 150mph you have bigger issues on your hands than speaking to Porsche! 

 

[BoxsterSPete]

My Maxxis are coming off tomorrow... for PS2s 

[thanatoid]

Tuzz... didn't actually write that now did ya?

[Sazzy]

What a load of BS

[Nobbie]

1 hour ago, TUZZ100 said:

Porsche designs and manufacturers some of the highest performance cars in the world (with the exception of the butt-ugly Cayenne). All this design and performance is worth nothing if you put cheap Korean tyres on your Porsche though, and because of that prospect, Porsche introduced the N rating or N specification system. In order for a manufacturer to be an OE (original equipment) supplier of tyres for Porsches, they must work with the Porsche engineers at the development and testing stage. They concentrate on supreme dry-weather handling but they also spend a considerable amount of time working on wet-weather handling. Porsches are typically very tail-heavy because of the position of the engine relative to the rear wheels, and with traction control off, it's extremely easy to spin one in the wet. Because of this, Porsche specify a set of wet-grip properties which is way above and beyond the requirements of any other car manufacturer.
OE tyres for Porsches must successfully pass lab tests to prove that they would be capable of adequately supporting a Porsche at top speed on a German Autobahn. Once the lab tests are done, they must go on to track and race tests where prototypes are evaluated by Porsche engineers for their high-speed durability, uniformity and serviceability. If they pass all the tests, Porsche give the manufacturer the go-ahead to put the car tyres into production and then they can proudly claim they are an N-rated Porsche OEM (Original Equipment Modifier).
The N-ratings go from 0 (zero) to 4, marked as N-0, N-1 etc. This N-rating, stamped into a tyre sidewall, clearly identifies these tyres as having gone through all the nauseating R&D and testing required by Porsche as described above. The number designates the revision of the design. So for a totally new design, the first approved version of it will be N-0. When the design is improved in some way, it will be re-rated as an N-1. If the design changes completely so as to become a totally new tyre, it will be re-rated at N-0.
If you've got a Porsche, then you ought to be aware that as well as using N-rated tyres, you ought to use matching tyres all around because many Porsches have different sizes tyres front and rear. So for example if you have a Porsche with N-3 rated tyres and the rear ones need replacing but the model has been discontinued, you should not get N-0's and put them on the back leaving the old N-3's on the front. You should replace all of them with the newer-designed re-rated N-0 tyres. But then you own a Porsche so you can certainly afford four new tyres....
One final point. You may go into a tyre warehouse and find two tyres with all identical markings, sizes and speed ratings, but one set has an N-rating. Despite everything else being the same, the non-N-rated tyres have not been certified for use on a Porsche. You can buy them, and you can put them on your car, but if you stuff it into the armco at 150mph, Porsche will just look at you and with a very teutonic expression ask why you didn't use N-rated tyres. 

I see you have a PDK, I've heard there not really the 'drivers' choice of transmission. At least you have the proper 6 cylinder engine in your car, unlike the 4 cylinder buzz box in the latest 718.

I think that's all bases covered?

[Araf]

1 hour ago, thanatoid said:

Tuzz... didn't actually write that now did ya?

Only if he wrote Car Bibles and also copy and pasted it to a Renault forum in 2010, under the name Hallett.  

[K.I.T.T.]

Oh look, it's Friday night and someone's been smoking those funny cigarettes again...

[spyderman8]

15 hours ago, BoxsterSPete said:

My Maxxis are coming off tomorrow... for PS2s 

Why buy such old tyres?

[mike597]

14 hours ago, Nobbie said:

I see you have a PDK, I've heard there not really the 'drivers' choice of transmission. At least you have the proper 6 cylinder engine in your car, unlike the 4 cylinder buzz box in the latest 718.

I think that's all bases covered?

Not quite... Get an interim oil change at Kwik Fit, its good value. 

[BoxsterSPete]

12 minutes ago, spyderman8 said:

Why buy such old tyres?

Match what are on the front. Came out in 2015 I think! 

Not so old. 

[bagss2]

KNs aren't butt-ugly and I have just bought a full set of non-N-rated Uniroyals for one.

