Zoomy

I drive a stock 2004 six speed stick with nothing added except a K & N cold tube/cartridge. just for reference. I am pretty hard on it both through turns as well as acceleration and high speed running. I also had a 1981 RX-7 with a lot of engine and suspension work on it so I'm not new to the rotary.

After 27K on the original OEM tires they were starting to do the loud tread bar talk to me. I decided to buy new feet, and not the original ones. After reading all of the reviews I could find, I opted for a set of Dunlop DIREZZAs. I decided to go with the OEM size since I figured it wouldn't be a good test if I went with wider or larger diameter. So, 225/45/17 is what I put on. I swore by Dunlop years ago when I had a Saab EMS. They were great then, but that was an entirely different beast.

I paid a total of $569.90. That included mounting and balancing, but no extended warranty as I figured the microprocessors and CRT would last at least another 25k. My first impression as I pulled away from the Goodyear shop on Bascom Ave. in San Jose and made a few city turns was to return and have them replaced with something else. The ride seemed too calm and quite, almost mushy. But that was me only driving calmly in local traffic at 35-40 mph. I changed my mind and figured I needed new tires and I might as well use this as part of my learning experience.

I notice they are a lot quieter. If I throw the car into a turn is feels a little less responsive, but they don't slide out. This just may be due to the newness of the tread surface, or my own sensitivity as I try to feel my way. I've read by a few that the side walls are too flexible. Those that posted those reviews were driving....are you sitting down.....M5s. Hell, we were pushing the M5 this last spring that led the pack over the Santa Cruz MTs. He was even commenting on how surprised he was at how the 8s were always right on his ***!

Ok..ok..back to the point. I don't think an M5 owner can compare how his car handles with an RX-8 on a 1st/2nd gear road, regardless of the tires. So, I'll just see how these work out.

Think I'll report back on these tires weekly as I put them through the pace. I'll provide the miles as well as the road conditions. Watch for this report next Saturday, October 29th.

Zoomy

Sunday afternoon (the day after purchase) and a quick cruise on the local freeway. At 100 mph the tires track very nice, but they were very sensitive to the grooves. At 70 on the striaght the slight back and forth motion reminded me of how I get seasick on sailboats. Great!

Took two familiar off ramps that do a clover leaf. The tread hung in there as I punched it in 2nd gear. Never broke loose nor did they yell.

Later this afternoon I have to drive over the local mountains to the beach. 45 miles so this should give me some very good information.

Stay tuned.

ALWAZL8

My Direzzas squealed a lot when I first got them. Way different than the stock Potenzas. I've got about 6K on them now. I just had to get 2 new rear tires, but that's related to the wreck I had back in August. The body shop didn't align the rear, hence the worn out tires. I think they've been okay for the most part.

Zoomy

ALWAZL8, good to hear. I hope my bucks weren't a total waste.

iridearocket

I've had the Direzza DZ101's for the whole summer and done about 20,000km (in Canada). The level of grip is not spectacular as compated to much higher priced tires, but I'd say they are damn good considering the treadwear is the highest of any summer sport tire. (300) Side walls seem tight and responsive enough. I would bet track day junkies may be able to nit pick a little.

I'm not sure they are the quietest tires out there, but no summer tire really is quiet and if you are concerned about road noise, you should buy a mini-van.

I've lost only 2mm of tread on the front (no track days or drifting) and 4mm on the back. (Total tread is 8mm when new) The large difference in the rear is attributed to the sideways hokey pokey I like so much.

Very slippery in the rain so watch out. Deep water is ok, its when the road gets a little slick that the rubber does not seem to adhere to the road well. They did get a Traction rating of A instead of the better AA rating. (traction ratings are performed in the wet by the governing body)

Zoomy

A little more than a week later and 293 miles on the newbies.

Yesterday and today I drove the same road twice. I know the road very well and have been driving it for almost 20 years. Although there are no hairpins, there are lots of decreasing radius turns as well as a couple of negative banked ones.

I pushed the 8 pretty hard both times. Yesterday my feeling was that the sidewalls were a little softer than stock. The ride feels softer. Or, maybe less responsive. I don't feel like I can feel each and every little dink in the road as before. The first trip over the road yesterday had me breathing a bit harder than I usually do. Although I didn't slide on any of the turns, I just felt I was not in my old car and had to re-learn this one.

Today was much better, probably because I knew what to expect and could push it a little harder. Still, no break away. My next run over this road I'll turn off the traction control and see how things fair.

The tread is much quiter than stock.

I figure when the rains hit in a week or so, I'll really put them to the test.

Stay tuned

iridearocket

I should mention that although I find the Direzza's a very slippery tire in the wet, I also run air pressure that is too high for wet driving. I will try to reduce the pressure next time it rains and check it out.

StealthFox

hmm so you're not drifting but you're doing the sideways hokey pokey. please explain the difference.

iridearocket

I mean the front tires don't do any significant sliding or burining, but the rear ones do !!!

Zoomy

Ok, its now Sunday night (late) and another week of riding on these tires. I've got another 250 miles on them. I've scrubbed them pretty hard on local roads and have a few observations.

First, yesterday I was being "pressed" by a BMW M3 on a very familiar road. The speed limit was 40 just to set the scene. Lots of curves, country without any driveways/intersecting roads. Dry pavement around 4pm. This guy has been ******* me for a couple of miles. As I start to approach a turn that has both a dip and then a mild bump to the left, I nail it in 2nd. I'm sure he could hear my cold air tube. We both entered the turn, but after the dip and bounce, he was way back there. My new meats jumped a little more than I'm used to, but they grabbed the moment I settled down. They grabbed and shot me right where I aimed. I was very impressed. Up to that point, if you've been following, I haven't been that impressed. I am now. With three more turns until a stop sign, the M3 never caught up.

So, after having been not quite launched into the air, but definitely unloaded, the Dunlop's did a great job of grabbing. No sliding and no sounds either.

Second, they are tracking rock solid on the freeways at just about any speed up to 100. I haven't taken them past that...yet.

Stay tuned for more....as Harvey would say

StealthFox

what's the speed rating on these DIREZZA's you have?

smith007

Got the same tires ( bought them on the car). Absolutley HORRIBLE IN THE RAIN no too impressive on dry either. Im definetely gonna replace them asap.

StealthFox

tell us more about why you didn't like em smith

smith007

They seemed fair enough in the dry once they warm up a bit but i'd recommend that you use extreme caution in the rain. Twice i've almost spun out in the rain going around turns with minimal to no throttle. At a complete stop/go scenario you can easily break them loose on a wet road (without driving like an a**hole). I much prefered the stock potenza's in every way. I'm going to be replacing them with a 245/40/18 Falken 615 Azeneis i'll post an update on how those stack up in comparison.

iridearocket

I just removed the Direzza's to mount the winter tires. I've done 10,000 miles on them this summer from new. The rears are 1/2 gone and the fronts are 1/4 gone. (4mm left on rear and 6mm left on front, stock they have about 8mm)

Treadwear is great, but performance is around par in the dry. (and below par in the rain)
Frankly, I love them becuase drifting the car in the rain is so much fun and the amount of burnouts I do with the rear tires in the dry prevent me from having to replace them constantly. I'll get 2 summers out of them with plenty of smoke to be had. My sacrifice is that I just have to drive to the conditions a little more carefully.