looking for some new tires but having mad issues finding my size!

[Carl H]

so i need new tires very badly...the 3hr drive back to western killed my wrists because the tires are so out of ballance (constant steering wheel jerking) from when i had the tires reballanced for a flatspot caused by a panic brake induced by some ditzy blonde in a jetta pulling out into a high way at low speed.tires are at the wear bars and are due for replacement anyways.currently have yokohama es100's mounted on all 4 corners w 245/45/16 front and 245/50/16 rear...gives the car a nice staggered look and a sloped stance but the problem with the stagger is that its hard to find tires in those sizes.my question here is where do you guys buy tires and if you buy them online where do you get them and who has the best prices.im on a budget here but will not sacrifice performance for a ****ty tire (read: all season) that costs as much as a good one.post up, im all ears!

[Exar-Kun]

At the possibility of sounding crass...why theheck are you running those sizes? the 245/45/16 is an old Z32 and Porsche size - but at least it's a good size for the S chassis if you have wid enough wheels..but the 245/50...is just...why? why man? it's too tall, doesn't help the handling at all and is an OLD camaro / S10 size so you won't be finding anything decent in selection there.

What size wheels do you have? If you're running 7.5 or 8" wheels and want to get the best selection of good sticky tires run 225/50/16 all around...

Check out the Yokohama S drive and BFG Gforce sport if you're on a budget and want a good, sticky cost effective tire.

-Chet

[Carl H]

well i have r32 gtr wheels on my car right now (8 wide +30 offset) so i have wheels that work well with that combo.the car also puts down 400whp when on high boost and even with an ats lsd i still need rather wide rubber to put it down.the yokohama sdrives arnt offered in a 245 width for 16" wheels...

[glitched]

IMO 225/50 are perfect for 16x8

if you have traction problems, get better rubber.

225/50 Bridgestoen REO1R's would be my suggestion, but I'm also a RE01R fanboy, probabaly because I'm the fastest car on street tires at the local autocross events on these same tires

I have a local Discount tire in madison that can order any tire and has the best prices in town, so if you have one check there.

[GoinTopless240]

Yeah.. what Chet said... The BFG's are usually a decent price.. I've had a few sets of them on various cars. Good handling and great in the wet too. They usually last me about 30 - 40 K (unless I'm pushin them). I would consider a different size as well. Those sizes you mentioned are what I would call a dead size. 225/50r16 will give you a much larger selection of tires. BFG makes a good track tire in that size too.. the R1. It is their track tire, but the nice part is it warms up quick (great for autocrosses), but will give you some good grip if you want to play. Drag radials are harder to come by in the 16" rim size. Good luck.

[nismofly]

dont run an r1 on the street...just, dont

if youre looking for rain traction and decent mileage get something like what Chet mentioned, i run s drives in 225/50/16 and love them, but im also stock ka, and i wouldnt really push them that hard, theyre just enough to have fun with

if you want to sacrifice some wet for all out dry, you can get max level street tires like the RE01R in 225/50 for decent prices, something to look into for sure

[Carl H]

i appreciate the input from all but i really dont care for streched tires...i like my wheels uncurbed as they are and because of the roads here the potholes can cause some major damage.i understand that the 245/45/16 size is hard to find which is why im asking, i like the way the car handles the way it is so im not looking to change it.i am also on a shock and spring combo so shock interference is an issue as well.

[nismofly]

225 is not stretched on an 8, not at all

but if you really want the 245s, run these in 245/45 all around, no 245/50

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/...ace=0

[TerminalVelocity]

225 is generally vertical on an 8in wheel.FYI 225mm=8.86in which is about what an 8in actually comes out to be in width.

245mm=9.64in

[glitched]

i appreciate the input from all but i really dont care for streched tires...i like my wheels uncurbed as they are and because of the roads here the potholes can cause some major damage.i understand that the 245/45/16 size is hard to find which is why im asking, i like the way the car handles the way it is so im not looking to change it.i am also on a shock and spring combo so shock interference is an issue as well.

As others have said, 225 on 8 is not stretched. its practically perfect. I would run 245 on an 8.5 or 9in wide wheel.

here are my 225 BFG G-force sports on 16x8 rears. not stretched, not to wide, still has enough sticking out past the lip to help prevent minor curbrash
Modified by glitched at 9:12 PM 9/2/2008

[Exar-Kun]

If you're making 400whp....I'd invest in a bit better tires than 'budget' oriented summers.. I'm sure 400whp didn't come cheap and your tires are the only things putting it down so don't cheap out there.

245/45/16 S drives are scheduled to be made, we'll see when they're on shore.

That being said, if you want an absolutely sick tire you could always grab DOT-R circut/street tire like the ADVAN A048 in a 225/50/16 or the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup in the 245/45/16.

Of the offerings in the 245/45 (again...don't be too obsessed with the size..have you taken tire temps to see if you need the extra carcass or are you just assuming you do? Contact patch size doesn't change by tire size....) your best bet is either the *ugh* hankooks which have serious heat tolerance and braking issues, or the ES100's you have now which tend to get a bit noisy.

-Chet

[Carl H]

i'll proly just go with a set of es100's again as they work well for the application...i have zero traction issues with them at my high boost power level and im used to the way they drive (had them on the car for over 4 years now, just now replacing the fronts and have only had to change the rears once).the car is a street car which i drive to and from school so wear is a factor...but thanks for the input.

[glitched]

i'll proly just go with a set of es100's again as they work well for the application...i have zero traction issues with them at my high boost power level and im used to the way they drive (had them on the car for over 4 years now, just now replacing the fronts and have only had to change the rears once).the car is a street car which i drive to and from school so wear is a factor...but thanks for the input.

If wear is the main factor, according to this survey chart you could do better. http://www.tirerack.com/tires/...e=UHP

[naed240sx]

es100s are a joke. Get some hankook rs2s or falken azenis....otherwise get something crappy for street and rain traction and then get some r comps to swap on for when you hit the track or weekends.

[Exar-Kun]

...if he had money for another set of wheels and tires don't you think he'd be looking at better street tires anyway?

And the RS2 and Azenis grease too easy....don't get me started. At least the ES100 does well in the rain, wears decent, is round and works for him.

*sigh*

-Chet