What's the better tire, SO2's or SO3's?
 

Thanks for your opinions!

Bridgestone or Hoosier?

if you're talking about bridgestone, the s-02 is a slightly softer compound than the s-03. Also the s-02 is an N rated tire (approved by porsche). I've got the s-03's on my car, because the s-02's would wear out faster, for marginable better performance, and were more expensive. But thats up to you...

SO3s are way better than the SO2s - had both.

SO3's.....

SO3's on my Speedster as well. Very pleased with them.

SO3's are a great tire IMHO. Tried lots.

Oh man... love my SO3's. Never tried SO2's, but the SO3's are awesome.

Bridgestone

Love my SO3's - i thought they replaced the SO2's?

Sorry for hijacking, but a rather well known independent shop in England recommends Continental Contisport.

Whats the US verdict ?

Continental ( all versions) never stood out as a performance tire compared to their contemporaries...they seem to have good wet weather characteristics, though...and for that reason may be a better "all-arounder"...something that Continental may routinely build-in as a design-spec.....

- Wil

The N rated S-02s that you can still buy are completely different from the real, aftermarket S-02s that were sold up through about 2001. The actual (vs nominal) width is different, the sidewalls are different, and the feel is different.

The original S-02 was one of the best performance tires of all time and, IMO, a much better balls-out tire than the softer, better riding, more broadly focused S-03 that followed. The S-03 was a bald faced attempt by Bridgestone to make a high performance tire that wouldn't bruise the gentle behinds of BMW drivers who fancied themselves "sporty" but really weren't.

That said, on a lightweight 911, the S-03s work great. I also tried them on my Audi (acceptable) and on my Subaru (not anywhere close to acceptable). They are at their worst when you ask them to control a lot of weight and drive them hard.

Edit: The S-03s also take a long time to wear-in, and feel very squirmy until they do.

The big-wheel guys seem to like the S-02A N-rated tires. They have a different tread pattern and I have no idea if they are like real S-02s in any way other than name.

Thanks Wil,

Make sense then, being popular in rainy England.

SO3s are a much higher performance tire than the Contitnentals, especially in the wet - driven on both.

So presumably cost effective for a less aggressively driven street car (Continentals).

To each his own, But I have a set of S0-3's on 7/8 X 15's they are very sticky compared to the 008's I had before

But I have found IMO the best porsche tire ever made so far for the street

Yes, the BF goodrich g force kd. I have these on 7/8 X 16's

what impressed me the most is the turn in -very impressive, late apex with my ZF limited slip and then hold on...