Fitted 255/35/R19 and 275/35/R19 PSS to my M3 some time back. Some of you will know that this isn't stock size but I didn't have a choice as the stock sizes were out of stock when I needed to change the tyres. The rears were down to minimum thread wear indicator after 8000km and the front tires shoulders were shredded.
It has drastically change the handling characteristic of the car. Where previously, with the PS2, it will tend to towards understeer when charging too fast into a turn, now it has been transformed into oversteer. Definitely, I have been getting more mid bend oversteer (traction control off), where before it was seldom encountered on street and b road drives. Before, some of you tell me it is power oversteer, I assure you, that I was not on the throttle when it happened. Plus, it is easily reproduced.
There is no doubt, based on many instrumented tests and reviews published online that the PSS is superior to the PS2 in the dry, but I must caution all PSS user to be careful in the wet or even moist conditions. There wasn't that big a disparity between dry and wet performance for the PS2, but the PSS has such improved dry traction that it can result in shocking moments when the roads are wet. I feel that the PSS technology has made little headway in the wet, especially braking. I have quite a few close shaves already. Please manage expectations if the road is wet and do not expect the phenomenal performance that the tyre delivers when wet.
PSS seems to need higher operating temperatures for peak performance compared to PS2. I get hilarious power oversteer for turn 1, 2, 4, 8, 9 at Sepang on the out lap from the pits until things warm up where I can begin to put more power down, earlier. The tires were already hot from the drive up so they are not exactly at ambient temperature coming out from the pits. So, I think it is not possible to reach that kind of tyres temperatures required for max performance during street driving (assuming Sepang weather conditions are similar to local).
Also, PSS seems noisier than PS2.
I can't wait to try the Continental CSC 5P as a comparison.
It has drastically change the handling characteristic of the car. Where previously, with the PS2, it will tend to towards understeer when charging too fast into a turn, now it has been transformed into oversteer. Definitely, I have been getting more mid bend oversteer (traction control off), where before it was seldom encountered on street and b road drives. Before, some of you tell me it is power oversteer, I assure you, that I was not on the throttle when it happened. Plus, it is easily reproduced.
There is no doubt, based on many instrumented tests and reviews published online that the PSS is superior to the PS2 in the dry, but I must caution all PSS user to be careful in the wet or even moist conditions. There wasn't that big a disparity between dry and wet performance for the PS2, but the PSS has such improved dry traction that it can result in shocking moments when the roads are wet. I feel that the PSS technology has made little headway in the wet, especially braking. I have quite a few close shaves already. Please manage expectations if the road is wet and do not expect the phenomenal performance that the tyre delivers when wet.
PSS seems to need higher operating temperatures for peak performance compared to PS2. I get hilarious power oversteer for turn 1, 2, 4, 8, 9 at Sepang on the out lap from the pits until things warm up where I can begin to put more power down, earlier. The tires were already hot from the drive up so they are not exactly at ambient temperature coming out from the pits. So, I think it is not possible to reach that kind of tyres temperatures required for max performance during street driving (assuming Sepang weather conditions are similar to local).
Also, PSS seems noisier than PS2.
I can't wait to try the Continental CSC 5P as a comparison.
! That's when ah yang quoted me...
