I'm shopping for a 718 Cayman and because I live in Boston I need to resolve the winter tire issue. I'd like to go for the 20" Carrera Sports Wheels. It appears however that there are no winter tires that fit these wheels. It is unfortunate given that winter tires are available for the same wheels on the 911. I don't know much about tires/wheels size but can anyone tell me if would be able to fit other winter tires for these wheels or should I just give up altogether and get 19" instead (winter tires are available for 19"). Thanks!
Winter Tire 20" Wheels for 718
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Do a search for winter tires and you will find a lot of information on sizes. I have yet to hear of anyone on P9 using the same rims for summer and winter tires, as you seem to be proposing. My suggestion would be to get a set of 18" rims for winter. The tires will be cheaper than 20" or 19" tires and you will have additional sidewall to resist pothole damage. It will cost you more initially, but taking tires on and off rims will cost more than simply swapping wheel sets, especially if you do the swap yourself. Tequipment has 18" Boxster rims and tires for about $3,000 US, and you could probably get a different wheel at tire rack or another retailer even cheaper.
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Suncoast has a sale currently on their OEM winter sets - the 18" one is actually somewhat reasonable (that means a lot for an OEM set)
https://www.suncoastparts.com/product/SKU71818BWWS.html
You can get a 19" winter wheel/tire set from Tirerack for roughly the same price (if you include TPMS installed).
Or, you can get the 235/35R20 Michelin PA4 for the fronts, and a 275/40R20 for the rear (stock size is 265/35R20). That means the rear tire will be 10mm wider (no big deal) but almost 18mm taller sidewall (36mm raised height in the rear). I'm not sure how that will fit.
The 911 has tires because it has different wheel widths (and therefore different tire widths).
Personally, I'm planning on just buying tires (19"), but if it's $1300 for tires + $$$ to install each time, then $2300 for a set might just be a better deal.
https://www.suncoastparts.com/product/SKU71818BWWS.html
You can get a 19" winter wheel/tire set from Tirerack for roughly the same price (if you include TPMS installed).
Or, you can get the 235/35R20 Michelin PA4 for the fronts, and a 275/40R20 for the rear (stock size is 265/35R20). That means the rear tire will be 10mm wider (no big deal) but almost 18mm taller sidewall (36mm raised height in the rear). I'm not sure how that will fit.
The 911 has tires because it has different wheel widths (and therefore different tire widths).
Personally, I'm planning on just buying tires (19"), but if it's $1300 for tires + $$$ to install each time, then $2300 for a set might just be a better deal.
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I had the same decision recently as I have a 718 Cayman S with 20 inch black wheels. I used tire rack bought a set of 19 inch oz ultraleggera (black) with Michelin Alpin's N-Spec. Cost was just over 3K all in. My main alternative was to go to Suncoast and get the 19 inch Porsche Winter wheel set on sale for a similar price. Since the car is just daily driven, my choice was based on appearance.
Suncoast also has a good price on the 18 inch set. Smaller is better in the winter and you get more sidewall protection -- but you'd have to be comfortable with the looks. I was initially under the impression that the 18 inch wheels don't fit the Cayman S due to the larger brake in the front but this seems wrong as both the 18 and 19 inch wheels have the same width and offset.
As suggested above, you could technically get 20 inch winter tires that aren't the exact same measurements as spec. A good tire guy could easily give you options (note: tire rack doesn't provide you with any on their site). But when you factor in the additional cost of pulling tires on and off and rebalancing 2x a year vs just a quick swap of the wheels, the wheels pay for themselves over the life of the car. And you also end up having a more ideal winter setup.
If you go with the Porsche Winter set, your dealer may match the Suncoast price (never hurts to ask).
Good Luck!
Suncoast also has a good price on the 18 inch set. Smaller is better in the winter and you get more sidewall protection -- but you'd have to be comfortable with the looks. I was initially under the impression that the 18 inch wheels don't fit the Cayman S due to the larger brake in the front but this seems wrong as both the 18 and 19 inch wheels have the same width and offset.
As suggested above, you could technically get 20 inch winter tires that aren't the exact same measurements as spec. A good tire guy could easily give you options (note: tire rack doesn't provide you with any on their site). But when you factor in the additional cost of pulling tires on and off and rebalancing 2x a year vs just a quick swap of the wheels, the wheels pay for themselves over the life of the car. And you also end up having a more ideal winter setup.
If you go with the Porsche Winter set, your dealer may match the Suncoast price (never hurts to ask).
Good Luck!
I was in the same boat. And after looking at 3-4k for a tire/rim set just for winter, I bought a 20k jeep Renegade for winter lol. Way less worries. It also helps that I have a 13 year old who will get it as his first car in a few years 
. At least that's what i told my wife to get her sign off. I already have 10k miles on the stock Pirelli P-Zeros (If i get 5 more, i will be happy). I am going to replace with the Eagle performance All-Seasons since i dont track and would like the piece of mind if I caught in questionable weather while out driving on a "nice" winter day in Colorado.
