Would somebody nit-pick my tire choices and refer the best please

[Clatch]

Size 205/55/15

This is all based on Tire Rack’s ratings.

Okay, first if I were to pick a tire without a warranty, then I would go with a “Max Performance Summer” BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW 2. However how long do you think these would last? Second, if I were to go with a “Ultra High Performance Summer” with a warranty I go with Kumho ECSTA ASX. Now if you think the KDW 2’s would last just as long as the Kumho’s then I will scratch the latter of the list. Third, if I were to go with a “High Performance All-Season” I would choose between 5 different tires; BFGoodrich Traction T/A V, Bridgestone Potenza G009, Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S, Yokohama AVID V4S, and finally the famed Falken Ziex ZE 512’s.

Okay here are my requirements,

- Cost is not a factor- Ride is not a factor- Noise is not a factor- Snow traction is not a factor- Must handle awesome in the rain- Must handle awesome dry- Must have decent tread life for a daily driver, except for the KDW 2’s- I will make an exception to the KDW 2’s if they are mind numbingly better than the others and are worth sacrificing tread life for performance on a daily driver.

If you know of a tire that you would think fits my needs better than please refer that one instead.

[onosqv]

What are you using it for? track or just daily driving? If just daily driving, any of those will do just fine.

Also, different ppl have different driving styles, so a tire that may seem good to one, may not be good for another person.

All the tires you mentioned are decent and will serve you fine if 99% of the time you are just driving around town.

[Clatch]

This will be just daily driving but pretty hard daily driving and I like to enjoy the twisties alot. Therefore I do not know if the KDW 2's are too extreme and will wear out in 10,000 miles.

[nismofly]

i figure ill probably be getting 12-13k out of my avon's, there about the same as the kdw2 performance wise...figure about the same milage wise from the bfg's, maybe even less

you have to remember, the softer the tire the better it will perform, but the faster it will wear...if you can find ultra high or max performance summer wet/dry tires that last more than 15k, 20 max, theyre probably not going to live up to promised performance

[onosqv]

This will be just daily driving but pretty hard daily driving and I like to enjoy the twisties alot. Therefore I do not know if the KDW 2's are too extreme and will wear out in 10,000 miles.

They're a treadwear rating of 300 - not extreme at all. that will last you at the very minimal 1.5 - 2 years. With very hard driving all the time, expect 1.5 years.

I've had my 300 rating Yokohama Parada Spec 2's for around a year or so now and they are still performing great - showing signs of wear from autox/canyons, but are awesome dry & wet for their price. Of course, this is also my first "real" tire, so I don't know how well it performs vs other tires, etc.

[nismofly]

mine are rated 280, so figure maybe 15k or a little more

didnt i see in your other thread that you do 30k a year?

[Clatch]

Yeah 30,000 a year so I'm pretty much going to rule out the KDW 2's then.

[nismofly]

like i said, if you want a year out of the tires youre 99.9% chance not getting ultra high or max performance

your best bet would probably be getting a second set of wheels with grippy tires on them for occasional use, like falken rt615's, if you do enough spirited driving to make it worth the probably $600 that would cost you

[skydragoness]

Bridgestone Potenza RE950, hard wearing, stiff sidewalls, excellent wet and dry traction. Dunno if they come in that size though, since that's not oem.

[Exar-Kun]

Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S. Long life, great handling, smoked everyhting in its class..but you PAY for it.

Michelin for the win.

-Chet

[Clatch]

I just had the Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S put on with an alignment for $343. The 55 series side wall with a V rating was $473, so I was happy to go with the stock 205/60/15. I took it through my "test track" about 2 minutes ago. PHENOMINAL TIRE! I actually hit the limit in it for the first time; as my stock 240 sits I can push full throttle through apex's previously undoable on the Traction T/A's. I hit one turn in fourth where full throttle I would start to hear some bitching from the T/A's and signs that the back end was starting to slip. Now I was absolutely stable in fourth so I downshifted and eased it back into full throttle in the same turn and had no problems. So I went back at it in third, got to about 5500 rpm's at apex full throttle and the tire was unbelievably solid; the car was too slow to spin the engine any faster, too stock suspension, and open diff to be able to the corner any faster and/or break loose. I got to 6000 rpm’s, (end of the maximum power in the KA) before the end of the turn, put it in fourth and was blown away that the tire did it like no problem I was practically going as fast as I could squeeze out of the 240 and the tire wanted more! I guess you could say it outclassed the car. The KDW’s would have been overkill.

The only cons I have about this tire is 20-30 mph and under they feel more sloppy and more luxurious than the T/A’s. It feels like they are under inflated for some reason, something I think the 205/55/15’s might have taken care of. However, this is just feel, 20-30 in under they SMOKE the T/A’s in traction. Needless to say, I’m very very happy.

[skydragoness]

Michelin Pilot Exalto A/S. Long life, great handling, smoked everyhting in its class..but you PAY for it.

Michelin for the win.

-Chet

(shakes fist) You and your Exalto A/S. FIE!!!

