Summer Tires
#1
Summer Tires
With spring approaching I am starting to look what summer tires to get.
I had SP Sport 8090s (Dunlop?) before and they were fantastic but they seem mighty pricey (like 250 a pop)
Is there something that is an awesome grippy summer tire that isn't so mad expensive?
I really do want something that is as good as what I had or better.
how bout something like the
Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec
Hankook Ventus R-S3
Kumho Ecsta XS
all show as extreme summer at tire rack and are less than 600 bucks for a set of 4. I am not against spending $1000 bucks as I have budged for that much but, but the less I spend, I can use the left over for other stuffs
I had SP Sport 8090s (Dunlop?) before and they were fantastic but they seem mighty pricey (like 250 a pop)
Is there something that is an awesome grippy summer tire that isn't so mad expensive?
I really do want something that is as good as what I had or better.
how bout something like the
Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec
Hankook Ventus R-S3
Kumho Ecsta XS
all show as extreme summer at tire rack and are less than 600 bucks for a set of 4. I am not against spending $1000 bucks as I have budged for that much but, but the less I spend, I can use the left over for other stuffs
Last edited by Bigbacon; 01-24-2011 at 08:01 AM.
#7
should be or will be
oddly enough...tirerack sells unmatched sets with 225/45 in the front and 245/40s in the back. seems kinda weird to me. you could never rotate them (if thats important)
i tink I'll stick with the 225s only because the price difference. It is almost $100 difference unless the 245/40s are really going to make a difference.
kinda fear the 245/40 might look kind weird though, do they stick out or look funning if the car isn't really lowered cause they are wider and not as tall?
pretty much only looking at the max performance stuff.
off topic: $100 prepaid visa card when you buy 4 kuhmos
oddly enough...tirerack sells unmatched sets with 225/45 in the front and 245/40s in the back. seems kinda weird to me. you could never rotate them (if thats important)
i tink I'll stick with the 225s only because the price difference. It is almost $100 difference unless the 245/40s are really going to make a difference.
kinda fear the 245/40 might look kind weird though, do they stick out or look funning if the car isn't really lowered cause they are wider and not as tall?
pretty much only looking at the max performance stuff.
off topic: $100 prepaid visa card when you buy 4 kuhmos
Last edited by Bigbacon; 01-24-2011 at 05:37 PM.
#8
That's a lie
iTrader: (1)
they will be fine and will not look bulgey.
245/40 is only .1 inch lower sidewall. its a good look but not make-or-break for $100. If you budgeted for $1k though I say do it
edit to save you some time https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ight=245+stock
245/40 is only .1 inch lower sidewall. its a good look but not make-or-break for $100. If you budgeted for $1k though I say do it
edit to save you some time https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.p...ight=245+stock
#9
I was just looking through the will it fit thread for pics. thanks,
and lowing the car won't be an issue? I am planning to add the MS shocks to the MS springs later this year as well which I think it suppose to lower the car a bit more than the stock shocks + MS springs.
and if I happen to autox or track this again, no issues there ( i have dedicated track/autox car now but don't rule out using the 8 again)
you'll have to excuse my tire idiocy. It took me forever to figure out what to buy for my MR2 toy...like months but I also was getting wheels with that on a stiff $650 dollar budget.
and lowing the car won't be an issue? I am planning to add the MS shocks to the MS springs later this year as well which I think it suppose to lower the car a bit more than the stock shocks + MS springs.
and if I happen to autox or track this again, no issues there ( i have dedicated track/autox car now but don't rule out using the 8 again)
you'll have to excuse my tire idiocy. It took me forever to figure out what to buy for my MR2 toy...like months but I also was getting wheels with that on a stiff $650 dollar budget.
#12
Registered
iTrader: (2)
I agree, the RS-3s are awesome - I ran them for the second half of the 2010 solo season, and have also had R1-Rs, RE-11s, and Star Specs on my car. The RS-3s had the best grip, although I never did get to compare them side-by-side with the Toyos so I'm not 100% sure which would be faster.
That's for autocross. For pure street use, I'd be tempted by the Falken RT615K. In a Grassroots Motorsports test, they bested the RS-3s (by not a small margin) in skidpad grip, but were too sensitive to heat to be a good autocross tire. Could be a great street tire, particualrly in a cooler climate, where the tire doesn't get super hot.
Just something to think about.
That's for autocross. For pure street use, I'd be tempted by the Falken RT615K. In a Grassroots Motorsports test, they bested the RS-3s (by not a small margin) in skidpad grip, but were too sensitive to heat to be a good autocross tire. Could be a great street tire, particualrly in a cooler climate, where the tire doesn't get super hot.
Just something to think about.
#14
With the wider tire you will have more slop in the sidewall and suffer some loss of crispness on turn-in. If you want to go 245/40 you should really go to a wider rim. Stick with 225 on the 8 in stocker imo
#16
What am I doing here?
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: 2017 Miata RF Launch Edition
Posts: 3,606
Received 649 Likes
on
510 Posts
Their butt-dyno might have something to say but that's as good as talking out of your ***.
#18
#19
i be confused now....
