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Good all season performance tires?


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Looking to replace the factory gatorbacks, I'm just looking for a replacement that has a little more dry hook and can get me around a little better in the snow. I was looking into Pirelli P-Zero Nero's, Michelin Pilot Sport A/S, Kuhmo ASX's, etc.., but am open to any suggestions. What are you guys ruuning and how well do you like them?

Thanks

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I've heard very good things and will probably be getting, for the winter on the S4, a set of Sumitomo HTR+. These are what alot of people suggest for winter driving if you're not going with a winter tire, which I fell is not worth it around here. A fairly inexpensive tire too, $85 each for a 225/45/17 on Tire Rack.

 

My summer/performance tires on it are the Michelin Pilot Sport PS/2's and I like them alot, I've also heard very good things from people about Michelin in general so I'll second their tires in general. But damn, just saw that the Pilot Sport A/S is $175 each, won't see me buying any all seasons (compromise tire imho) that cost that much.

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Purpose built tires.

 

Why buy a tire that does everything so-so at best??

 

But a cheap set of rims and toss snow tires on them. You'll get around FAR better than some all-season.

 

A decent, Z rated tire will do far better than an all-season for normal street use.

 

A DOT road race/auto-x tire will do far better handling than a Z rated tire when you need the car to handle at its best.

 

A DOT drag racing tire will do far better than a street tire at the strip.

 

Half assing tires will give you half-ass results. People spends tons of money on suspension upgrades, never realzing the tires they are using will give far better results than all of those suspension upgrades.

 

To state it simply: buy a set of snow tires for the winter. Toss a good set of warm weather tires on your tires for the good weather. This will also keep your rims for going through winter hell by running a set of cheap winter rims.

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Originally posted by Nitrousbird:

Purpose built tires.

 

Why buy a tire that does everything so-so at best??

 

....

 

To state it simply: buy a set of snow tires for the winter. Toss a good set of warm weather tires on your tires for the good weather. This will also keep your rims for going through winter hell by running a set of cheap winter rims.

Agreed, but as I stated earlier unless your car just drives horrible the 10 days a year we have to drive through snow, a snow tire isn't really necessary here imho. I'm not going to try to say a snow tire doesn't do 10 times better in the snow than even an all season that does well in the snow, we just don't get road coverage that often. A snow tire will be much more expensive and wear down quicker, won't ride as well. It's going to be worse in every other area than an equivalent all season.

 

Plus my 'winter tires' (all season) mounted on my stock rims are going to be my second set/back up set of tires and rims, just incase something happens to the other ones, or if I'm taking a long trip, keep the wear on the expensive tires down. I wouldn't want to have my backup tires be winter ones that I end up using a time or two during the summer.

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www.tirerack.com

 

I've made it through two winters in my car with all-seasons on them and I had no more trouble with them than you would expect in a 500hp RWD vehicle. I'm trying to decide between the Continental ContiExtreme Contacts (which I have two of on my car right now) and the new Pirelli Nero. Those are the two best rated across the board for my tire size. Looking at the 245/45R17's, those two are also your best bet. The Michelin Pilot A/S's are good, but a little pricey.

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Originally posted by Nitrousbird:

Purpose built tires.

 

Why buy a tire that does everything so-so at best??

 

But a cheap set of rims and toss snow tires on them. You'll get around FAR better than some all-season.

 

A decent, Z rated tire will do far better than an all-season for normal street use.

 

To state it simply: buy a set of snow tires for the winter. Toss a good set of warm weather tires on your tires for the good weather. This will also keep your rims for going through winter hell by running a set of cheap winter rims.

I'm not dead set on all seasons, but their performance ratings on tire rack have intrigued me. They are all ZY or ZW rated, have dry traction ratings higher than alot of the typical z rated summer tires, yet have the ability to get around in the off season as well. Too good to be true? Probably, but thats why I'm asking for opinions and expieriences with them. I don't trust the tire rack ratings.

Heres the deal, I live in an apartment and don't have a garage. Therefore, I don't have a place to store an extra set of snow tires and wheels, nor would I be easily able to swap back and forth between the two. I agree it is a comprimise tire, but thats what I need right now. In two years when I have a house and garage, then yes I will definately have two sets of tires. But until then, I need to "compromise."

From what I'm reading, the tires I listed are every bit as good (actually alot better) a performer as the tires currently on my car, plus they have the benefit of being all season's. I don't really feel that I need all season's, I've only got stuck once (thanks for picking me up Eric) and that was on the stockers with 45,000 miles on them, but if the all seasons actually do perform better then my current tires, then why not?

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Originally posted by Chief:

i like kuhmos personally

Some are good and some are bad. It's a mixed bunch with those.

 

I've heard nothing but good stuff about the ECSTA MX's and almost bought those for my car for summer, great tire for the price too. I've heard nothing but bad about the ECSTA Supra's.

 

The VictoRacer's are obviously a favorite among autocrossers and road racers this year.

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Bridgestone Blizzak WS-50 will give you the best snow and ice traction for a studless tire. They are the best in the first 40% of their tread life, then become so-so. They are very affordable at TireRack. Best overall deal if you want to get through snow and ice safely.

 

Nokian Hakkapellita (sp) - just call them "Hakka's" - in the studless variety, are just about as good as Blizzaks new, but are a little better than Blizzaks once the tread wears down some. Nokian dealers, however, are hard to find and they play pricing games - they have a market price about as steady as fish, perhaps because of the exchange rate. I believe they come from Finland. If not, then some other Scandinavian country.

 

Other models of Blizzaks, as well as Michelin and Dunlop winter offerings are more of a compromise - good snow grip (definitely dedicated winter tires), but more suitable for the many times when the roads are dry; better performing on dry roads.

 

Given how little snow Columbus really gets, an all-out winter tire like the Blizzak or Hakka is not really necessary unless your car is extremely uncontrollable in the slightest bit of snow. For example, early Porsche 911s, Fieros, 90s MR2s, and other tail-heavy, tail-happy cars that can be easily blipped into severe oversteer in low traction and, consequently, can prove to be a handful for less-experienced, lesser-trained drivers are candidates for Blizzaks or Hakkas in a town like Columbus, where not really that much snow falls. Cars with a vague or no real center of gravity, like the Porsche 944 and 928 should probably have Blizzaks or Hakkas, too. But for the 99% of the cars on the road that are front-engined, front-transmission, including high performance cars like Nissan Zs, Supras, Mustangs, Camaros, RX-7s, and pretty much everything on CR, any legitimate winter tire will do, and you would probably be happier with one that trades a little bit of snow grip for better wet/dry handling.

 

Cheers,

 

Tony

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Originally posted by Tony:

For example, early Porsche 911s, Fieros, 90s MR2s, and other tail-heavy, tail-happy cars that can be easily blipped into severe oversteer in low traction and, consequently, can prove to be a handful for less-experienced, lesser-trained drivers are candidates for Blizzaks or Hakkas in a town like Columbus, where not really that much snow falls.

Ah, fuck redface.gif
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