Screwed, twice! not in the nice way :(

Managed to get a screw in my tyre not much tread left so will have to replace it and the other side for balance which I dont mind, but...

I have mitchelin pilot sports on the front with a fair bit of tread, these are N1 rated, if I put the same on the back £205 each things are ok, but if I put pirelli p rossos £165 which are N4 rated Im breaking manufacturers spec which could cause insurance problems. I am told by my dealer that n1 on the front and N4 on the back will make the car unstable (not sure i believe it).

So I have to spend £40 more a tyre, and when the fonts go still have to spen £40 more each again or get a full set of pirellis now which are a higher N4 spec tyre. 2x Michelin £410 or a full set of pirelli I can get for £596 after much deal talk.

I just feel Im getting screwed by red tape with the N rating, but is it worth insurance issues? Or worse handling issues when Im on a performance driving course next weekend.

i know theres a few petrol heads on here, what do ya think?

 

Maybe, but at least you can drive Plus, is £80 REALLY worth worrying about versus you getting killed in an RTA, or having your car written off, with no insurance payoff???

 

Have you tried mytyres website - worth a look as I remember it worked out cheaper to get a pair from them and to have them fitted locally.

Matt.

 

'but at least you can drive' you've obviously not been in a car with me

I'm favouring a full set of pirellis for £596 as a full set for £186 more seems better value and the fronts will go before long. Might even try and shift them on e-bay even if i only get £20 its a couple of cd's.

 

my tyres want 170 each before fitting, kwik fit have agreed £596 which seems competitive.

 

Ouch.

And here I've been grumbling about the forthcoming need for new fronts on my car, when I can get Kumho KH15s (which I'm told are excellent tyres) for about £41 each...

What is the N rating? Is it a speed/load rating?

Can you get the Eagle F1 in the appropriate size/rating?

 

Just did a quick Googling... I see that the N rating is an internal Porsche approval. I read (but no solid reference) that there is no legal requirement in the UK for the N rating.

Also check out the Kumho Ecsta series. An ex-rally driver motoring journalist I know really rates them highly.

 

Isaac, I love the Goodyears I had them on my last car but unfortunately they haven'y bothered to get them N rated.
N rating is manufacturer specific, they insist that to get the N they are slightly different tread pattern and compound over standard Z rated's but basicaly its a speed rating, and could invalidate insurance and any steering related waranty issues.
I have got it down to £580, and will claim the VAT back so effectivley £493 but its the clock and power suply mod for the copland gone

 

Have you spoken to your insurance company? Going entirely on what your dealer says seems a bit silly.

 

I would check with them, because like I said, the reference I found was that there's no legal requirement here to have N-rated, so you might be able to get normal Z-rated tyres. Ask the insurance company, and make sure that they give you a clear yes/no answer and that they note down the query and their response on your file.

 

TBO all Z rated tyres are the same kind of money, my dealer says the company line is mitchelin (they sponsor their race team) but the general concensus from actual users is the pirelli are grippier but don't last as long, performance is my main concern.
I'm looking into this http://www.punctureproof.com/ as a flat tyre isn't that noticable in ride quality on 35mm profile but could cause a major accident at speed.

 

35 profile? Ouch.... why do they no just make the tyre out of solid rubber, so it would be puncture proof? Ride quality would be about the same....

 

Probably due to weight, of unsprung mass, which would make the steering heavy and slow and braking would be a major issue needing bigger disks for more breaking force. The fronts are 40mm and thinner = cheaper.

 

Hey I've got 35 profiles on the back of my BM. What amazed me was the standard PSI they need - I assumed it would be about 32PSI but then I did the bar/psi conversion (they need 3 bar) and it worked out at 43psi!

In fairness the ride quality isn't too bad at all.

Matt.

 

Thats not a bad price for a set of boots for a boxter Id be quite pleased actually. When I, very briefly, weighed up an XK8 I was looking at the grand mark. The boots on my 318is came out at £195 a piece.

 

36 in the back 265/35/18 and 32 in the front 225/40/18, ride can be a bit harsh as over standard it has bigger wheels and lowered stiffened sports suspension, but not as uncomfy as it sounds as the damping is very good. I wouldn't have gone for the suspension and wheel combo on british roads but the car is a ltd eddition with them as part of its standard spec.
A mate has a XKR he got a side wall puncture in his first month of ownership OW, at least mines a year old now.

 

Ordered em now, got price down to £580 which after I get the VAT back is £493 so expensive week, coupled with a stag do this weekend is going to have me broke

I need to get them on as the sh1tty little RED space saver is a pain only being good for 80kmh (50mph?) it feels very nervous on it.

The fronts have 5mm tread left so I will e-bay em.

 

That's not bad at all for the type of car. A set for my dad's BMW saloon is more than that.

 

Starting figure was £748 from the Porsche centre some people must pay it though, just not me.

 

Ive been quite surprised at the costs for keeping a boxster. Parts, service and insurance are all very reasonable for a car of this calibre. In most cases its cheaper than a civic type R and certainly cheaper to run than anything else in its class. One day........