Tire Choices...

[BadMojo]

Stock S13 alloys, 15x6. I'm looking at the following tires in 205/50/15. All are more or less the same price.

Kumho Ecsta MXAvon Tech M500Yokohama AVS ES100

Any opinions? Right now I'm leaning towards the Yokohamas, only because they've been around quite a while and folks seem to like them. The Avon's do intrigue me, but I don't know much about the MX. Reviews on Tirerack are mildly helpful, but wanted to hear what you guys think.

[nismofly]

i was looking at the same tires when i was getting a set for my new wheels, ended up getting the Avons...

my question for you is do you ever track your car? any type of event at all? thats a big factor with the tires here

[BadMojo]

i was looking at the same tires when i was getting a set for my new wheels, ended up getting the Avons...

my question for you is do you ever track your car? any type of event at all? thats a big factor with the tires here

Don't track the car yet, but I'd like to get in to autocross once I get another car for a daily driver. Optimally, I'd like to get a new car by late summer '06 when all my credit cards and student loans are paid off. In the mean time, I'm looking for some high performance street tires and will get something like Blizzaks for our lovely PA winters.

[nismofly]

reason i say that is i got the Avons because the reviews and everything on tire rack basically said "perfect daily driver" and they are

my old good years (dont laugh, they were on the teardrops when i got the car) i could light up in rain without even wanting to with a stock ka, it was like driving in a blizzard everytime it rained...these tires its totally different, i really have to try to even chirp the tires anymore, even in rain its a totally different feeling, so much better

the only problem with them is ive heard when you track them they wear really quickly...i might try an auto-x on them after i fix my suspension and brakes and see how they do but before i take my car to some hpde's next summer i think im going to get a set of wheels and mount like toyo ra-1s or something similar on them, and have my "track only tires"...this is the only reason i mentioned the whole tracking thing

if its just a daily at least for now the avons are fine

[Exar-Kun]

why the heck is everyone obsessed with a 205-50-15? It's too small (OD), and has an inferior load index compared to the correct plus-zero of a 205-55-15.The bridgestone RE750, ES-100 or BFG Gforce sport (not sure if that size is out yet) would all serve you well in that size.

-Chet

[BadMojo]

why the heck is everyone obsessed with a 205-50-15? It's too small (OD), and has an inferior load index compared to the correct plus-zero of a 205-55-15.The bridgestone RE750, ES-100 or BFG Gforce sport (not sure if that size is out yet) would all serve you well in that size.

-Chet

Much more selection in 205/50/15, but it *is* important to do things properly. I guess that narrows it down. I'll most likely go with the ES100's, since the other two are a bit more than I'd like to spend and the Yokohamas seem like good tires.

Thanks!

[nismofly]

eh i didnt see the size

nm then...ok so bridgestones are $40 more than yokos, these are tires i originally looked at but they were a little more expensive than what i wanted to pay

for another $20 past the bridgestones you could get bfg kdw2 also...just a thought

[ArticDragon192]

why the heck is everyone obsessed with a 205-50-15? It's too small (OD), and has an inferior load index compared to the correct plus-zero of a 205-55-15.The bridgestone RE750, ES-100 or BFG Gforce sport (not sure if that size is out yet) would all serve you well in that size.

-Chet

Haha, I know what you mean. I ran 205/60-15s and am now running205/55-15s and I like them more. The wheel and tire combo looks good, I experience less understeer, and it gives correct speed readings. Also a 55 series tire will be cheaper than a 50 series tire.

[GhostDriver]

I can vouche for the Bridgestone RE750s. I love these flippin' tires. I tracked the '40 once and the tires performed nicely. Awesome daily driver and kickass rain tire. I don't have and LSD and I've yet to spin a tire whilst turning in the rain, and they feel very stable in the rain as well. I might sound stupid but I actually like driving in on wet streets. Of course there are better tires but these are excellent tires for the money.
Modified by GhostDriver at 1:06 AM 7/10/2005

[hannibal]

Isnt the ES100 more of an all-season tire than the Avons or Kumho MX's?? Seems like the ES100 would be a good daily driver tire and the other two would make good track tires. Avon M550 and Kumho 712 would be better compared to the ES100, I think.