Clatch: good to hear you like your tire choice. IMO, the difference between those and the RE950's I mentioned is that the RE950's are bit uncomfortable and don't soak up bumps/imperfections very well due to their stiffness. But in all speed ranges I think the RE950's are teh win.

[Exar-Kun]

Glad you like them. They made me grin when we did our ride and drive on them. They're geared toward a more "low noise, comfort" style, due to their all-season design, but they cut the compromise very well, and provide excellent grip given that.

SD: move closer to one of my warehouses, I'll hook you up :p

-Chet

[nismofly]

where are these warehouses?

*rents a u-haul*

[skydragoness]

SD: move closer to one of my warehouses, I'll hook you up :p

-Chet

Full of Bridgestones, right? I'll take a set of Pole Positions, thank you.

[C-Kwik]

Full of Bridgestones, right? I'll take a set of Pole Positions, thank you.

Sure about that? I'm getting close to the wear bars on mine on the rear of my G35. I'm coming up on 8,000 miles for this set of tires. Of course the G seems to have an inherent issue with the center of the rear tires wearing first, it is wearing much faster than the 14K I put on the Pilot Sports that came with the car. Good thing I scored the Pole Positions for $500 new.

[skydragoness]

Well I was never under the impression that Pole Positions were hard-wearing tires. In reality, i'd prefer RE750s

[getfuzzy77]

I am going to be needing new tires here in the next few weeks. I have been looking over tire rack and tires with an H rating have been suggested. I have heard that Michelins are great tires, even if they are a little over-hyped.

Right now I am sitting on Michelin Pilots. I don't remember what type of pilots. Right now I am thinking of getting Pilot Exalto A/S tires when I return from a road trip. I would be using these tires for normal, every day driving (backroads and highway). I like to have a little fun on some of these back roads. Since I live in OH, I need a tire that will give good traction in wet weather and would allow me to get somewhere in cold weather. I know I can't expect a whole lot from all-season tires when it comes to traction in snow (that's what snow tires are for).

I am not expecting to spend more than $700 on buying, installing, balancing, and aligning these tires. I don't mind road noise, and the reviews I have read from tirerack are pretty good.

Any suggestions?

Oh, and I'm driving a '98 240sx se.

[nismofly]

with 700 for everything, H rated is way too low...

you could easily get a set of those potenza re950's that sky loves for that much

that or the UHP A/S RE960

both come in 205/55/16, the size youll need

both would be right around 700 ready to go

[Q45tech]

"I have heard that Michelins are great tires, even if they are a little over-hyped. "

I can assure you that Michelin spends more on stronger materials than any other equal sized and category tire..........each tire cost them more [up to $3.00 more] than those of any other brand..........and the money doesn't go to retired employee pensions or health care.

Ever wonder why Michelin does't make Police Car tires [225/60/16 H rated] in US.....................because unlike gyear/fstone they won't sell them for $41.20 each in even State sized quanities.

[getfuzzy77]

I was just joking around Q45tech. I know a lot of people have said that Michelins are over-hyped. I am having new Michelins put on my car tomorrow, and this is based mostly on recommendations I got from people I know and trust to point me in the right direction. When I say "Trust" I mean people who have driven cars for longer than I've been alive.

[skydragoness]

I was just joking around Q45tech. I know a lot of people have said that Michelins are over-hyped. I am having new Michelins put on my car tomorrow, and this is based mostly on recommendations I got from people I know and trust to point me in the right direction. When I say "Trust" I mean people who have driven cars for longer than I've been alive.

As long as those people giving you advice on tires also have rwd sports car experience and aren't penny-pinchers. A lot of people are too lassiez-faire when it comes to one of the most important aspects of a car. Sure those cheapo General/Kelly/Firestone/whatchamacallit tires would be fine for a gutless Toyota Tercel but not on a lighweight, torquey, rwd car.

[getfuzzy77]

As long as those people giving you advice on tires also have rwd sports car experience and aren't penny-pinchers. A lot of people are too lassiez-faire when it comes to one of the most important aspects of a car. Sure those cheapo General/Kelly/Firestone/whatchamacallit tires would be fine for a gutless Toyota Tercel but not on a lighweight, torquey, rwd car.

Haha, well that's a good point. The people I got recommendations have all driven RWD cars. Everything from a Mustang to a 'vette to a car built from scratch. I am really enjoying the Exaltos. I was stuck behind a mini van on the way home, so I didn't get a chance to break out the high speed around the curves, but the ride itself is great.

[skydragoness]

^ Remember there's a break-in period for tires like I mentioned in your other thread, they'll be a little greasy and not very grippy for the first 500mi. Exalto's are a good choice, the moderator of this forum: Exar-Kun would approve!

[getfuzzy77]

Well, 500 mi is one half of my trip next week. So they should be pretty well broken in when I get back! The guy I talked to at the shop I had the tires installed told me they were great tires (of course, I'm sure he said that to everyone who comes in! lol). We'll see.

[Q45tech]

Exaltos are next in line as the fitment on my Q as the 235/60/15 Pilot H4 have been discontinued.

Guess I will finally have to retire my 15" wheels [3 identical sets] have served me well over 307,000 miles................almost impossible to get strong tires [98 load rating] in 15".