OT new high performance tires - suggestions requested

R

ReefWreak

New member
Hey er'body,

The nylon siding is starting to come out on my tires, and they're at 2/32nds, so it's just about that time to stick new tires on my 05' Volvo S40 2.4i with 17" rims. Tire size 205/50 17. Budget is under $200, but I'm looking to save as much as I can. Current ideas are:

Michelin Pilot HX MXM4 - $190ish per tire. Amazing tires, what I have now, have lasted for 35k miles with no problems. Just VERY expensive, but came stock, so I'm not complaining.

Goodyear F1 GS-D3 - $150ish/tire. Great performing tires, rated top of class from Car and Driver 12-2005. They're what are put on Corvettes, but I hear from the tire sales place that they're loud so people return them frequently. Any opinions?

Other suggestions for less expensive tires were Sumatomo HTRZ III, $140/tire, got good ratings from tirerack.com testing, otherwise couldn't find any info on them. Falken 205/50 17, $120ish/tire. Have not heard anything from anyone or anywhere. These were all suggested to me by tire kingdom up here in Tally, but they price match to more or less any internet dealer or local dealer, so I'm pretty well covered there.

I'm just looking for opinions from people in the club since I know that many of you drive pretty fast, often expensive cars, lots of 350zs, Bimmers, etc. If you've got any other suggestions of good tires from experience, let me know.

Thanks for your time! :)

Eric
 
I'm also in need of some new tires. I used to have the NItto nt 555's on my truck and loved them, but that also had less than 100 hp. my new size is 235/40/18 which of course makes them even more money! I'm looking at the ones you posted matt...I'll talk to you when you get here in like 20 min.
 
Yea it sounds like those get good ratings, and the G-Force T/A KD's got great ratings from Car and Driver, but on the KD only tire (killer dry), but they said that with the KD, the wet performance was terrible, comparing it to driving on ice when the roads were wet :/ the KDWs should take care of that though. I'm going to get a quote for them locally. my primary focus right now is the Goodyear F1 GS-D3s if I can get the local dealer to drop down to the internet price of $158 vs. the $205 that they charge up here. That's big time savings... And I'm interested to hear something negative from people about them too. Always good to look at the best and worst of what a situation has to offer :)
 
you lucky LFS hopping b-stards. I'm stuck doing that whole "school" thing until next weekend.... Ugh and I've got homework due today at 2 and I just can't bring myself to do it because there's so much else to do :p

Anyway, yea, still lookin around for tires....
 
woah woah woah...I havent done anything for the past week except eat, sleep, school, work, HOMEWORK. I was up till 430 finishing these drawings. I think I deserve to take today off and do some fishstore hopping! just because our semester ends earlier than urs! nah nah nah nah nah nah! It was ur choice to go to FSU. We were smart and went to BCC. LOL
 
Erik, are you really in need of high performance tires? I have 225/45/17's that I just replaced and since I do not AutoX with my car, I decided that a nice long lasting All-season radial was better than having summer tires that I would eat through in 20k.

Anyway, I just got a set of 4 Falken ze 912's with Lifetime rotation and balance, nitrogen, and alignment for $583 out the door from the good year tire place in Fort Lauderdale. Basically they charge their cost for the tires if you get the rest done. I dont really ride my 1.8t hard anymore, at least not cornering wise, so these tires are good so far. My main concern was road noise, and these have been nice, but I have only had them for 1 full day now. The reviews on Epinions were decent out of 32 reviews there we two 1 stars and the majority were 4 and 5 stars.

BTW, I hear good things about the new All season Goodyear F1's, but they are hard to get locally right now. I am sure that tirerack has them though. Also, in general I hear the F1's are a good tire.

Also I have heard CR is giving them good reports "Consumer Reports also tested a group of 15 different all-season, ultra-high performance tires for the same issue. In that group, CR rated the Falken Ziex ZE-912 and Nitto Neo Gen ZR best overallâ€"again with “Excellent” scores"
 
Well, as the search continues, now that my homework is all done....

I called tire rack, and they can get the ones that matt suggested, saying that I'll actually get better wear out of them, 35-40k miles, but they said they would be noisy as heck, cause they're designed for smaller compact cars.

The falken's they've got here for $121. Of course I don't need high performance.... but come on...

ughhh this is driving me nuts.... I just have to have to stick to a price point, and then go from there....

I just called horizon tire, they had great prices on the tires, but again, it's based on you buying their complete package, which in the end cost $1040, versus the $970 that tire kingdom wants for a full package, minus nitrogen.

