What to do when you barely drive your 911 GT3 RS? Stick JDM-spec wheels on it

Renowned photographer Mark Riccioni has been working with TG for many, many years. When not taking photos he’s buying inappropriate cars. Here he shares his addiction with the world

Beginning a Top Gear Garage update moaning about the costs of a very expensive car should really be accompanied by a tiny violin playing in the background. Especially when those issues are neither surprising nor anyone’s fault bar my own.

Around four years ago I switched from a 991 GT3 to a 991 GT3 RS and then proceeded to brag about doubling its total mileage in just a few months of ownership, citing all the nonsense about cars should be driven and questioning why anyone would keep mileage off a car only for the next owner to enjoy.

And yet, since 2024, I’ve barely averaged a thousand miles a year. Inevitably there’s a whole catalogue of excuses I could put the blame on, but fundamentally I’ve been useless at creating opportunities to actually use it. And with two small children now in our family, that also means a roll caged, two-seater sports car isn’t exactly practical. The cruel irony of not using a GT3 RS is the fact it’s still cost me just as much money as if I’d been using it anyway.

While toying with the idea of driving down to Germany for our recent greatest 911 ever shoot, I discovered both rear tyres were now unusable. Not for tread depth either – having spent so long parked up for periods of time they’d started to crack and discolour, with the passenger rear tyre now losing one to two psi every few weeks.

But the cherry on top has to be the ‘interim service’ notice which flagged up last week. It’s not actually due for another 8,000 miles, but as this is also triggered in time intervals as much as mileage, it’s still been recommended by Porsche to sort at a cost of £1,916.30. Which means every mile I’ve done since its last service has cost nearly a quid.

Rather than allow the tiny violin playing in the background to be joined by a tiny orchestra, I’ve decided to spin the negative into a positive the only way I know how – by doing completely unnecessary modifications that incur further costs and hassle in the process.

Behold! A set of jazzy JDM-spec Advan GT wheels which actually turned up back in September 2025. The Mark Riccioni of many years ago would’ve been harassing tyre shops for £25 part worns the minute a new set of wheels arrived such was my impatience, but thankfully I’m a little more grown up now. Not much, but enough to know part worn Ling Corp Ditchfinder 3000s on a GT3 RS is not what Porsche intended.

Choosing the right set of replacement tyres did send me down many Porsche forums and 911 owners’ groups, however. All of which left me feeling like I wanted to immediately move away from Porsche ownership altogether. But as the Advan GT wheels are in the OE sizes of 20x9.5in and 21x12.5in, keeping the tyre size also OE seemed like an absolute no brainer, especially as it’d eliminate the chance of bashing my arches to bits and making an expensive upgrade even more expensive.

For once the sensible option was also the best – a brand new set of Michelin Cup 2 tyres in 265/35/20 on the front and 325/30/21 on the rear, albeit the latest N2 compound which has since replaced the N0 and N1 compounds of which the latter were previously fitted on the RS. Making life even easier were the team over at Protyre.co.uk, who not only carry stock of the Cup 2 in RS sizes but also have the necessary machines to fit on site. The sheer size of RS wheels combined with low profile, XL-rated sidewalls can often be tricky to install given how little space and clearance there is – especially when factoring in the TPMS sensors too.

What I probably should’ve done in hindsight was also lean on Protyre to fit ’em as well, but for some bizarre reason I thought it’d be more fun to do it alone on my driveway after. A task made slightly tricky thanks to the need of a 600Nm capable torque wrench... and then (as I found out after sourcing one of those) a second person to push on the brakes when loosening and tightening the nuts because the force required will spin the front wheels even when it’s not jacked up.

But, after nearly eight months of excuses, they’re finally fitted and looking both very honourable and extra jazzy. Unfortunately, I can’t actually drive it yet because I need to wait for my wife to get back from work so the wheels can be torqued up fully. Balls.