So there.

 

Cheers, Baggers.

[TUZZ100]

20 hours ago, Araf said:

Only if he wrote Car Bibles and also copy and pasted it to a Renault forum in 2010, under the name Hallett.  

Thats correct i came across this looking for a good deal on new tyres, and should have stated that i did not write this but on the other hand some people do noy want any help.

[Nath]

Wish you had posted this two months ago before I stuffed it into the armco at 150mph, it would have save me a truckload of cash.  Nexen tyres are hardly worn though so that's a positive!

[PaulQ]

Putting aside all the N rated guff, one of the things that irks me about drivel like this is the assumption that Porsche owners have lots of money. Maybe the majority do, but judging by the amount of questions on here asking for advice on cheaper tyres etc, obviously lots do not. One of the many things I love about the 986 is that you can own and run one on a limited budget and this opens up ownership opportunities to a greater number of people who never thought they could ever afford one. Porsche make great cars for all people/budgets, and it's a real shame that more don't own and enjoy them because of the perception that they are only for the considerably richer then yaawwwww brigade. And breathe

 

[Sazzy]

32 minutes ago, PaulQ said:

Putting aside all the N rated guff, one of the things that irks me about drivel like this is the assumption that Porsche owners have lots of money. Maybe the majority do, but judging by the amount of questions on here asking for advice on cheaper tyres etc, obviously lots do not. One of the many things I love about the 986 is that you can own and run one on a limited budget and this opens up ownership opportunities to a greater number of people who never thought they could ever afford one. Porsche make great cars for all people/budgets, and it's a real shame that more don't own and enjoy them because of the perception that they are only for the considerably richer then yaawwwww brigade. And breathe

 

Yes!^^^ That line about certainly affording all four new tyres really annoyed me! So far from the truth..

[el 3.2S]

My Sunnys have a P-OO rating on them lol.

[PaulQ]

7 minutes ago, el 3.2S said:

My Sunnys have a P-OO rating on them lol.

Would that'll be the "Porsche Official Outcast" limited sh1t edition ? 

[el 3.2S]

12 hours ago, PaulQ said:

Would that'll be the "Porsche Official Outcast" limited sh1t edition ? 

Yes correct.

I believe their wet road rating is P-OS .

I have never thankfully put this to the test, as they have not been exposed to rain during my ownership.

[PaulQ]

2 minutes ago, el 3.2S said:

 they have not been exposed to rain during my ownership.

Lucky bugger

Its usually the wet weather grip that let's budget tyres down, but not all of them are bad. 

[Araf]

15 hours ago, TUZZ100 said:

....... i did not write this but on the other hand some people do not want any help.

Do you really think you are the first to write on the subject here? BoXa has been going for 15 years and Porsche approved tyres is one of the most contentious topics on all marque forums (including here).

I use N rated tyres but that is because it's less hassle for me to.  I've yet to see evidence of death or serious accidents being caused by the use of non-rated similar tyres.

[thanatoid]

23 hours ago, Nath said:

before I stuffed it into the armco at 150mph

You're doing well with thetyping :-)

[Nath]

11 hours ago, thanatoid said:

You're doing well with thetyping :-)

I went in backwards

Seriously though, IMO the whole n-rating thing is all about Porsche limiting liability and trying to make sure that people don't fit inappropriate tyres that ruin the handling.  Porsche ensures this by certifying a certain tyre but can't be bothered spending the money to provide updates.  It's not in the tyre manufacturers interest either as they can continue to sell old design tyres (on which they've already written off the R&D costs) with only a limited degree of competition for the population of buyers who will follow the Porsche mantra (or have to for warranty purposes).

Some cars are very tyre sensitive (S2000 is one that I can think of) but I don't think the Boxster is one of them.  Provided a reasonable performance tyre is fitted (which can include at the budget end) there should be no issues.  I've driven circuits in my previous 987 with non-N PS4's on the front and N PS2's on the rear and found it to be fine.  I've also driven the newer S with N-rated Pirelli's on a circuit and found it to have a greater tendency toward understeer but otherwise fine as well.