The Falken package was a very good price, but I just have to figure out the price range and expectations that I have from a tire. I would ask my best friend, but he's got the $$$ and he would just say "fckit, get the MXM4s," just like he does on his TSX... Every 12k miles... cause the first model year TSX eat through front tires like nobody's business.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11335638#post11335638 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefWreak

The falken's they've got here for $121. Of course I don't need high performance.... but come on...
Click to expand...

Oh, I understand...Dont get me wrong with that :)
 
I have the BFGoodrich KDW's on my Caddy and absolutely love them! Hands down the best Ultra-high performance tire (short of Max. summer performance tires).

I wanted the GS-D3's as well because of the ridiculous ratings it's gotten. I think your a bit off on the Corvettes though, I thought they came with run-flat F1's which were completely different build and tread design. I cheaped out and got KDW's because of the price difference. The KDW's were only $180 in my size (255/45/18) and the GS-D3's were like $250'ish. I am also getting great life out of them as well. About 15k in and they still have great grip and the wet handling as been stellar since day 1.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11336109#post11336109 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ninjamini
do a google search for tire rack. They have tire reviews there.
Click to expand...

Oh I've hit tire rack, yahoo shopping, as much as I can get for free out of Consumer Reports (have all the magazines at home, but I'm at school, parents will look it up tonight), called a few stores and asked for opinions, etc.

I think the cheapest I'll find them, though I hate to shop there, is Sam's Club, because for the price of the tire, which either matches, or is $5 more than competitor's prices, it includes installation, new stems, lifetime balance, lifetime rotation, road hazard damage protection, disposal fees, etc, which would be $25+$16+$12 at other places.

Horizon Tires is a good deal, but I did the math and figured out that while they sell the tire for list price, they charge $80+/- in fees for warranty, nitrogen, rotation, installation, shipping to their store, etc, and that's the only way to get the tire for list. The dealer cost is really about $20 less per tire than what most of the dealers, including internet and big box club charge. i.e. the Michelin Pilot HX MXM4s are $174 @ cost, but most places sell them for $194, so $20 markup. Only problem is that the local dealers want $8/tire for shipping to their store, then installation +etc fees (between $25 and $80 per tire).

If I'm in the middle price range, the KDWs are looking pretty good, I'm just worried about road noise. If I can let go with price, I'll just get the MXM4s again. If I'm limited on price, it'll either be the Falkens, or I'll see what is in the paper on Sunday, one day while I'm home over break. My dad thinks I should be okay waiting until I drive home before absolutely needing new tires if only a tiny thread or two of nylon are showing.
 
edgeracing.com/ this place deliver the tire to your house,ups i think, any ways there local, weston if i remember right. anyways i have been buying tires from them since 2003 great guys plus i know a place that will mount them cheap and not scratch up your rims.
 
Thanks for the link. I checked it out, but they've really only got the falkens, and at a higher price than the other dealer's had them at. Thanks though!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11336090#post11336090 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AquaKnight407


I think your a bit off on the Corvettes though, I thought they came with run-flat F1's which were completely different build and tread design.
Click to expand...
you're correct.The Z06 is the only model that uses a non run-flat tire(or at least that's the case with C5 models).
 
My current favorite is the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2. I put a set of these on my S2000 last year (f:225/40, r:255/35), and they are absolutely amazing, wet or dry. Excellent grip, progressive breakaway, and they don't squeal, ever. I ended up special ordering through Costco - their installed price w/road hazard was cheaper than ordering just the tires from tirerack. I was between these and the Goodyear F1 GS-D3.

I get almost 10k out of my rear tires, and replace my front tires every other time I change the rears. The S2000 has a staggered fitment, so there's no rotating.
 
Wow Jeff,10k out of the rears & I was crying when I only got about 20K out of the F1's.The last few times I've used the Firestone "Firehawk FZ" & they handle much better in the wet & I get few more miles out of them.
 
I second the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s.

Have these on a Twin Turbo 350Z and they are awesome in wet or dry conditions. They will hold any corner you throw at them and the tread wear isn't that bad for a performance tire.

I have 305/40-19 in the rear and 295/45-19 in the front.

Excellent tire. I highly recommend them. If you launch the car often they will give loads of grip.

-Mike-
 
I really appriciate the input guys :)

I guess I don't push my car at all, as I got 35k miles out of my tires... 205/50 17"

I'm still settling on a price range and figuring out how to afford the stock MXM4s, but I'm definitely going to check out the PS2s right now...
 
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