feedback on specific tires for longhood

[Jeff Burger]

I have researched member comments here and on the S registry and spent significant time on the tire rack site. I have identified the following tire candidates for my 73 911 T 6x15 fuchs with stock flares. They will be a for nice weather Sunday drives and not for use on track. I have a 964 for daily or sportier driving when needed. None of these seem to jump out over the other however I really dislike noisy tires. $300 dollar special or performance tires don't interest me and summer performance tires that cant be left on the car in an unheated garage all wnter are out.

I am leaning towards the first two due to elevated road noise on the last three but any relevant input would be appreciated. All are 195/65R15 . TIA


1. Michelin defender T&H - are they more at home on the family sedan?

2. Sumitomo HTR A/S P02- reveiws look decent but are they too cheap?

3. Pirelli P4 Four Seasons Plus - noisy and dated engineering ?

4. BFG Advantage T/A sport - too noisy?

5, Goodyear Eagle sport all season - too noisy? (this was tire racks recomendation)

[HarryD]

My friend has a set of Defenders on his 1990 Alfa Spider that is fur Sunday touring. He really likes them.

I had a set of the Goodyear’s on my Ford Focus. They sucked.

[Bill Verburg]

Originally Posted by Jeff Burger

I have researched member comments here and on the S registry and spent significant time on the tire rack site. I have identified the following tire candidates for my 73 911 T 6x15 fuchs with stock flares. They will be a for nice weather Sunday drives and not for use on track. I have a 964 for daily or sportier driving when needed. None of these seem to jump out over the other however I really dislike noisy tires. $300 dollar special or performance tires don't interest me and summer performance tires that cant be left on the car in an unheated garage all wnter are out.

I am leaning towards the first two due to elevated road noise on the last three but any relevant input would be appreciated. All are 195/65R15 . TIA


1. Michelin defender T&H - are they more at home on the family sedan?

2. Sumitomo HTR A/S P02- reveiws look decent but are they too cheap?

3. Pirelli P4 Four Seasons Plus - noisy and dated engineering ?

4. BFG Advantage T/A sport - too noisy?

5, Goodyear Eagle sport all season - too noisy? (this was tire racks recomendation)

Are you specifically looking for all season tires? If not I used Pirelli P6 on my '72 in 185/70x15 they were a fine tire, current version is P6000 probably at least as good

and Pirelli classic has released a modern version of the even older CN36 in 185/70x15 w/ Porsche N rating and modern materials and construction

[911T70]

I have the exact same requirements for new tires for my 1970 911T and spent a lot of time looking around. I'm quite certain I'll be placing an order for Vredestein Sportrac 5 195 65 15 in the spring. These are summer tires and I've seen them on a few long hoods and like the look.

For the last few years I've had Vredestein Classic Sprint 185 70 15 and have been happy with them. This time, I'll be trying a slightly wider tire.

[Jeff Burger]

HarryD - thanks

Michel thanks for the feedback I thought they looked great too until I read this disclaimer under their description:
"Note: Tires exposed to temperatures of 20 degrees F (-7 degrees C) or lower must be permitted to gradually return to temperatures of at least 40 degrees F (5 degrees C) for at least 24 hours before they are flexed in any manner, such as by adjusting inflation pressures, mounting them on wheels, or using them to support, roll or drive a vehicle."

So I see you are further north than I am. Did you take them off the car in the winter, have a heated garage or did you not have a problem with them cracking with car sitting on them in the cold?

[911T70]

Originally Posted by Jeff Burger

HarryD - thanks

Michel thanks for the feedback I thought they looked great too until I read this disclaimer under their description:
"Note: Tires exposed to temperatures of 20 degrees F (-7 degrees C) or lower must be permitted to gradually return to temperatures of at least 40 degrees F (5 degrees C) for at least 24 hours before they are flexed in any manner, such as by adjusting inflation pressures, mounting them on wheels, or using them to support, roll or drive a vehicle."

