New Tires – RE11A
New tires:
I got the car with some Dunlop sport tires. Stock sizes and plenty of tread. Figured I drive them until they wore out, then replace with something I liked.
Tires is a big deal for the 911, the weight over the back means they really prefer a stiff sidewall, otherwise that extra weight makes the tires wobble, makes the back end feel loose. On my old car I made bad choices several times, tried to get all season tires, or less eXtr3m3 tires. Fortunately the tires had “satisfaction warrantys” so I returned them the next day and went back to “extreme summer tires”.
A few months into my ownership I got a nail in the tire, took it to TireRack who repaired the hole but told me the tires were too old to service. If they removed a tire they weren’t allowed to put it back on. I guess they were made in 2002? A plug in a tire also makes in ineligible for the track…
Tires off-gas and lose their flexibility over time so my tires had the grip of a pvc pipe. That at least explained why the car was so squirrelly in the rain. I’ve driven that car as a daily driver for years now. Yes I need to be more careful in the rain, but it doesn’t feel so dangerous, the car has much more grip, control and braking ability than my old land cruiser.
The real danger comes from locking up a wheel, I believe that ABS would help my braking in slick conditions more than new tires.
I remember from my long ago suspension service with Fordahl he’s said to just get the RE11A, that there’s no need to look further. I did review that choice on the internet and it seems to be a terrific one for the 930.
Tire Rack and bridgestone were sporting a discount so along with a price match from Costco I was able to score 4 tires + hazard warranty + installation for $650 + tax – $70 rebate. Just about $150/tire. Lot of money compared to the old days but could do lots worse. Just hope they last.
Results? Just pulling out of the lot I knew they were terrific. Super supple but with good sidewall stiffness. Usually new tires with deep treads are all squishy in turns but these felt wonderful from the get go. Pretty much the best feel of new tires I’ve had on a 911.
They are supposed to wear fairly well but I’ll be surprised if they last 2 years given how much grip they sport.
Brown Car 