Pirelli P Zeros on 328? Anyone?

I have just replaced my original Good Year tires on my 328 with P Zeros.The car handles superbly.Discount Tire had the tires in stock.If you own an Italian car you gotta have Pirelli's.

 

The Ecsta ASX is their current performance all-weather tire, and is available in sizes for 328s, though I don't know anyone who's put them on a Ferrari. I got a set for my Honda Civic Si and so far they have worked quite well.

For my 328 I recently got a set of Ecsta SPTs, and they seem just fine, but I really haven't used them enough to make a judgment.

 

I certainly agree the tire technology has improved over the years...but so has car performance. A 308/328 does not perform the same as an F50, Callaway Corvette, or any of the new supercars. As such, I don't think you need to spend the money on the top of the line tire for today's supercars. If Pirelli has not improved since the late 90s, that's fine because neither has the performance of 1980s Ferraris. I purchased my Pirellis from Tire Rack and they were much cheaper than the Eagle F1 GS D3 or the new Bridgestone RE-01R. If I had an F430, I would likely spend the money for the best tires...but with a 308, there is only so much performance, and the tires you mentioned outperform my car's capabilities. In my opinion, you should by the best tire for your car, not necessarily the best tire by today's standards. Not trying to be argumentative, just realistic...I love my 308 and it's my favorite Ferrari of all time...BUT, it's a 308 not an Enzo.

 

My original window sticker lists Goodyear Eagle F1's as original equipment. That's another reason why I chose the Goodyears.

 

Road & Track, ca. 1985
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I hate Pirelli tires. I had one experience with a set and will never buy another.

Birdman

 

Hi Gil,

Yes, tire technology has changed while your 308 has not changed. But with the logic you sugggest we might as well just stick with tires using designs and compounds from 1985. Granted the newest tires are not going to turn 308s/328s into Enzo, but you certainly improve the car's grip & handling and most importantly those attributes can improve a car's safety. Furthermore, if you take a look at the prices for some of these great modern tires they really are not that expensive. 2 years ago when we bought tires for my Wife's C320 Sport it cost more to get new 17" Pirelli PZero Nero M+S than I spent for my Eagle F1 GS D3s for the 328.

My point in bringing up a show about an F50 , a Callaway, and 911Turbo was not that cars of the 80's have the same performance needs... it was merely with respect to them commenting that "the most important component of a car is the tire." They transfers every bit of input that the driver makes in his car to the road he is traveling upon, whether its acceleration, cornering, stopping or an unexpected emergency manuever. Based on that I'd have to say that the best tires of today are probably the best tires for any car. I'm not saying I'd put Z rated Eagle F1 GS D3s on my Subaru, as they would not be the best tire for that car...its not a sports car its something that requires a different tread compound and design to make the most of its AWD particularly in snow. In my opinion its crucial to make sure one chooses the best tire for a car's intended purpose. If you prefer PZeros on your car then that is the right choice for you, but the F1 GS D3 is the right choice for me.

Best regards,
Dino

 

Dino,

I certainly hope you are not taking offense to my opinion. Tire choice is just that...choice. For me, spending more money on tires that are perfect for an F430, are not the right tire for a 308...just not worth the added expense. My experience is that the Pirellis are perfect for my car and my driving style and the price was better than the higher performance tires you suggested. I don't see a need to by a tire that clearly out performs the car. I am not saying I want to buy old stock '85 tires...the P Zeros are as up to date for my needs. Hey, some Subarus might out perform my 308, so why not by the best tires for Subaru I had Goodyears on a Porsche I owned and did not like them...I was younger and my driving style was different. The car was a different driver than the 308 too. I wish I tried Pirellis on the Porsche to be able to compare. For my Toyota, I am sure there are top quality tires that I could pay more money for, but I put 4 inexpensive Coopers...just need some rubber that rolls. Could I put better sedan tires, yes...for more money and better technology, yes...but for me it would be a waste of money. Same for more expensive tires for my 308.

Again, Dino, this is just my opinion...the basis for FChat. A guys asks a question and we give our opinions and experiences. Your last sentence in your post "If you prefer PZeros on your car then that is the right choice for you, but the F1 GS D3 is the right choice for me" sounds to me like I may have rubbed you the wrong way. Not my intention at all and I apologize if that is the case. I respect everyones opinions on FChat...that's why I am a member. I just have a different take on the subject.

Gil

 

Can you give more details? I have never had any issues. Like I said, I have only had Pirellis on my 308 since 1999. I even put Pirelli Scorpions on my Jeep many years ago. Loved them too. I am interested in your experiences...maybe you will sway me...

 

Hi Gil,

No offense taken. I certainly respect your choice in deciding to put PZeros on your 308, and dfferences of opinions are often what makes Fchat topic interesting and sometimes brings to light new infomation for all to benefit from. While I knew that F1 GS D3's on my 328 would not give my car Enzo like performace, I did not feel I was buying more than I needed for the car. After doing some research they seemed to be the best performance tire for my purposes that would fit my stock 16" wheels. I don't track the car so I'll probably never reach the limits that either PZeros or Eagles possess. In addition, when I looked all of the tires I researched seemed to be roughly in the same price range, so I felt if F1 GS D3s give me additional grip, better handling or other safety related attributes why not benefit from them. I have had Pirelli in the past and never had a problem with them. I had set of P6s on a 944 many years ago, and we currently have PZero Nero M+S on our MB. I just thought another brand offered more of what I wanted for my 328. In terms of the Subaru, I did research on various tires including the original Bridgestone RE92 that were on the car, but which were terrible in snow and sleet. I ended up chosing Bridgestone G009s. While still a performance tire in the same class as RE92s, they have a much more aggressive tread pattern for bad weather, better numbers on the Tirerack surveys and believe it or not they were $50 less per tire than the RE92s. I've gotten 63,000 miles out of the G009s, they still plenty of tread, and they are fantastic in bad weather. I'd definitely consider another set of them!

Again, it was interesting learning what went into your decision making process and I look forward to seeing you here on Fchat.

Best regards,
Dino

 

Currently in the same delima. Replacing my 308's Pierelli's on my 328 wheels. Those Goodyears are a great choice, The tread pattern is kind of "loud" for a 1977 car, so I have decided to go with Bridgestones, either the RE-050A Pole Position, of most likely the RE-01R. That tire has a good clean sidewall, best rating on Tirerack, they come in the proper size, does not require lots of heat for grip (autocross). Not Z speed rated, but even on our tracks I'll not likely need that in a 308!

Here is the RE 01R
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza+RE-01R

 

The Bridgestone RE-01R looks like a great tire. It was not out when I was shopping for tires but if it were, I'd seriously consider it. It has great numbers on the Tirerack survey/comparison. Its a bit lower in the wet than the F1 GS D3 but a bit higher in ratings on dry. Its a trade off, but either tire should be a great performer.

Best regards,
Dino