Hello, I need new tires for my 2006 F430 Coupe. My Ferrari dealer and Independent are over two hours away, so I am hoping to enlist a local tire shop to do the work. I plan to remove and re-mount the wheels myself and have them R/R the tires and balance. So, I have a few questions. Typically, when replacing conventional tires the valve stem is replaced at the same time. The F430 does not have ordinary valve stems. Do you need to replace the Ferrari valve stem (Part #174166) when getting new tires? Secondly, I currently have Pirelli P-Zeros which I understand are no longer available for this car. I am leaning towards Michelins - any suggestions are welcome. Finally, has anyone had any issues with a shop that does not have Ferrari experience doing this type of work. Note: I will be using a reputable shop. Thank you. Regards, Les
The valve stem is part of the TPMS and does not usually require replacement. However, there are O-rings/rubber washers should you feel inclined to do something but most just skip this if there's no leaks. Most on this board (myself included) are buying Pilot Sport 4S which is a great tire. I had my tires changed at a local shop that specializes in sports cars and race cars (mostly lotus) because I wanted some suspension tuning but any reputable tire shops should be able to complete a tire change. It's not any different on our cars as it is from other ones. That said, maybe pick one that regularly works on nicer vehicles as they would hopefully treat the wheels with more care when dismounting/mounting tires.
As far as I know you can still get p zero but the Michelins are a far better tyre. I have new Michelins on the rear and part used P Zeros on the front, as I want my money out of them. The combination works fine at the speeds I drive at. Be careful with the new tyres until you get a few miles on them, very slippy on the rears
I would try to use a shop that has a "no touch" installation machine to lessen the risk of rim damage when the old tires are dismounted and new tires mounted.
I forget how long these things sit before tire changes sometimes. The interwebs say a TPMS lasts 5-10 years, so if you’re in the range, I guess it’s a good idea to get one. FYI, you don’t need a Ferrari one. It’s not something unique to Ferrari. I bought mine off Amazon for only $50 each I think.
I suggest Michelin Pilot Sport 4S. It’s an excellent high performance summer tire. I also suggest replacing the TPMS at the same time if they’ve not been replaced in the last 7-8 years. They are battery powered and the batteries wear out. The labor to install them is about the same as replacing tires because you have to replace them from the inside. So do it at tire change and it’s like getting the installation free. You can get OEM quality ones from TPMSbargains.com. Sent from my iPad using FerrariChat
@Need4Spd how did you program/sync the new TPMS to the car? I'm ordering thanks to you: https://www.tpmsbargains.com/Huf-Intellisens-TPMS-Sensor-SET-2005-2007-p/tpms-1027-0507-430-hufm.htm
Just switched to Michelin Pilot Sport 4S after much research. Highly recommended! I don’t have TPMS on my ‘06 so can’t comment on that.