[Exar-Kun]

THe es-100 is NOT an all-season tire. Not even close. That said, it has a silica tread compound to allow better grip characteristics in rain and cold weather. So yes, it would make a better "daily driving" tire..which is what he said he wanted

"Don't track the car yet, but I'd like to get in to autocross once I get another car for a daily driver. "

the ES-100's will work more than adequately at autocross for a beginier (flexible heat range, grip characteristics don't change much until extremeties are reached).

Also, neither the MX or Avon is a "track tire". They are UHP summer and MP summer tires maybe, but neither approximate a PZero Corsa, Pilot sport Cup or A048 in the least.

-Chet

[BadMojo]

THe es-100 is NOT an all-season tire. Not even close. That said, it has a silica tread compound to allow better grip characteristics in rain and cold weather. So yes, it would make a better "daily driving" tire..which is what he said he wanted

Yeah, I've found out the hard way that all-season (or three season) tires just won't cut it here in PA. Gonna pick up some Blizzaks or something this fall. At least with tiny 15" wheels the tires are cheap.

Anyway, thanks for the guidance Chet.

[hannibal]

I'm obviously still learning, but I know the MX and Avons arent R compound sticky tires. (is that the definition of a track tire?)

I assume UHP (ultra high performance) are the best street tires, followed by MP (maximum performance, I think). By 'best' I mean dry drip is placed before other factors.

You said the MX and M500 are UHP or MP summer tires. Do UHP or MP all season tires exist?

[nismofly]

you have it backwards, MP > UHP

pretty much all UHP have both dry and wet grip in mind, but MP is sort of yes and no, there are tires where wet grip was thought of and tires where it was disregarded

[ArticDragon192]

Where would Ziexs fall?

[chandler]

heck I just got a set of fulda quantum elites and they rock, but there not all weather

[BadMojo]

The bridgestone RE750, ES-100 or BFG Gforce sport (not sure if that size is out yet) would all serve you well in that size.-Chet

Hey Chet,

Do you have any particular impressions on the G-Force Sport tires? They *do* seem to have just recently released 205/55/15 sized tires along with the 205/60/15 they originally had.

Thanks!

[chmercer]

i read a thing that was either about the g force tires or the fuzion tires, cant remember which, but it said that they were extremly narrow for their rated width. ill see if i can find the article.

[skydragoness]

Hey Chet,

Do you have any particular impressions on the G-Force Sport tires? They *do* seem to have just recently released 205/55/15 sized tires along with the 205/60/15 they originally had.

Thanks!

The new G-Sport from BF that is? TireRack's review/test of them didn't seem all that impressive.

Are you looking for strictly summer performance/autocrossing tires only?Or all-season performance (i use the term 'all-season' loosely)Because I highly recommend the Bridgestone RE950 for a/s (not really good in the snow though, but kicks major a$$ in the rain). The Michelin Exalto A/S (that Chet is trying to convince me to buy) are the only tires that beat out the RE950 in Tireracks' comparison tests. Marginally, but that still means something.

[Exar-Kun]

THe Gforce sport has its advantages/disadvantages over other tires in its class, it seems to be more predicatable, but the overall grip isn't the best overall...

I liked its turn in response when I did my test lap on them, It, like the es-100 is a good tire for the money by any means, but nothing stellar IMO. It's definately a safe bet.

Also MP tires don't neglect rain handling ecessarily, but they often disregard treadwear and cold-temperature characterisitics in the interest of getting higher levels of dry (and wet) grip "at temp". MP tires are those like the PS2, MX, KD, AD07, etc.

Chandler: Fulda QUantum Elites are the old Goodyear GS-D2 tread design, purchased by my holding company for production as a private label, FYI. Those will get noisy in about 6k miles.

Dragon: That'd depends on the ZEIX model you are referring to. the 512 and Azenis ST IMO falls into the high-performance or UHP all-season, who's dry handling usually falls behind the summer UHP tires. the Azenis 615 and 215 are defiantely MP summer.

Sky: Hit me up on how much you got quoted on the bridgestones, I got the exaltos as a favor from MAST..IM me.

-Chet