Tire Recommends? Grip, Life, Price priority order.

[gryffinwings]

Anybody know of a performance tire (not all season), that has decent grip, but last a pretty good? Still doing a good amount of research on tires that I can get before I get to that point. I don't need anything that can handle rain per se, I live in San Diego, Ca. Grip and Longer life would be great, but price is something I look at too. Recommends?

I was thinking these:
Falken FK452
Sumitomo HTRZ III

[rudgers73]

I have those Sumitomos and they have been wearing great. The wet and dry traction is exceptional. They are the best tires I've ever had. We had tons of rain at autocross this weekend and there was only a second and change between my best dry time and best wet time on a 70 second asphalt go-kart track. I was pumped. If you want performance and decent tread life, I would go for the Sumi's. Can't speak for the Falkens, sorry.

[gryffinwings]

I have those Sumitomos and they have been wearing great. The wet and dry traction is exceptional. They are the best tires I've ever had. We had tons of rain at autocross this weekend and there was only a second and change between my best dry time and best wet time on a 70 second asphalt go-kart track. I was pumped. If you want performance and decent tread life, I would go for the Sumi's. Can't speak for the Falkens, sorry.

How stiff are they? I'm actually looking at the Sumis more myself.

[Huffer]

Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3.

Best tires I ever had for the hillclimb/descent/freeway/country B-roads in my Impreza. Properly rotated and balanced, they will last quite some time.

[rudgers73]

How stiff are they? I'm actually looking at the Sumis more myself.

I was actually most impressed with the stiffness. I only took them up to 44 psi on Saturday and they bit so hard. It's a lot tougher to understear with these than it was with the Nitto Neo Gens I had last. They just grab the corner and crank your car around it. I am going to try 48 psi front and back next time I race and see if they do better or worse. Overall they have taken a couple of seconds off of my lap time.

[gryffinwings]

How stiff are they? I'm actually looking at the Sumis more myself.

I was actually most impressed with the stiffness. I only took them up to 44 psi on Saturday and they bit so hard. It's a lot tougher to understear with these than it was with the Nitto Neo Gens I had last. They just grab the corner and crank your car around it. I am going to try 48 psi front and back next time I race and see if they do better or worse. Overall they have taken a couple of seconds off of my lap time.

Nice, you have me sold on these. Anyways why do you have the pressure so high? Wouldn't you not get full tread contact from the tire?

[rudgers73]

Nice, you have me sold on these. Anyways why do you have the pressure so high? Wouldn't you not get full tread contact from the tire?

On the highway I run at 35 psi. High pressure is just for autocross. You want the pressure jacked way up for a couple of reasons:

1. The only thing that holds your tire onto your rim is the pressure from the inside against the bead. When you are racing, you're usually pushing your car hard through the corners which increases the load on the sidewall. If the lateral force isn't compensated for, you might roll the tire right off the rim and ruin your day/weekend.

2. Tires are a functional part of your suspension. If they are soft, they give under the weight of your car during cornering. The higher the pressure, the less the tires will squish down, reducing body roll and keeping the car more flat and settled during the run.

Running high pressure all of the time would lead to uneven wear (usually in the center of the tread) due to it crowning under the pressure. During a race, the amount of wear you are doing to the shoulders of the tires makes the wear in the center insignificant to say the least. :wink: Plus, it's not like you are racking up miles when you autocross.

[gryffinwings]

Nice, you have me sold on these. Anyways why do you have the pressure so high? Wouldn't you not get full tread contact from the tire?

On the highway I run at 35 psi. High pressure is just for autocross. You want the pressure jacked way up for a couple of reasons:

1. The only thing that holds your tire onto your rim is the pressure from the inside against the bead. When you are racing, you're usually pushing your car hard through the corners which increases the load on the sidewall. If the lateral force isn't compensated for, you might roll the tire right off the rim and ruin your day/weekend.

2. Tires are a functional part of your suspension. If they are soft, they give under the weight of your car during cornering. The higher the pressure, the less the tires will squish down, reducing body roll and keeping the car more flat and settled during the run.

Running high pressure all of the time would lead to uneven wear (usually in the center of the tread) due to it crowning under the pressure. During a race, the amount of wear you are doing to the shoulders of the tires makes the wear in the center insignificant to say the least. :wink: Plus, it's not like you are racking up miles when you autocross.

Thanks for the enlightenment.

[d1giPhux]

I have sumitomo htr+ on my car.. they are all season.. but def great tires!

[hallowpoint]

bridgestone potenza re070
they have tons of grip, ok in light rain, ok tire wear, stiff side walls, little loud road noise. there stock sti tires.

[gryffinwings]

bridgestone potenza re070
they have tons of grip, ok in light rain, ok tire wear, stiff side walls, little loud road noise. there stock sti tires.

And also ridiculously expensive, not paying nearly 200 dollars a tire, I could get RE-11s for less then that, not much less but less. Besides price is something I'm looking at and that's just nuts.

[hallowpoint]

^^ i got mine for freeeee!!!!

[gryffinwings]

^^ i got mine for freeeee!!!!

I hate you :smt019

[legacygt420]

hankooks

[gryffinwings]

hankooks

Hankook RS-2s would be the only choice "I think", and I believe they don't last too long. My brother drives 2000 Miata and they still didn't last for him, but he does like the grip and the price is good too.

[Airgne]

i like the dunlop dirreza dz101's. i have 2 sets. 205-55-16 and 235-45-17. the 205 set has probly 12000 miles on them and they still look brand new. they have the best grip i have ever had on a street tire. the are not that expensive. got the 235-45-17 for 550 installed with lifetime balance and rotation. the 205 set was about 460 installed. i dont drive easy at all and these have lasted for me. i would get the dunlops if i were you. falken is also a good way to go.