Jenner

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Pirelli Scorpion A/T or the Dunlop Grandtrek WT M2 tires on their SUV?

The size I will be running is 235/60/18. I have a set of 20" rims with summer tires, so they don't need to be all seasons, as I will swap with the conditions.

Location is CT by the ocean, so we have snow, but it is cleared fast and ice isn't a big concern. Mostly my commute is cold dry roads. I don't plan on doing any serious offroading, but it would be nice for my second set of wheels/tires to serve as more than just snow tires.

<U>Scorpion A/T</U>
Pros:
Cheaper
Offroad ability
good reviews/feedback
can be used for more than just winter

Cons:
All season/off road not pure winter
No reviews YET

<U>Grandtreks</U>
Pros:
Used the Dunlop Wintersport M2 and M3 tires on my 3 previous Audis and my Fiancees car. Loved them/familar with them and the Grandtreks look like a SUV version of this tire.
Better in snow.

Cons:
More expensive
No offroad ability


<U>Other</U>
The Scorpions have the Mud + Snow rating:
The M+S designation was first used to differentiate the knobby bias ply tires intended for use on muddy, and/or snow-covered roads from the straight rib tires used on early cars or trucks.

The size I would get does not have the white raised letters as shown in the picture.

The Dunlop Grandtrek WT M2 winter radials meet the industry's severe snow service requirements and are branded with the snowflake-on-the-mountain symbol.

Both tires are OEM Porsche recommended tires, but the Scorpions are classfied by Porsche as "for heavy snow areas" (??!) and the Grandtreks are "for all conditions" (???) I am thinking this has to be a typo.

If anyone has experience with either/both of these tires I'd love to hear your comments. I don't think I can go wrong either way, but if the Scorpion can perform in a few inches of snow then I'll get them.

TIA.

eric strauss

The two tires that you are considering will have different characteristics that will favor different driving environments - depending upon your driving needs.

If you are a road-only user of the Porsche, I would grab the Dunlops in a heartbeat. The siping and rounded tread edges will give a much better road feel with even and quiet wear.

The Pirelli's have the edge if you do, indeed, take your SUV into challenging off-road situations (in which case the Dunlop's will give up pretty early in the game). The stiff outer lugs favor deep snow/mud traction but heave over with any aggressive cornering - similar to Blizzak WS-50's. But, they will howl at highway speeds (very annoying) and heat up quickly in dry "January thaw" type conditions that New Haven is noted for.

Because you have AWD - the Dunlops will be just fine in snow.

Best
eric

Tron (///M)

What happened to the 996? Do you still have it?

jprice@CPS

<a href="http://www.nokiantires.com/newsite/tires_popup.cfm?id=17">Nokian WR</a>. Available in your size. Good stradle between dry pavement and snow/ice performance. I wouldn't expect much off-roading or mud diggin ;-).

The other tire that comes to mind is the <a href="http://www.tirerack.com/a.jsp?a=AR4&url=%2Ftires%2Ftires.jsp%3FtireMake%3D Michelin%26tireModel%3DLTX%2BM%252FS">Michelin LTX M/S</a>. My dad has these on his Toyota Tacoma and they really seem to do well.

Also take a look at the <a href="http://www.tirerack.com/a.jsp?a=AR4&url=%2Ftires%2Ftires.jsp%3FtireMake%3D Bridgestone%26tireModel%3DDueler%2BA%252FT%2BRevo" >Bridgestone Dueler A/T</a>. Cool tread design, TR customer feedback indicates good snow traction. (no personal experience however.

Jenner

Heard good stuff about Nokian, but I'd get the Dunlop Grandtrek before I went with Nokian. Thanks.

Jenner

Traded it in for the Turbo Pepper...LOVED the 996 but I was tracking it more than I drove it on the street. Going with Cayenne Turbo for daily driver and a dedicated Porsche track car that I can tow with the Cayenne made more sense. This way I can have my cake and eat it too.

Also stock the Cayenne is as fast as my 996...with some mods I'll have 550hp and it should be even a little faster

Jenner

Your 100% right with the January thaw as I live about 15 minutes SW of New Haven.

As much as I like the fact that the Scorpions offer me off road traction, the chances I ever do that will be slim. Plus in an SUV that can do 165mph howling at high speeds is not something I want.

Hopefully the Grandreks will perform as good or better than the WinterSport M2/M3s I've used in the past.

jprice@CPS

The WR does better in the dry whan the Dunlop M2, and still does great in the snow and ice. Just not sure about off-roading.. do people really do that in cayennes? I mean, its fine for dirt, just maybe not rock climbing.

Jenner

than other suvs(X5, Range Rover etc) with offroad tires yes.

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eric strauss

If I had the Porsche, I would be unlikely to flog it off-road as well. I had a great opportunity to put a Tuareg (with "steel" supension) and found it to be awesome.

When I was with the Police force in the 1980's, I used to teach off-road driving to folks eager to use their 4x4's on our off-road beaches and trails here on Cape Cod. The modern (Porsche-VW/Montero Limited/LR LW3) 4x4's are so competent as a function of their independent suspension and "smart" transfer cases that off-road capacity has never been better from the factory.

Good luck this winter and keep us posted..

Best,
eric