Another Tire Thread

[cody]

You've been so much help Juicy.

Wow Dean, you really are running out of advice. Why do you think I'm just sitting around chumming the waters...I'm driving on the RE01R's happily at the moment. My Rotas just look better so I want to put something cheap on them.

[Dean]

So, move your autocross tires over to them and stop whining.

[cody]

Man, you aren't living up to your title in this thread at all. Why waste expensive, awesome autox tires on the street. I'm looking into hooking up some Kumho Ecsta SPT's for wholesale. Keep your cheap bastard fingers crossed!

Oh, and the Enkei's are a couple pounds lighter than the Rota's which is one of the reasons I run use them for AutoX. Also I have 2 full size spares with burnt RT615's on them.

[Kevin M]

Originally Posted by cody

1. I want them to be a great value, meaining they'll last a long time AND be inexpensive.

This one's easy; buy the cheapest tire you can find with a treadwear over 340 or so.

Originally Posted by cody

2. I want a tire that won't kill me on the way home if I get surprised by a touch of snow or black ice that the weather report didn't call in time for me to switch to my Winters or I decide to push my luck when I probably should have switched to Winters.

This one pretty much directly contradicts the first one in terms of tire construction. The things that make a tire not suck on ice are not the things that make them long lasting or cheap. Do you want a tire that's actually good in that April or October snow storm over Donner, or is just mediocre-but-won't-be-disastrous okay?

Originally Posted by cody

3. I want them to be quiet and comfortable for road trips.

This is easy to find too, if you aren't looking for superior dry or ice grip, just passable. Most all seasons are pretty quiet, except for the ones that really get complained about. And the cheaper non-M&S tires tend to be cushy and quiet.

Originally Posted by cody

4. I want excellent grip in the dry and wet. I'm willing to sacrifice some resonse for a more comfortable ride so softer sidewalls are okay.

Throw this one out. Cheap, long lasting, and "excellent" grip in any one condition don't exist in a single tire.

Originally Posted by cody

5. If they can stand up to an autocross because there's only one left in the season and my current autocross tires are corded, great.

Probably also available in a cheap, somewhat quiet and comfortable summer tire. All seasons tend to land on a spectrum between decent in winter and unable to handle autocross abuse, or sturdy but too hockey puckish in the winter. One is pretty much inverse to the other.


I guess the best recommendation I can make is to throw out the super-cheap requirement and get something like the Falken 912s, or the newest version of those Toyos you've said in the past you really liked. It's either that, or go with something economical that you won't like getting caught in snow on, or want to autocross unless it's the difference between getting 6 or 8 points in the last event weekend or none. But if there was a very cheap, 3-year tire that approached a true snow tire in winter and a high performance tire at autocross, it wouldn't have taken us this much thread to come up with it.

[Kevin M]

Originally Posted by cody

Man, you aren't living up to your title in this thread at all. Why waste expensive, awesome autox tires on the street. I'm looking into hooking up some Kumho Ecsta SPT's for wholesale. Keep your cheap bastard fingers crossed!

You mean the tire Dean mentioned first?

And it's not "wasting" your autocross tires if you don't use them on the street until after you've had them a season or two. That also makes it easier to stretch your winter tires an extra 4-6 weeks at both ends of winter to almost guarantee you don't catch a snowstorm on your autocross tires. So maybe 3 sets- snows from the day after the last autocross to the day before the first one, fresh tires for competition, and last year's autocross tires from May-September on the street?

[Dean]

You don't like our answers and keep reposting your requirements like we didn't read them.

I have moved on from advice to ridicule.

[cody]

Yah, "just mediocre-but-won't-be-disastrous" is all I'm going for with #2.

I know Dean mentioned them. They scored #1 in both TR tests, but they were out of my price range at normal price.

[cody]

Originally Posted by Dean

You don't like our answers and keep reposting your requirements like we didn't read them.

I have moved on from advice to ridicule.

I reposted them once to help you guys focus.

[A1337STI]

Just buy some damn Traction T/A's in the higher speed rating. they are a damn awesome tire, at everything!!!!. not sure if they are as cheap as you want, but closet thing i've driven on. they let my 1 legged 93 drive up spooner on some surprise snow!! great wet and dry, amazing traction on Dirt

just go with your stock size, for your stock rims then.

