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Cayman Tires & WheelsDiscussion of Tires, Wheels, Suspension, etc.
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After a long internal debate over driving /storing my Cayman for another winter I decided to fit winter tires last week. A number of people have talked about the Conti winter tires and the reviews were mixed. Based on this I went with the Pilot PA2s.
My compliments to the Tire Rack, I placed my order in the morning on December 19th and had a shipping confirmation within 3 hours! I used a recommended installer and arranged to have the tires sent directly to them. The installer called me two days later saying the tires arrived and I had them installed the next day.
I don't have enough miles on the tires yet to make any meaningful comments but given a range of glare-ice covered streets and clean freeway driving so far I am happy with the tires. Don't get me wrong - these are performance winter tires and NOT snow tires. Caution is still necessary given snow covered roads.
After I put on a few 100 miles I will add some comments about their performance.
Erik
Tire Rack
Tire Rack is your one stop shop for Tires, Wheels, Suspension components and other Cayman accessories. Please Click This Link to make a purchase and the CaymanClub.Net site will receive a commission.
I don't drive the Cayman in the snow, but I have the same Michelin Alpin winter tires on our everyday and winter VW Passat. They are excellent tires and work very well in everything but deep snow. I have had them on in snow about 3-5" deep and they have great traction, also good traction on ice. They are also relatively quiet for a winter tire. I like them so much that they stay on the VW all year. I feel quite comfortabe and safe on these tires in the winter.
I've had my Alpins on for about 6 weeks in a variety of conditions, and here's how I would assess them:
Dry Pavement: Very good - definitely less grip and "squirmier" than my PS2s (likely due to thicker tread), but predictable at limit.
Wet/Slush: Excellent
Snow (4 inches or less): Pretty good, though I think a narrower tire (than 265s) in rear would be better if you drive a lot in snow.
Ice: Okay - about as well as any other non-studded winter tire on ice - thank goodness for ABS/PSM
PSM - Porsche Stability Management
While it can’t overcome the laws of physics, the revolutionary Porsche Stability Management (PSM) system does lend an added degree of balance and control to the Cayman’s mid-engine driving dynamics, inspiring surefooted confidence in corners and extreme situations.
A standard feature on the Cayman and Cayman S, PSM continuously monitors steering input, road speed, yaw velocity and lateral acceleration to calculate the actual direction of travel. If the car begins to steer off line, PSM instantly intervenes with precision brake inputs on individual wheels to help bring the car back onto the driver’s intended path.
If braking alone isn’t enough to correct the vehicle’s cornering line, PSM then calls on the Cayman’s engine management system, adjusting engine output as needed to help stabilize handling. PSM can also compensate in an instant for mid-corner changes in load resulting from deceleration or braking. When Sport mode is selected with the optional Sport Chrono Package, PSM’s threshold for intervention is raised, allowing for greater driver involvement. If you prefer driving without automatic PSM assistance, the system can be set to standby at any time. In this case, it will only intervene under heavy braking, where both front wheels exceed the ABS threshold.
For all of its technical ability, PSM goes virtually unnoticed in everyday driving situations, preserving the Cayman’s natural agility.
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2006 CS Tip (Daily Driver & Part-time Track Toy)
2005 Ford Expedition (to haul the CS)
2006 Lexus RX400h (wifey's)
Gone, but not forgotten: 2002 WRX, 2004 MINI
I don't drive the Cayman in the snow, but I have the same Michelin Alpin winter tires on our everyday and winter VW Passat. They are excellent tires and work very well in everything but deep snow. I have had them on in snow about 3-5" deep and they have great traction, also good traction on ice. They are also relatively quiet for a winter tire. I like them so much that they stay on the VW all year. I feel quite comfortabe and safe on these tires in the winter.
A few hours after I wrote the above, I went out on News Years Eve and encountered a surprise snowstorm, about 6" of snow and ice. I drove about 30 miles on snow and ice covered highway and the Michelin Alpin tires were great. I felt very comfortable passing slower cars and had no problems in getting stuck or losing traction. I can't tell you how they will be on a Cayman, but they were superb on my Passat. These are very good winter tires.
After one of the worst snow fall totals in the Boston area for December in history and getting caught in one of those storms with stock 18" Pilots I bit the bullet at the end of December. Called Jim @ Tire Rack and ordered Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2's with wheels and TPS. While they handle well on cold roads , no snow til this morning. I finally got to see how these tires handle in the snow(about 2-3 inches). What a difference ! I have been in SUV's that don't handle much better. Now I wouldn't push it with 6+ inches(of snow) but after one morning snow storm I feel the investment was well worth it. Thanks Jim @ Tire Rack and everyone who posted about winter tires that convinced me not to be a cheap stake.
Tire Rack
Tire Rack is your one stop shop for Tires, Wheels, Suspension components and other Cayman accessories. Please Click This Link to make a purchase and the CaymanClub.Net site will receive a commission.
I've had my Alpins on for about 6 weeks in a variety of conditions, and here's how I would assess them:
Dry Pavement: Very good - definitely less grip and "squirmier" than my PS2s (likely due to thicker tread), but predictable at limit.