I will need something that will at least last me from, march-ish till october/november
I do drive fairly spiritedly and I do love to push the car through corners pretty hard (specially the clover leaf ramps)
I consider myself slightly above average of a driver
I will need something that will at least last me from, march-ish till october/november
I do drive fairly spiritedly and I do love to push the car through corners pretty hard (specially the clover leaf ramps)
I consider myself slightly above average of a driver
#20
Registered
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 16,684
Likes: 0
Received 253 Likes
on
110 Posts
BigBacon, I'd recommend Yokohama S.Drives for daily drivering. Very good dry grip, and you have to REALLY stretch out the limit of the tires to feel the difference on dry up to the high end star specs, but they have absolutely fantastic wet grip and anti-hydroplane resistance, and last a decently good time. I got 35,000 miles off my first set of S.Drives, went to Star Specs after that, and while I enjoyed the increased dry grip on auto-x, it was rare that I could use the extra on the road, and I HATED the lack of wet grip and how it hydroplaned at a smeering of water on the road.
S.Drives went on my Miata just after purchase, and they will be going back on the 8 in about 6 weeks.
S.Drives went on my Miata just after purchase, and they will be going back on the 8 in about 6 weeks.
#22
Registered
iTrader: (2)
I agree that it is relatively rare (for most of us) that you can take advantage of that last 5% offered by top-tier street tires whilst driving on the street. I've autocrossed on R1-1/RE-11/RS-3 for the last two years, but currently run Goodyear Assymentrics daily on the street (which I like a lot) and have no complaints, but then I get to bolt on the "good stuff" two weekends a month in the summer to get my fix, so...
Anyway, I ran Star Specs daily on the street for two years (including two winters) here in Oregon and NEVER had a problem with wet grip or hydroplaning. I do agree that some of the top-tier tires, like the R1-R, might be sketchy in deep water, but the Star Specs are not. Are they the *best* tire for avoiding hydroplaning? Certainly not, but neither are they a safety hazard.
If I had to have just one set of tires for my RX-8 (oh the horror) I'd get Star Specs again.
If I wanted a tire that lasted a bit longer at the expense of a bit of ultimate grip, there are several good options. Conti DW, Goodyear Assymentrics, S-Drive, etc. They all have their trade-offs, and this is where spending a little time on the Tirerack site and browsing owner feedback can be enlightening.
Anyway, I ran Star Specs daily on the street for two years (including two winters) here in Oregon and NEVER had a problem with wet grip or hydroplaning. I do agree that some of the top-tier tires, like the R1-R, might be sketchy in deep water, but the Star Specs are not. Are they the *best* tire for avoiding hydroplaning? Certainly not, but neither are they a safety hazard.
If I had to have just one set of tires for my RX-8 (oh the horror) I'd get Star Specs again.
If I wanted a tire that lasted a bit longer at the expense of a bit of ultimate grip, there are several good options. Conti DW, Goodyear Assymentrics, S-Drive, etc. They all have their trade-offs, and this is where spending a little time on the Tirerack site and browsing owner feedback can be enlightening.
Last edited by GeorgeH; 01-27-2011 at 10:53 AM.
#23
Registered
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 16,684
Likes: 0
Received 253 Likes
on
110 Posts
I certainly can't argue with your point of view George
The conditions that the tire sees regularly is where perspective and different attributes change in priority. I tend to think that selecting your tire to be able to handle the worst condition that you will regularly see is a good way to go. After all, if you buy a tire for the best conditions, but regularly see far worse, then you can't take advantage of the attributes you purchased, and depending on how far off the mark you are, can be putting yourself, your car, or others at risk for those bad condition periods.
For me Star Specs had lots of hydroplaning problems, mainly because I live in one of the top 5 cities, ranked by annual volume of rain. Standing water is a regular and common hazard that I have to deal with, and no tire I have ever driven on handles standing water like the S.Drives. There are probably a few tires out there that handle it better, true, but I'm sure they are garbage for anything else I'd rather have 5% less grip in the dry to be confident that I can handle heavy rain without an issue. Add the cheaper price and how much life you get out of the tires, and It's a winner in my book for any daily driven car.
Sometimes I do forget to mention that my regular heavy rain and standing water influences my recommendations.
If I end up getting a different car for my wife and the Miata becomes basically track only, and I just stick with 1 set of tires, 100% agree on the Star Specs.
The conditions that the tire sees regularly is where perspective and different attributes change in priority. I tend to think that selecting your tire to be able to handle the worst condition that you will regularly see is a good way to go. After all, if you buy a tire for the best conditions, but regularly see far worse, then you can't take advantage of the attributes you purchased, and depending on how far off the mark you are, can be putting yourself, your car, or others at risk for those bad condition periods.
For me Star Specs had lots of hydroplaning problems, mainly because I live in one of the top 5 cities, ranked by annual volume of rain. Standing water is a regular and common hazard that I have to deal with, and no tire I have ever driven on handles standing water like the S.Drives. There are probably a few tires out there that handle it better, true, but I'm sure they are garbage for anything else I'd rather have 5% less grip in the dry to be confident that I can handle heavy rain without an issue. Add the cheaper price and how much life you get out of the tires, and It's a winner in my book for any daily driven car.
Sometimes I do forget to mention that my regular heavy rain and standing water influences my recommendations.
If I end up getting a different car for my wife and the Miata becomes basically track only, and I just stick with 1 set of tires, 100% agree on the Star Specs.