Safe Speed Forums

Long time no post on here........ was hoping you might be able to help me though as I know there is rarely a subject that somebody doesn't know about here!!

I recently bought myself a Porsche Boxster, but just yesterday I sufferered a puncture on one of the rears(oh the joys of changing a wheel by the side of the road at 5.30am on your way to being late for work!!). Anyway the rears were getting down to 2mm or so of tread so I;m not to bothered, was going to replace them very soon anyway.

So I rings Blackcircles for 2 Kuhmos at a very reasonable £86 only to find out they they aren't "Porsche approved" which carry an N rating (either N0, 1, 2, 3, 4). The problem I've now got is they strongly advised to get the same N rating as the fronts. You know what is coming next... the fronts don't have an N rating!!! Does anyone have any real world expierence of the differences in handling by not having N rated tyres? What is the insurance position if I was to have an accident? The fronts have about 3-4mm of tread so it's not the end of the world to relace them but a simple puncture is costing the best part of £500+!! Anyone know the correct "N" rating for a 986 Boxster? Does it matter if they are all the same?

Are Bridgestone Potenzas SO2s (N3) any good? Seem to get good reviews so probably will go for them..... annoyingly the car is practically off the road though as it only comes with a Space Saver and with New Year we are looking at Friday unless I want to pay another 50% for the privilege of a leading fast fit place.......

Oh, and finally... Is it worth complaining about no N rated tyres to the dealer who I bought it off? I've had the car 4 months now though....

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What makes you think I'm drunk officer, have I got a fat bird with me?

Yeah spotted that link cheers, but I've also read conflicting reports about it being okay on the same axle etc and it actually not affecting insurance etc it's so damn confusing!! Could/should an average driver buying a second hand car be expected to know his tyres needed an "N" rating? I don't know. I've now spotted the Bridgestones in N3 and N4 as well. N4 is a revision then I think, but then that is not OE, that being N0(Zero)! I'll ring my insurance company on Wednesday but I'll be suprised if they know what the hell I'm on about. Yet it's alright for them to scare me with invalidating my insurance for not disclosing material facts....

I'd invest in 4 new N rated tyres to be on the safe side. On a performance car it's not worth skimping on tyres. You also don't know how the previous owner treated them so it is best to accept the cost as something you'd do as a matter of course when changing cars. If you were to have an accident and the tyre choice was contributory then you could be in the doodoo.

I find etyres to be really good as they come out to fit them wherever you are and they tend to be about the cheapest. Might be worth giving them a call and see what tyres they recommend. Failing that contact the local porsche dealership and ask what tyres work best or try the porsche owners club website as they are bound to have been asked before.

I can't imagine for 1 minute that anybody would get away with penalising the "average" driver for not knowing that he (or she) needed a specific type of tyre for his or her car.

Most "average" drivers that I know would simply go to the likes of Kwik Fit, National Tyres, etc and follow their advice.
If it subsequently transpired that the wrong tyres were fitted and that was a contributary factor in an accident, then it would be the tyre "specialist" who is to blame.


PS
Now you have bought yourself a "money" car, it's no good complaining that it is actually costing you money to keep it on the road in the way the manufacturer intended.

The above isn't a dig at you in any way, just an observation from your first post

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What makes you think I'm drunk officer, have I got a fat bird with me?

Yes you are probably right and I am just being bitter about replacing what seem perfectly good tyres, I measured them today at 4mm on fronts. I've googled myself to death today on forums and such like, most of them seem to be either 911 focused, full of car bores, or worse, full of Americans I was wondering if anyone had any real world expierence, too many forums focus on track days and the like. I'm not interested that someone shaved 0.3s of a lap time by changing tyres for example.

I'll ring the dealership on Wednesday, see what they say about this N3 or N4 business. Looks like I best get 4 then, that was one expensive puncture. I'm also bitter about how long is going to be off road!! Damn New Year. The space the space saver saves is handy but it's a nightmare now!!

Happy New Year. Off to get drunk shortly, have a good one, thanks again

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In a former life I was Capri2.8

No no I know what you are saying, as in my previous post I am just peeved at throwing 2 seemingly good tyres away. The difference is only about £40 each for the correct tyre so that doesn't bother me it's throwing away good stuff that does!

Cheers

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In a former life I was Capri2.8

I've just had to cough up for 4 new tyres due to one having a puncture that wouldn't repair properly. £500 needed as the tyres are 245/50s All tyres had about 4-5mm tread and were only about 2 years old too. I also had to do the same on another car when I got a screw in one tyre and it was just on the edge so couldn't be plugged. They were onlly £80 a corner rather than £125 though which wasn't anywhere near as agonising! 4wd are great until you have punctures or other tyre problems. I am beginning to think that replacing the diffs might be cheaper than continually buying new tyres

Sorted! Well hopefully, Porsche Bolton can get some for this afternoon, cheaper than Kwik-Fit and only slightly more expensive than Blackcircles.com Very helpful as well, top marks.

They did say that provided they are all the same make and N number that is the main thing. They don't have to be a specific N rating though.

Thanks for the help.

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In a former life I was Capri2.8

This does not answer the specific question though might be of general use on tyre information
http://www.tyresafe.org/data/files/Tyre ... TORCAR.pdf

http://www.tyresafe.org/contact-us/

This answers specific questions about Porche and N type tyres
http://www.tyresite.com/tyrearticle.asp?page=14

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www.thatsnews.org.uk / www.thatsnews.blogspot.com / http://thatsmotoring.blogspot.com/

Thanks for those

I always a bit sceptical when it comes to taking "manufacturers recommendations" because it's come to the point where I saw on a car "Ford recommends BP fuel". I just wonder if there is someone who will now be actively avoiding any fuel that is not BP because Ford do not recommend it

There is also a lot wrote on car enthusiast forums that whilst maybe perfectly good information, but is really only relevent for hard driving or track days etc. Since I do neither, I want "real-world" advice, if that makes sense? I only bought it to look good and pull the women And no it's not a mid-life crisis before anyone starts!! I'm in my early 20s.

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In a former life I was Capri2.8