Wet/Slush: Excellent
Snow (4 inches or less): Pretty good, though I think a narrower tire (than 265s) in rear would be better if you drive a lot in snow.
Ice: Okay - about as well as any other non-studded winter tire on ice - thank goodness for ABS/PSM
I have PA2's on my Benz. Agree on the dry pavement comments and on the wet slush comments. They are merely okay in snow, and aren't very good on ice. I have the H-rated versions, the V-rated ones are not as good in snow. Other studless snow tires are much, much better, especially the Q-rated ones. If I had to make the decision again for the Benz I'd go with a more aggressive snow tire. On the Cayman... hmmm... a tough choice, but I often wonder is an all-season tire would be almost as good in light snow and better in the dry than the PA2.
Shame on anyone that uses studded snow tires. They tear up the roads, and tests prove the lated Q-rated snows out-perform them even on ice. I can't believe they're still legal.
PSM - Porsche Stability Management
While it can’t overcome the laws of physics, the revolutionary Porsche Stability Management (PSM) system does lend an added degree of balance and control to the Cayman’s mid-engine driving dynamics, inspiring surefooted confidence in corners and extreme situations.
A standard feature on the Cayman and Cayman S, PSM continuously monitors steering input, road speed, yaw velocity and lateral acceleration to calculate the actual direction of travel. If the car begins to steer off line, PSM instantly intervenes with precision brake inputs on individual wheels to help bring the car back onto the driver’s intended path.
If braking alone isn’t enough to correct the vehicle’s cornering line, PSM then calls on the Cayman’s engine management system, adjusting engine output as needed to help stabilize handling. PSM can also compensate in an instant for mid-corner changes in load resulting from deceleration or braking. When Sport mode is selected with the optional Sport Chrono Package, PSM’s threshold for intervention is raised, allowing for greater driver involvement. If you prefer driving without automatic PSM assistance, the system can be set to standby at any time. In this case, it will only intervene under heavy braking, where both front wheels exceed the ABS threshold.
For all of its technical ability, PSM goes virtually unnoticed in everyday driving situations, preserving the Cayman’s natural agility.
I picked up my new CS the first week of january '08 with a set of Alpins 235/18 front 255/18 rear on a set of Raderwork cayman S wheels. I've yet driven the car with the summer tires and can't wait. have about 2000 miles already and the car/tires are great except in snow. i was hoping to get blizzaks but they were sold out. i really fault the fact that the tires are necessarily wide, the car has now LSD, and these are performance winter tires. i had an M3, with narrower and less performance oriented blizzaks and the car rocked in snow. with the cayman's mid engine layout, i was looking forward to an even better experience. i have gotten stuck up moderate grades in 2-3 inches of fresh snow. advise, get as narrow and snow oriented tires if you risk accidently getting out in the snow. I now use my second vehicle with real snow blizzaks when whether is of question. too bad.
LSD - Limited Slip Differential
A limited slip differential (LSD) is a modified or derived type of differential gear arrangement that allows for some difference in rotational velocity of the output shafts, but does not allow the difference in speed to increase beyond a preset amount. In an automobile, such limited slip differentials are sometimes used in place of a standard differential, where they convey certain dynamic advantages, at the expense of greater complexity.
The main advantage of a limited slip differential is found by considering the case of a standard (or "open") differential where one wheel has no contact with the ground at all. In such a case, the contacting wheel will remain stationary, and the non-contacting wheel will rotate freely– the torque transmitted will be equal at both wheels, but will not exceed the threshold of torque needed to move the vehicle, thus the vehicle will remain stationary. In everyday use on typical roads, such a situation is very unlikely, and so a normal differential suffices. For more demanding use however, such as driving off-road, or for high performance vehicles, such a state of affairs is undesirable, and the LSD can be employed to deal with it. By limiting the velocity difference between a pair of driven wheels, useful torque can be transmitted as long as there is some friction available on at least one of the wheels.
To see the installation of a LSD style unit Click Here -> Article Forthcoming Stay Tuned
I've got the Contis on my car and I think the Michelins look like they have a more aggressive tread for snow. A little more open. The Conti is great dry, cold road tire, no squirm at all. None! Whereas I've had snow tires before that were better in the deep stuff but consequently squirmed more so it's always going to be a gamble of what do you see more of where you live. In Toronto the past winters have been cold and dry. This winter has been a record snowfall year. I have not got stuck at all with the Contis but I also avoid steep snow covered hills just in case. I think anybody is fooling themselves if they expect any (non-studded) tire to give them any grip on ice. I expect to get two seasons out of my Contis and then I may replace them with the Michelins for the remaining two years of my 48 month lease. Of course those two years could be dryer winters in Toronto and then I'll wish I still had the Contis. But the Michelins don't look like they should squirm too much.
By the way, to those who say these are NOT snow tires, they most certainly are. They may not be the most aggressive snow tires out there, but if they have this sign on the sidewall they are definitely rated as snow tires.
Linear Mode
