reginos:
John H:
Reginos - I think Nick mentioned earlier in this thread that his dealer had swapped his Bridgestones for Pirellis..
But I may be able to help you, when I get to drive my new car, as it was delivered shod with Bridgestones. I was told that all new arrivals have either Bridgestone or Pirelli at the moment as the new Michelin Super Sports aren't currently available.. (see Carlos' earlier post)
For that reason I'll stick with the Bridgestones for the time being and give you my impressions compared to my current PS2's when I post my driving report..
BTW - the OPC's demo GTS, which was delivered on the same day as mine, came shod with Pirellis...
Thanks and we expect your impressions.
Some people here are enthusiastic with the Bridgestones over the Michelin on the basis of road driving only. They are also cheaper to buy as replacement. They like Pirelli too but in our hot climate they wear out very quickly.
I'm very interested in that as well.
The secret of life is to admire without desiring.
Carlos, yes, I meant a 997... must have had a brainfart :-S
Thanks for the picture, I couldn't find the "real" one on the internet, only badly photoshopped ones...
John, yup, that was the one, so no need to bother you anymore with photo requests, thanks anyway mate!
hey, everyone!
Short review of the GTS: 1500 km so far, winter tires, had really bad weather the last 2 weeks (damp with temps around zero).
i do follow the break in recommendations, but now having 1500 km on, i start to rev the engine upto 6t sometimes (only if the oil is warm).
Third brake light and brake light switch have been changed sofar. Third brake light: one of the LED went out, brake light switch wasnt adjusted properly so that it went on only after about 30% of the brake pedal travel.
Other than that only one small sqeak that should be no problem to fix.
Other thoughts, in short:
the combination of Sport chrono (Plus) and PDK offers a fantastically wide band of driving styles: from limo type in the city (stop and go) to a neck snapping race car type (sport chrono plus).
To many this is not new but to me, as my last car Cayman S, was manual and had no Sport Chrono plus. Also love the adjustibiliy of whole thing: so many different combinations of PASM, PDK, SC+,PSE....really serving every situation.
i start out driving with D (to warm the oil) and after that spend 80% in Manual mode.
PSE sounds plain intoxicating, i think better than on the normal 997.2. I guess it has something to do with the 6 manifolds.
Winter tires are okay, but so so so looking forward to a dry street WITH summer tires.
Wonderfull grip, i was and still am surprised by its amount. Eventually the GTS understeers in tight corners, but i can live with that, because this happens pretty late.
The body seems very stiff to me, stiffer than the Cayman.
interestingly i had a hard time finding the perfect driving position for me: either i was too near to the pedals or to far away from the steering wheel. In the Cayman i sat as low as possible, this isnt working with the 911. maybe the usual adjustment with a new car.
Surprisingly the GTS gets more attentions than i thought, might be the PSE and the white color. Even got thumbs up from young cops...
All in All i can say that the car is simply wonderfull in its power, sound, comfort, poise, precision and presence. But since its my first 911 i am still getting used to it, being so different than my last car (+113 PS, rear engine, wide stance, pdk, winter tires).
hmmm, thats all for the moment, please ask if any questons!
cheers
nick
Nick - how did you find out about the brake light? Was there a warning light or was someone following you?
What do you mean by 'a small squeak' - important to me because any rattles or squeaks are a no-no!
Body seems stiff - does that mean you chose -20mm suspension (SPASM)?
Glad your overall impression was favourable - will find out for myself this week..
"Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out."
John H:Nick - how did you find out about the brake light? Was there a warning light or was someone following you?
What do you mean by 'a small squeak' - important to me because any rattles or squeaks are a no-no!
Body seems stiff - does that mean you chose -20mm suspension (SPASM)?
Glad your overall impression was favourable - will find out for myself this week..
17.01.2011 12:00:46
17.01.2011 16:25:28
Yeah - many thanks Nick..
Any chance of some more photos now you've got your baby home?
BTW - Collecting mine tomorrow rather than waiting for it to be delivered..
"Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out."
reginos:
Can you please comment on the Bridgestone RE050 tyres? Although I'm not sure that you've had them for long enough on the car due to winter conditions.I'm thinking of trying them on my car as a replacement for Michelin.
