Good 18" wheels for winter tire use?

BillK · #1 (**permalink**) 05-03-2008, 12:01 PM

I was thinking of getting a set of takeoff 18" Cayman S wheels for winter tire use with my CS, but the Tire Rack-recommended Cup 3S wheels are a bit cheaper though they're not quite the same size:

What have other people been using?

Also, Tire Rack shows one 17" option for the Cayman S, where all the Porsche information I've seen says 17" wheels won't fit over the CS brakes.

What's the truth there? I like the idea of swapping my 19s for 17s for Winter/Snow use.

blue_eyes · #2 (**permalink**) 05-03-2008, 05:11 PM

A very good question.... I am also interested in the answer. 17" with a little narrower profile would ceratinly give you a bit more comfortable ride and better grip.

BillK · #3 (**permalink**) 05-10-2008, 03:06 AM

I got a reply from Tire Rack:

Quote:

The 17" wheels that we list will fit your vehicle due to the unique shape of the spokes that each of the wheels has. The wheels that the dealer has do not clear the brakes because the back of the spokes will hit the calipers.

Kind of a bummer as I sold the exact same wheels for very little cash (I had them on my 2003 Boxster S) because I assumed they would never fit the CS.

Oh well, I would have needed to buy TPMS sensors for them anyway…

dgrif · #4 (**permalink**) 05-13-2008, 07:42 PM

I use the Cup 3s 18" wheels for mine with Pilot Alpins for the winter and I think they are great. Why pay big bucks for Porsche wheels to use them in the salt and snow?

Okv · #5 (**permalink**) 05-15-2008, 12:57 AM

The 17 won't fit over PCCB brakes.
That is why I have 18 on my car, with Pirelli Sotto Zero 235 and 255 winter tires.

Although they are not too good on snow and ice, the car is so good that it is actually useable.
Stable on straights, predictable and fun at the limit, even on warm ice.
The greatest advantage of these tires is that you can go around 220 km/h on the schnellbahn.
They are rated for 240, but they start to feel funny when passing 200.
Feels better than most summer tires on dry and wet road, would run circles around any tractor (SUV) or ordinary compact car on summer tires.

I may want to try the Nokian RSi, in 225 and 245, they are a much better winter tire, but, at the cost of dry and wet road performance.
For domestic (that is Nisse, or, Norway..) use these will be fine, as the performance in 200 kmh is irrelevant.

Of course, now the car has 19 summer wheels with the Michelins.
And that is a completely different world..

BillK · #6 (**permalink**) 05-17-2008, 02:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dgrif

I use the Cup 3s 18" wheels for mine with Pilot Alpins for the winter and I think they are great. Why pay big bucks for Porsche wheels to use them in the salt and snow?

Yeah, I suspect I will be going with the 17" Cup 3s for my CS as smaller, narrower wheels are always better in snow, so I think the 17s should be even better than the 18" Cup 3s.