Tire Advice - 355 | FerrariChat

Tire Advice - 355

Discussion in '348/355' started by ametelsky, Jan 31, 2009.

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  1. ametelsky

    ametelsky Rookie

    May 13, 2007
    25
    Rochester, NY
    #1 ametelsky, Jan 31, 2009
    I have read many of the historical posts on tires, and of course, have come to appreciate that everyone has their favorites and biases. That said, I would just like some opinions on my situation:

    98 355 Spider. 28k mi. Not garage queen while in my hands, driven hard but not schoolboy stupid. No track, just road driving. P-zero system (directionales and asymmetricos) on the car when I got it. Rears are gone (I got around 5k miles out of them) fronts have an 1/8" of tread left, but the date code says they are 7 years old. I have no complaints on these tires from a handling perspective, and I love how well they grip. While I am not thrilled with 5k on the rear for tread life, I would not want to sacrifice that "corners on rails" feel that make this car so fun for me. Should I...

    Figure the fronts are too old and just about half gone and replace all 4?

    Just do 2 rears and try get a bit more out of the fronts?

    Stay with P-zeros? Based on most of my reading, I should consider Michelin Pilot sports or pilot sport 2's - but somehow they just look like they intended to be performance sedan tires.

    As a final thought -I am a fringe F-car guy. I own the car free and clear, but reality says I really cannot afford these cars. I do my own maintenance out of necessity as well as enjoyment. The clutch change was great fun, but I also couldn't have afforded 3-5k to have it done. My point in saying this is that; while I can swing the $1300 for tires, I am not in the club that can try and then "buy something else cause I don't like these." So I am being cautious on this decision, and would really appreciate opinions from the gallery.

    Thanks,

    Alan
     
  2. 285ferrari

    285ferrari Two Time F1 World Champ
    Sponsor

    Sep 11, 2004
    20,845
    Southern Md
    Full Name:
    Robbie
    #2 285ferrari, Jan 31, 2009
  3. Loser

    Loser Formula Junior

    Apr 11, 2008
    791
    Gilroy, CA
    Full Name:
    Tom
    #3 Loser, Feb 2, 2009
    I haven't had to change the tires on my 355 yet, but I have used both Michelin Pilots and Pirelli PZeros on my Trans Am WS6. I had the Pilots first and I loved them. When I went for replacements, I couldn't find the Pilots anywhere without a significant wait time to order them, so I went with the PZeros since I had heard positive ratings for them. The PZeros didn't seem to handle as well on wet pavement and they had significantly more road noise. So, after they wore out, I went back to the Pilots and I am very happy with them.
     
  4. speedy_sam

    speedy_sam F1 Veteran

    Jul 13, 2004
    5,559
    TX
    Full Name:
    Sameer
    #4 speedy_sam, Feb 2, 2009
    Change all 4 tires. The ones in the front are too old! Typical life is 6 years.

    The Pilot PS2s are a great choice. It is OE on many sports cars.

    Take a look at the reviews on www.tirerack.com. The tires that are ranked very highly include:
    Max Performance:
    - Goodyear F1 Asymmetric
    - Michelin PS2

    Extreme Performance:
    - Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec
    - Bridgestone RE-01R

    Please check if they are available in the size needed for your car.
     
  5. ametelsky

    ametelsky Rookie

    May 13, 2007
    25
    Rochester, NY
    #5 ametelsky, Feb 3, 2009
    To those who posted a response - Thank you for your time and advice, I appreciate it. I have read a lot of reviews and am still deciding on brand - Although everyone at the tire rack seems to think that the latest model P-Zeros (not systems, neros, or rossas) are the way to go. I will certainly take Sam's advice and go for all 4.

    Once again - thanks for the replies

    Alan
     
  6. hacker-pschorr

    hacker-pschorr Formula Junior

    Sep 27, 2006
    584
    Land of Lambeau
    #6 hacker-pschorr, Feb 3, 2009
    5-6 years I buy new tires reguardless of tread depth, rubber gets old.

    speedy_sam suggested some great tires. I've had good luck with different Potenza's over the years.