. At least that's what i told my wife to get her sign off. I already have 10k miles on the stock Pirelli P-Zeros (If i get 5 more, i will be happy). I am going to replace with the Eagle performance All-Seasons since i dont track and would like the piece of mind if I caught in questionable weather while out driving on a "nice" winter day in Colorado.
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Post #4 in the following thread has a picture of my car with the 18" Boxster wheel set
http://www.planet-9.com/porsche-tir...ires-981-cayman-s.html?highlight=winter+tires
http://www.planet-9.com/porsche-tir...ires-981-cayman-s.html?highlight=winter+tires
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194 Posts
I just got a quote from my dealer on how much they charge to swap tires on the same wheels (keep in mind, this will be twice a year): $229.95
$1300 + ($229.95 * 6) [3 years] = $2679.70
1 set of OEM 18" from Suncoast = $2495 + free (or maybe $15) to swap them
1 set of 19" tires + wheels + tpms from TireRack = $2300
If you figure you can probably get close to 3 winters from a set of winter tires, then the wheel set more than pays for itself. Also, you are keeping your OEM wheels clean for the winter and potholes.
Alternative: buy 19" package, swap OEM to winter tires, then get a nice set of summer wheels to use with the OEM summer tires.
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For a time, I swapped the tires on the same wheels for my E46 M3. You can do it, but honestly, I really wouldn't recommend it. Over a few years, your cost savings between not having to re-mount/balance twice a year and cheaper 18" tires will cover the upfront cost. The other thing to consider is that every time a shop swaps your tires, there's the possibility of accidental damage. Even good shops, with experienced techs, can make mistakes. Then you've got a fight on your hands.
If aesthetics are your main concern, I wouldn't worry. NE winters can be nightmares, and there'll be plenty of potholes. Not all of which you'll miss. If people see your car with 18" wheels in the middle of winter, they'll know why you've got them mounted and won't care. It might bug you the first few times you get in the car, but once you're used to them, you'll barely notice. The winter grime every car tends to pick up will drive you far, far nuttier
.Four years ago, I bought 18" wheels and winter tires right from the dealer for about $2850. I thought it was cheaper but that's why I found in my notes. I liked having the factory wheels (they matched my summers) with my 981. Maybe you can get a similar deal with 19". When I bought those, the wheels had only been out for a year and there weren't any bargains on the used wheel market but that might have changed. I'm going to use those winter wheels on my 718 and probably install them just days after delivery...
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Going to switch my 19” tires to winter performance and buy 20’’ wheel set for summer. I’ll have to sell my 19’’ tires on the boards or something. Wondering if 991 20’’ wheels for the 718BS, anyone know?
Rippey
Interesting. So what do folks in the Southern part of the country do where snow and ice isn't much of a problem but temperatures below freezing are common? Keep the summer tires on and just drive carefully (or sporadically) or try and find an All Season tire in the right size that won't mind the cold temps as much?
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Some probably take the safe route and get all-seasons, but I can confirm that summer tires still work fine on cold days (even cold/wet days), but they are not in their optimal environment.
Source: lived in northern Alabama. The few times it did sprinkle some snow or get icy were not worth getting the second set of wheels (for a daily driver).
I use BF/Goodrich g Force Comp 2 All Seasons on my MX-5 and they have been excellent. I drive my MX-5 year round and it takes me to work and back at least a couple of days a week (25 miles each way) so it was important for me to find a tire that had good overall performance in many types of weather. As I am seriously looking at possibly upgrading the MX-5 to a 718 one of these years I want to make sure it has the best possible equipment for not only the fun and spirited driving but also normal transportation duties in inclement weather.
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Did you p zeros make 15k mi? Mine did not... Rears anywho, fronts are pretty solid still. My local Porsche guy said he usually sees 2rear tire sets for every 1 set o frontsI was in the same boat. And after looking at 3-4k for a tire/rim set just for winter, I bought a 20k jeep Renegade for winter lol. Way less worries. It also helps that I have a 13 year old who will get it as his first car in a few years
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HRE makes some nice 19 inch black wheels for the Cayman in 19 inch. They have several sales a year. I bought HRE FF01 wheels and Michelin N spec tires mounted and balanced. My local guy charges $45 to swap the wheel sets out and I store them with him for $120 per year. It's been a warm winter so far but I would rather not risk the driving on the summer tires below 45 degrees. Additionally, Michelin warranty specifically warns against using them in winter and will not honor warranty if the sidewalls crack because of winter use. Wheels aren't cheap but better than a repair on the car.
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