In the meantime keep on enjoying this wonderful car!
The original PS2 on my Turbo worn out a while ago and I have since replaced them with the Bridgestone. Had about 2000km on them already.
The Bridestone is better in the wet, about the same dry, but with a bit better grip in cold weather. Side wall is a little bit softer than the PS2 as I feel it absorb a bit more bump going over speed bumps.
Subjectively I think it's also a quieter tire, the tire noise is of a different sound, to me it's a noise that I can live with while the PS2 is more of a annoying kind.
No idea on track performance as I don't track the car but on the street I think it's a better tire than the PS2.
Sorry this is off-topic but maybe someone can help me. I'm searching for what I remember to be a very simple yet elegant brush stroke (black on white paper) rendition of the silhouette of the 911. Almost could be Japanese but captures the beauty of the 911 from the side.
Again, sorry for the GTS intrusion but I'd really love to have someone post this drawing.
Don
It looked something like this ........
--
The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it. Henry David Thoreau
Whoopsy:
reginos:
Can you please comment on the Bridgestone RE050 tyres? Although I'm not sure that you've had them for long enough on the car due to winter conditions.I'm thinking of trying them on my car as a replacement for Michelin.
In the meantime keep on enjoying this wonderful car!
The original PS2 on my Turbo worn out a while ago and I have since replaced them with the Bridgestone. Had about 2000km on them already.
The Bridestone is better in the wet, about the same dry, but with a bit better grip in cold weather. Side wall is a little bit softer than the PS2 as I feel it absorb a bit more bump going over speed bumps.
Subjectively I think it's also a quieter tire, the tire noise is of a different sound, to me it's a noise that I can live with while the PS2 is more of a annoying kind.
No idea on track performance as I don't track the car but on the street I think it's a better tire than the PS2.
Thank you very much for your reply.
What you say coincides with what I've heard from other Carrera and Turbo owners.
--
"Form follows function"
Dasein:
Sorry this is off-topic but maybe someone can help me. I'm searching for what I remember to be a very simple yet elegant brush stroke (black on white paper) rendition of the silhouette of the 911. Almost could be Japanese but captures the beauty of the 911 from the side.
Again, sorry for the GYS intrusion but I'd really love to have someone post this drawing.
Don
Don,
you mean this one? (click for full res)
Joost, You Da Man!!!!!!!!
It's close enough. Not exactly what I remember but like I said, THANK YOU, and close enough. I'm having some t-shirts made and thought this would look great on one.
Thanks again,
Don
reginos:
Thank you very much for your reply.What you say coincides with what I've heard from other Carrera and Turbo owners.
The Bridgestone is a very under rated tire, I had them before on my CLS55 so in a way I KNOW what those tires are capable of.
I am like the odd duck, I never liked PS2, but some people do swear by them and say they are the best there is. PZeros are the other alternative but they are hit and miss, some versions are really good and some are just junk, even within the same design the revision makes a big difference.
I agree with Whoopsy,
My 2006 911 C4 came with Bridgestone Potenzas and I liked them.
Michelin PS2s came on my last two 911s (2009 Carrera and 2011 Turbo S) and I like them too. Michelin has the name and the fame in this game. Each will wear out faster than you'd want them to. I'd buy the Bridgestones if they were cheaper than the PS2s; if not or close in price, I'd get the Michelins but I can't see how either would be a mistake.
Turbo owners could say this with more veracity but I swear 911 Turbos came with Bridgestones for years. That's a fairly decent recommendation, from Porsche, I would think.
Whoopsy:
PZeros are the other alternative but they are hit and miss, some versions are really good and some are just junk, even within the same design the revision makes a big difference.
Yeah, that's what they call the Italian way.
The secret of life is to admire without desiring.
nick1:
hey, everyone!
Short review of the GTS: 1500 km so far, winter tires, had really bad weather the last 2 weeks (damp with temps around zero).
i do follow the break in recommendations, but now having 1500 km on, i start to rev the engine upto 6t sometimes (only if the oil is warm).