    I'm almost afraid to suggest this, the BFGoodrich g-Force KDW 2 has an odd looking tread pattern. Some people I know run open road races with these tires and swear by them, at speeds most of us never see:

    http://forums.rennlist.com/rennforums/4607621-post10.html
     
  7. 348SStb

    348SStb F1 Rookie
    Owner

    Apr 9, 2004
    2,985
    Palm Beach County, FL or Nassau County, NY
    Full Name:
    Dave
    #7 348SStb, Feb 3, 2009
    There's only one tire to buy.

    The Goodyear Eagle F1 Ultra High Performance All-Season. Got them on my car and it couldn't handle better. Plus I've got the comfort of knowing I can drive when it's cold out -- the tread is designed to adhere to the road when it's cold out. Of course, I don't drive it in the snow. But on a cold but sunny day? You bet.
     
  8. SpecialK43

    SpecialK43 Karting

    Oct 12, 2007
    198
    Kzoo, MI
    Full Name:
    K Russell
    #8 SpecialK43, Feb 3, 2009
    Huge Believer in Michelin. Goodyear, not so much. The F1 A/S is impressive but their are way better for less money. If I'm paying for top dollar Goodyear, I would choose PS2 all day.
     
  9. F355-1998

    F355-1998 Rookie

    Feb 3, 2009
    17
    #9 F355-1998, Feb 4, 2009
    Definitely replace all four - As far as the type - I'm a fan of summer tires simply because the temp allows me to use them all year round... But if you have rain and no snow, then all season works.
     
  10. 355 Fixer-uper

    355 Fixer-uper Karting

    Jul 27, 2005
    126
    Chicago
    Full Name:
    Andrew
    #10 355 Fixer-uper, Feb 4, 2009
    I have BFGoodrich g-Force KDW 2 on my M3. They were great when new but after a few thousand miles they developed some serious road noise. People riding in the car go "what is that noise?"

    Michelin PS2s are the way to go. The KDW 2s did last longer though but towards the end I was just hoping they would die so I could escape the noise.
     
  11. cuneo

    cuneo Formula 3
    Silver Subscribed

    Nov 20, 2006
    2,431
    #11 cuneo, Feb 4, 2009
    Your exhaust isn't loud enough, man!!
     
  12. SpecialK43

    SpecialK43 Karting

    Oct 12, 2007
    198
    Kzoo, MI
    Full Name:
    K Russell
    #12 SpecialK43, Feb 4, 2009
    My set of KDW 2's only lasted about 8000 miles, and at about 3-4 howled louder than any tire I've ever owned. Grip is very impressive though.
     
  13. johan6504

    johan6504 Formula 3

    Jun 28, 2005
    1,168
    Sweden
    Full Name:
    Johan
    #13 johan6504, Feb 4, 2009
    I am in the exact same position as you. Pirelli system that are too old (probably 6 years old) and needs to be changed. I ordered the new Pirelli P Zero that comes with the 599. Got the rear tires to day and expect front to arrive tomorrow. Obviously havnt tried them yet (still a lot of snow outside) but hope that they will be an improvement to the old set.

    Funny thing though: the new rear tire is slightly lower than the old one. I thought that 265/40-18 alway would be the exact same diameter but it seesm that the new tire is roughly 1 cm lower than the old worn tire. Really strange, can some one explain that?
     
  14. hacker-pschorr

    hacker-pschorr Formula Junior

    Sep 27, 2006
    584
    Land of Lambeau
    #14 hacker-pschorr, Feb 4, 2009
    I've seen a full inch differene in width between different brand tires of the same size.

    For my lowered 928 I called the Tire Rack to get the exact width of a few tires to make sure they would fit. Not all tire sizes are made the same.
     

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