Goodyear Eagle GT for 89$ for a 16"
BFGoodrich Traction T/A V for $97 , Amazing tire, omfg.

[cody]

Consumer Reports from 2008-Summer Ultra High Performance Tires

GUIDE TO THE RATINGS

Overall score emphasizes safety-related tests, including braking, handling, and resistance to hydroplaning. Displayed scores are rounded; models are listed in order of precise overall score. Scores and ratings are held to a comparative standard within a tire category. Dry braking was from 60 mph and wet braking was from 40 mph with the antilock brake system engaged. Dry handling includes how well the tires gripped in an avoidance maneuver involving a swerve into the left lane and back into the right lane; dry cornering grip on our skidpad; and subjective steering feel. Wet handling includes wet cornering on our wetted skidpad and subjective handling ratings from our wet-handling circuit. Hydroplaning reflects how quickly we could drive through standing water before the tires began to skim on the surface. Snow traction reflects the distance our test car needed to accelerate from 5 to 20 mph on moderately packed snow. We tested ice braking on a skating rink from 10 mph with the ABS disengaged. Rolling resistance, measured on a dynamometer, is a factor in fuel economy. Ride and Noise reflect our on-road judgments. Tread life is an indicator of wear potential from CR's 12,000-mile mixed driving test and is not part of the overall score. Size tested: 225/40ZR18

[cody]

Originally Posted by A1337STI

Just buy some damn Traction T/A's in the higher speed rating. they are a damn awesome tire, at everything!!!!. not sure if they are as cheap as you want, but closet thing i've driven on. they let my 1 legged 93 drive up spooner on some surprise snow!! great wet and dry, amazing traction on Dirt

just go with your stock size, for your stock rims then.

Goodyear Eagle GT for 89$ for a 16"
BFGoodrich Traction T/A V for $97 , Amazing tire, omfg.

No way. I have Dunlop Wintersport 3D's on the stockers and love them because they do it all but they chunk when pushed at all and wear out quickly in the Summer according to Scott. They gotta fit my Rotas and they gotta be cheap.

[cody]

CR 2008 All Seasons Ultra High Performance.

GUIDE TO THE RATINGS

Overall score emphasizes safety-related tests, including braking, handling, and resistance to hydroplaning. Displayed scores are rounded; models are listed in order of precise overall score. Scores and ratings are held to a comparative standard within a tire category. Dry braking was from 60 mph and wet braking was from 40 mph with the antilock brake system engaged. Dry handling includes how well the tires gripped in an avoidance maneuver involving a swerve into the left lane and back into the right lane; dry cornering grip on our skidpad; and subjective steering feel. Wet handling includes wet cornering on our wetted skidpad and subjective handling ratings from our wet-handling circuit. Hydroplaning reflects how quickly we could drive through standing water before the tires began to skim on the surface. Snow traction reflects the distance our test car needed to accelerate from 5 to 20 mph on moderately packed snow. We tested ice braking on a skating rink from 10 mph with the ABS disengaged. Rolling resistance, measured on a dynamometer, is a factor in fuel economy. Ride and Noise reflect our on-road judgments. Tread life is an indicator of wear potential from CR's 12,000-mile mixed driving test and is not part of the overall score. Size tested: 225/40ZR18

[Kevin M]

Originally Posted by cody

CR 2008 All Seasons Ultra High Performance.

Notice how the overall scores trend to the opposite of the snow traction rating. If you are willing to be a little more conservative with when you keep your snows on, your choices are a lot less limited.

[cody]

Man, I can't believe how low the Toyo Proxes 4's scored. Maybe the fact that I ran them in 225/50/16 and the ES100's in 215/45/17 explains my skewed view, but the P4's rocked in the dry and wet, lasted a long time, were quiet and cheap and worked as well as the RE92's in the snow. But I know the 912's are better and priced similarly if not less.

[A1337STI]

Just buy them in 17's then, or get the good year GTs which are cheaper, and are still rated for snow (and thus ice) I've driven mine on ice. you'll make it, just go slow. they have low snow traction for sure, but its predictable. Dry icey roads its way better then when the snow is a bit wet. so like when its late at night and 20F out, better grip then sunny and 35 with wet snow around. odd but that's what it felt like ...