So I see you are further north than I am. Did you take them off the car in the winter, have a heated garage or did you not have a problem with them cracking with car sitting on them in the cold?

I keep the 911 in a heated garage, where I tinker on it during the winter. I hadn't noticed that disclaimer, but it might apply to all summer tires. If you use yours in lower temperatures, you'd be better with all season tires. A local PCA member has Pirelli P4s on his '71 911T and he likes them. I can send you photos if you'd like to see what they look like on a longhood.

Another all-season tire you might want to consider is the Vredestein Quatrac 5. I don't know much about them but they seem well-rated.

[Jeff Burger]

Bill, would prefer a "summer tire" . thanks for the suggestion however I eliminated them as:
P6000 - 3 x the price
CN 36 didn't see the correct sizes on tire rack.

[Jeff Burger]

Michel thanks I missed the Quatrac 5 .

sure please send pics of the 71 t with P-4s, I will pm you with my email .

Between you and Bill's comments the more I think about it I might be able to get away with the vredestein sport trac since the car will not be really be used in the winter. and how many days /nights are really below 20F.

[Arne2]

My '72 911T had a new set of the Sumitomos on it when I bought it. They are affordable, and seem to be adequate for my uses, which sound similar to yours. No really hard use, just spirited backroad touring. I don't care for the modern look so much, but since the correct looking alternatives (XWX or CN36) are 4x the price, I'll stick with these until they are gone, or when they age out, whichever comes first.

[nomore]

I have the Sumitomos on my 74 targa. Decent tire for my use. They hold air, i haven't spun the car into a fence backwards and, I can't hear them over the glorious sound of the engine. good luck.

[Hi_Fi_Guy]

+1 on Vredestein. I run them on my 71 Targa and love them. Great touring tire. Quiet, comfortable, yet modern with plenty of grip in the dry or rain and on mountain and canyon roads. Highly recommended.

[Jeff Burger]

thanks guys . went to tire rack this am, and not sure if they shake up the line up daily but found more all seasons that I didn't see yesterday and the vredestein sport trac 5 were now only available in 14 inch size ????huh??? oh well ordered a set of 5 quadtrac 5 in 195-65-15 from Vulcan tire. (Spare tire was ancient) web site shows in stock so we will see.

[911T70]

Wow - you move fast! Let us know what you think of the Quattracs. I'll be ordering a set later in the spring after I get the 911's refreshed front suspension back on and have done an alignment.

[cmcfaul]

personally I would have gone with 205's all the way around. The biggest I found that fit and make a bid difference is handling and looks.

Chris

73 E

[Jeff Burger]

Thanks for all the responses . As I have several other cars to work on right now, I plan on driving this car the way I bought it (in stock configuration). The car has never been lowered and exhibits a bit of an off-road gap between the tires and fenders. As you can see from the picture, a smaller diameter tire will only exacerbate the issue.

[kent olsen]

I've been on Yokohama Advan A008 for many years, 205x50x15. I don't track the car as much anymore but they have been great tires, quiet, good mileage and they stick like glue.

[Jeff Burger]

Update - I have put a couple thousand miles on the car as a nice weather daily driver. Got caught yesterday in a rainstorm returning from a golf outing up in the catskill mountains and was really pleased with the grip. I don't drive as hard as I used to but these tires have certainly met my needs and look pretty good on a stock car. Speedo is about 5 mph off according to my GPS

[Hi_Fi_Guy]

I've been running the Vredestein Quattrac 5's on my 1971 911T Targa for a couple of years now. They don't look as "sporty" as a summer tire but surprisingly I still get compliments on these tires from young and old. I guess they look right for the to many people. They are quiet and comfortable for the long road-trips and Sunday drives we use the car for. Encountered rain/snow on one road trip and the tires performed as advertised. Felt safe and secure, no uneasy moments. When driving somewhat aggressively on canyon or mountain roads the tires also preformed with confidence.

If you are looking for a comfortable, quiet, all-season tire definitely give these a look.

[rsrguy]

Has the sidewall puckering on the Vredesteins been remedied?