Third brake light and brake light switch have been changed sofar. Third brake light: one of the LED went out, brake light switch wasnt adjusted properly so that it went on only after about 30% of the brake pedal travel.
Other than that only one small sqeak that should be no problem to fix.
Other thoughts, in short:
the combination of Sport chrono (Plus) and PDK offers a fantastically wide band of driving styles: from limo type in the city (stop and go) to a neck snapping race car type (sport chrono plus).
To many this is not new but to me, as my last car Cayman S, was manual and had no Sport Chrono plus. Also love the adjustibiliy of whole thing: so many different combinations of PASM, PDK, SC+,PSE....really serving every situation.
i start out driving with D (to warm the oil) and after that spend 80% in Manual mode.
PSE sounds plain intoxicating, i think better than on the normal 997.2. I guess it has something to do with the 6 manifolds.
Winter tires are okay, but so so so looking forward to a dry street WITH summer tires.
Wonderfull grip, i was and still am surprised by its amount. Eventually the GTS understeers in tight corners, but i can live with that, because this happens pretty late.
The body seems very stiff to me, stiffer than the Cayman.
interestingly i had a hard time finding the perfect driving position for me: either i was too near to the pedals or to far away from the steering wheel. In the Cayman i sat as low as possible, this isnt working with the 911. maybe the usual adjustment with a new car.
Surprisingly the GTS gets more attentions than i thought, might be the PSE and the white color. Even got thumbs up from young cops...
All in All i can say that the car is simply wonderfull in its power, sound, comfort, poise, precision and presence. But since its my first 911 i am still getting used to it, being so different than my last car (+113 PS, rear engine, wide stance, pdk, winter tires).
hmmm, thats all for the moment, please ask if any questons!
cheers
nick
Nick,
It seems like that you are enjoying your beast throughly
ONUR
11 M3 Coupe AW
09 Audi TTS Coupe - 07 997 Carrera S - 05 M3 Coupe - 03 M3 Coupe - 96 M3 Coupe EVO (PASS TIME HISTORY)
John H:
Yeah - many thanks Nick..
Any chance of some more photos now you've got your baby home?
BTW - Collecting mine tomorrow rather than waiting for it to be delivered..
Congrats John,
Enjoy it in good health
ONUR
11 M3 Coupe AW
09 Audi TTS Coupe - 07 997 Carrera S - 05 M3 Coupe - 03 M3 Coupe - 96 M3 Coupe EVO (PASS TIME HISTORY)
Dasein:
I agree with Whoopsy,
My 2006 911 C4 came with Bridgestone Potenzas and I liked them.
Michelin PS2s came on my last two 911s (2009 Carrera and 2011 Turbo S) and I like them too. Michelin has the name and the fame in this game. Each will wear out faster than you'd want them to. I'd buy the Bridgestones if they were cheaper than the PS2s; if not or close in price, I'd get the Michelins but I can't see how either would be a mistake.
Turbo owners could say this with more veracity but I swear 911 Turbos came with Bridgestones for years. That's a fairly decent recommendation, from Porsche, I would think.
997Turbo originally comes with either PS2 or PZeros, I don't believe Bridgestone was oem back then.
Currently the PS2 is off the oem list, it's either Bridgestone or PZeros.
Bridgestone is the cheapest, the PS2 is 50% more and the PZeros slots in right in the middle.
Porsche cutting cost?
As previously mentioned PS2's are currently off the list due to the impending Michelin Super Sports which are due in April/May...
Can't see Porsche using this to cut costs, but it's a sizeable price hike from Bridgestone.
My thoughts are that Bridgestone tyres will have improved during their years as exclusive F1 providers?
I'll find out soon enough though....
"Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out."
18.01.2011 10:40:11
John H:
My thoughts are that Bridgestone tyres will have improved during their years as exclusive F1 providers?
IMO you should check which N number your tyres have. That way you'll have a better idea whether it's one of the older or newer versions. As for F1 technology finding its way into these tyres, just speculating - but IMHO this is more likely with newer versions.
RT Moderator - 997.1 C2S GT Silver/Cocoa, -20mm sports suspension/LSD, PSE, short shifter, SportDesign rims, Zuffenhausen collection
21.01.2011 23:14:17