Anyone have any recommendations on what tires would be best for size 245/40ZR18/97W? Quietness first criteria; handling second. Have Riken Raptor on now, they did not wear well at all.

 

What did u think about the Rikens?

 

How many miles are you looking to get out of it. you say Quietness and handling are 1 and 2 but then complain about poor wear on your current. It sounds like wear life is important to you as well. So how many miles do you want to get out of your tires and what type of driving is most of your mileage?

Yokohama Advan sports maybe?

 

From your original post I would suggest going with Hankook V12's. They are a good all around summer tire that may meet your needs.

I run them and I have no complaints.

 

June 2010 issue of Car and Driver Magazine uses 2010 RX8 Sport at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca to test best performance tires for running a day of track time. Best overall combination of track prowess, consistent performance and durability, and still everyday usability was the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Tires . Price per tire for 225/40ZR-18 was around $294 at www.tirerack.com

Gwilliams6

 

Also these Michelin Pilot Sport Cup Tires are original equipment on cars such as Porsche 911 GT3 and Dodge Viper ACR among other fast machines.

gwilliams6

 

$294 is a lot for a tire. I suspect the OP is willing to trade some performance for longevity at a lower cost. You can get in to Yokohama Advan Neova AD08's for less than that per tire.

 

Nitto NT-05 are quiet, comfortable, nice price and excellent in the handling dept.

 

Hey folks the Yokohama's were in this test and did not fair nearly as well as the Michelins, the Yokohamas had much less grip. As one who has owned and raced over eight different rotary Mazda's over three decades, ultimately you get what you pay for. I was never sorry to pay for the best performance for street or track. Just look for a discount source, but get the best tire you can, your fun factor and even your life could depend on it.

gwilliams6

 

ahhhh......heads up...the OP is not looking for R-comps like from the C&D test, just regular good tires.

 

Can you run 245s on the rear and not hit the fenders? If so, how do you do that? I have 245s on mine and they hit when I have a passenger and back seat passenger. I posted a new thread about this because it's a serious issue.

 

its the offset of ur rims, looks like ur tryin to run "flush" with fender and the body

 

10-4. Time to bend some metal then.