When i get a new battery in my STI i can let you drive it, to feel the tires. they are good.
215/45ZR17 $98 ! Do It !! Cody is a baller with like 5 sets of rims!

[Kevin M]

Originally Posted by cody

No way. I have Dunlop Wintersport 3D's on the stockers and love them because they do it all but they chunk when pushed at all and wear out quickly in the Summer according to Scott. They gotta fit my Rotas and they gotta be cheap.

So don't push your snow tires hard. Seems obvious to me. And Scott has a slightly different experience with his Dunlops than me, but his car does have 1000 pounds on my wagon, they're wider which generates more heat, and he may not drive as much like a pansy as I do when I'm just getting from point A to B.

[cody]

Originally Posted by Kevin M

Notice how the overall scores trend to the opposite of the snow traction rating. If you are willing to be a little more conservative with when you keep your snows on, your choices are a lot less limited.

Yah, I guess that and Dean's point that any summer tire with tread is better than bald Winter tires lends clout to Summer tires for the Rotas.

But wait! Why are the General Exclaim UHP's listed under All Season UHP? And why aren't they kicking ass in the dry and wet??? At least they confirm their great hydroplane resistance but why would they have great rolling resistance with their supposedly soft sidewalls? Can I trust CR?

[cody]

Originally Posted by Kevin M

So don't push your snow tires hard. Seems obvious to me. And Scott has a slightly different experience with his Dunlops than me, but his car does have 1000 pounds on my wagon, they're wider which generates more heat, and he may not drive as much like a pansy as I do when I'm just getting from point A to B.

Which is why they haven't been on the car for over a month.

[cody]

Originally Posted by A1337STI

Just buy them in 17's then, or get the good year GTs which are cheaper, and are still rated for snow (and thus ice) I've driven mine on ice. you'll make it, just go slow. they have low snow traction for sure, but its predictable. Dry icey roads its way better then when the snow is a bit wet. so like when its late at night and 20F out, better grip then sunny and 35 with wet snow around. odd but that's what it felt like ...

When i get a new battery in my STI i can let you drive it, to feel the tires. they are good.
215/45ZR17 $98 ! Do It !! Cody is a baller with like 5 sets of rims!

I'm like the anti-baller. More than half my net income goes to my mortgages but at least they're my only debt.

Your STi is awesome on those tires. I can't believe they didn't chunk when you ran on them on Saturday and they were great on tarmac and off when we went on the rally stages a month or so ago. Now where are you seeing them? Tire Rack doesn't have them available in 215/45/17 or 225/45/17.

[A1337STI]

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Sizes....rtnum=055VR6GT there

[Dean]

Good find on the CR charts. I will have to go find that article. I missed that they did UHP stuff last year. If you haven't read CR articles in the past, they do not have the same criteria as TR, so it is kind of apples to oranges, though notice the SPT and ZRI still end up right next to each other.

Notice the General's rating on ice and how other than hydroplaning, they are not good at anything else.

Heck none of the A/S are really good at much of anything in any conditions! (Who said that before?) The 4th from worst summer tire equals the best A/S in the wet!!! What a huge loss for some minuscule alleged snow performance.

I'll go find the article and see if it has anything interesting in it.

[cody]

Originally Posted by A1337STI

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Sizes....rtnum=055VR6GT there

Cool, they're $102 in 225/45/17. I'll see if I can hook up a deal on 'em.

[Kevin M]

Dude... the clearance RE-01Rs were $103 in 225/45R17. YOUR RETARDED.

[Dean]

That must be an on-line rating/article, it does not appear in any of the 2008 CR issues I have.

Just buy the SPT or ZRI and be done. A/S suck!

[cody]

Originally Posted by Kevin M

Dude... the clearance RE-01Rs were $103 in 225/45R17. YOUR RETARDED.

I know, but at the time, I thought my Yokos would last the Summer...so go ahead and buy me the shirt. Plus they don't exactly fit my criteria.

Dean, they are from an online article. I'll try to post the text soon.