We’ve been doing Wrenching Wednesday for a while now, and I’ve only just realized we haven’t dedicated an entire installment to tires. Sure, you might only purchase a set every few years, but they’re some of the most critical parts on a car, right up there with the nut behind the wheel.
While David Tracy is perfectly fine with junkyard tires, I’m more willing to splash the cash, as tires really are the only things keeping a car connected to the road. [Ed Note: I did just buy my girlfriend a brand new set of Michelin CrossClimate 2s for her Lexus. -DT]. Unfortunately, this means I can be a bit obsessive, and an impending need to make a tire choice for my Porsche Boxster has me going around in circles.
My Boxster sports a rather intense stagger of 205/50R17 up front and 255/40R17 out back, which means that options are a bit limited. The factory-fit Bridgestone Potenzas I love on these cars are discontinued, and I’m rather unimpressed by the Pirelli P Zero Rosso Asimmetrico that’s currently approved by Porsche. So what else is out there?
An obvious choice is the Porsche-approved Michelin Pilot Sport PS2, but I’m not entirely sure that’s the best option for my application. Toronto roads are shit, to the point where cruising Detroit’s arterial roads feels like driving on a billiard table. As for Angelenos, they have no idea how good they have it. Basically, all-season tires offer a bit more squish and a bit more quiet, and the current crop of ultra high performance all-season tires is quite good. Then again, you do often give up a few feet of stopping distance, and a few feet can make a huge difference.
So, what’s out there for reasonably comfy summer tires in 986 Boxster staggered 17-inch fitment? Well, there’s the Continental ExtremeContact Sport 02 and the Vredestein Sprint +. Now, the Vredesteins look period correct, and Vredestein did supply us with some awesome winter tires for our Ski-Klasse, but the Sprint + isn’t officially sold in Canada, so getting a set might be a bit involved. In contrast, it’s much easier for me to get my hands on a set of the Continentals, even if they are more expensive.
Granted, I’m not always a tire snob. I have 300-treadwear off-brand tires on my 325i that will weather out well before they run low on tread, and they still throw pebbles, even if cornering limits aren’t quite as high as they used to be. Likewise, I had the Firestone Firehawk Indy 500s on my G35 when they were fairly fresh on the market, and found them to be quite fun. Fast, light steering, solid dry grip for the category, slightly edgy (read: fun) in the wet.
So, let’s talk about your tire choices. What are you running on your cars? Are you happy with them? What do you look for in a tire? Let’s get nerdy about rubber, because tires matter.
(Photo credits: Thomas Hundal, Tire Rack, Continental)
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Replaced some Wranglers with Defenders on a truck a few years ago and was really surprised by how much traction and noise improved.
Went with Crossclimate2s on a Volt and am equally impressed. Better in summer, much better in rain, and surprisingly good on snow. I think on paper there’s a range hit, but it’s not severe enough that I’ve noticed.