Tire Upgrades

[xwd]

Originally Posted by Grimlock

You've mentioned on the last page about the RE-11's. I know at National-level autocross in the STS class (the only class I really pay attention to) everyone runs RE-11s.

I still run Star Specs because they still make them in 14" sizes. I'm unsure of what to get on the BRZ though. I'd like to try something different than the Star Specs, and RE-11s seem like a decent choice. But I've been really happy with the Star Specs, so I just might vget them again.

Everyone in STS (Street Touring Sport, Miatas) uses Toyo R1Rs. Not a single person at nationals last year was on a different tire, afaik. However they are talking about making the size everyone runs illegal.

RE11 is a good combination of street/autocross tire. But no one at the top of autocross really runs them in any street tire class.

[AlanLGuy]

Originally Posted by dwx

Everyone in STS (Street Touring Sport, Miatas) uses Toyo R1Rs. Not a single person at nationals last year was on a different tire, afaik. However they are talking about making the size everyone runs illegal.

RE11 is a good combination of street/autocross tire. But no one at the top of autocross really runs them in any street tire class.

Not just talking about it anymore.. The R1R in 195/50R15 form has been added to the tire exclusion list for next year. Came out in the July edition of Fast Track

I just bought a set of Star Specs in 225/45/17 on the stock wheels and I like them well enough. We had 103 degree temps this weekend and they held up ok performance wise, the RS-3's perform a bit better, but I've heard a lot of people driving lightweight cars complain they can't get enough heat in them to make them really effective.

If you are running a two driver car, it isn't a problem and they don't get as greasy as the R1R's. But single driver cars may not get the bed performance ( I was also told Tire Rack is sold out of at least the 225 RS3's.

For the price I think the Dunlops are the best buy if you are looking for a tire that performs well in all conditions, but excels at none.

[Grimlock]

Originally Posted by Draco-REX

The Yoko came in 2nd, not 4th. For some reason TR listed them 1,3,4,2. I'm surprised the RE11 scored so highly. In pretty much every GRM test they find the RE11 to be so-so. But even so, it was only 0.01 points ahead of the Yoko AD08.

Originally Posted by dwx

Everyone in STS (Street Touring Sport, Miatas) uses Toyo R1Rs. Not a single person at nationals last year was on a different tire, afaik. However they are talking about making the size everyone runs illegal.

RE11 is a good combination of street/autocross tire. But no one at the top of autocross really runs them in any street tire class.

You're probably right. I think I'm mistaken. :happy0180:. I autocross STS in my Miata on the 14" Daisy wheels, so I'm far from top level competitive.

[7thgear]

RE11's are nice

but around here people are faster on StarSpecs and the RS3

[Draco-REX]

For those whose eyes are glazing over at the mention of AutoCross, these tires are still excellent for summer road use, not just competition. I've logged around 15,000 miles on a set of Extreme Performance tires on the street and they've still got about half their tread left.

So here's a simplified choice sheet:

If you want...

..ultimate tire grip and don't mind increased road noise, get Extreme Performance tires. Examples include:
Yokohama Advan AD08
Dunlop Direzza Z1 *spec
Hankook Ventus R-S3
Bridgestone RE11
Toyo Proxes R1R

..tons of grip that are quieter than the above with good road manners, get Max Performance tires. Examples include:
Michelin Pilot Sport
Continental ExtremeContact DW
Bridgestone RE050

..a good summer tire that's comfortable but will hold up on the on-ramps and occasional fun twisty road, get Ultra Performance tires. Examples include:
BF Goodrich g-Force Comp 2
Yokohama S.Drive
Kumho Ecsta SPT
Bridgestone RE760

..a tire that's black, round, and you just want to mount them and forget about them, get some All-Seasons. Doesn't matter what kind of all-season, they all suffer from the same issues. That sound you'll hear from your garage is your BRZ/FR-S crying.

..to drive in the snow, any winter tire will do. The amount of snow you get will dictate which ones to consider. I'm sure there will be tons of threads about this in the month or two.

"But I don't want to buy two sets of tires!" There are two things to remember.

First, the BRZ/FRZ does NOT come on all-seasons. They are Summer compound tires. So when the temperatures drop near freezing the rubber will harden dramatically and you'll have MUCH less grip. You need to get winter tires for this car if you want to drive when the temperatures drop near or below freezing.

Second, having two sets of tires halves the wear on each. So they will last twice as long. You could buy two sets of all-seasons and have crappy grip in the summer and crappy grip in the winter. Or you could buy one set of summers and one set of winters and have great grip in the summer and great grip in the winter. That should be a no-brainer to any driver. But unfortunately, we still have to dodge people on all-seasons in the winter.

[7thgear]

i dunno about you guys i'm having a blast on the stockers.

[Draco-REX]

Originally Posted by 7thgear

i dunno about you guys i'm having a blast on the stockers.

I agree. The guy who chose these tires for the car was an absolute genius! They are so much fun because their fall off is smooth and predictable. If I just wanted to hoon around, these tires are the way to go.

But I want this car to grip, not slide. So the Primacy HPs are off the list. Someone who wants to maintain the characteristics of their current tires aren't looking for tire upgrades. They're probably circling the member classifieds waiting for us in this thread to start selling our stockers.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Draco-REX

....
Second, having two sets of tires halves the wear on each. So they will last twice as long. You could buy two sets of all-seasons and have crappy grip in the summer and crappy grip in the winter. Or you could buy one set of summers and one set of winters and have great grip in the summer and great grip in the winter. That should be a no-brainer to any driver. But unfortunately, we still have to dodge people on all-seasons in the winter.

That makes sense, unless you don't really need "winter" tires. I need "non-summer" tires, but not "winter" tires. In Atlanta I can always wait an hour for the snow to melt before I go out, and have no desire to get out with the crazies if it takes longer than that, particularly in my FR-S.

I do agree though if you live in an area with a reasonable expectation of snow summer/winter tires make the most sense.

[Smudgeous]

Originally Posted by Nazarite

What feedback, if any, have you guys got for the BF Goodrich f-Force Sports and Yokohama S.drives? In the size I'm looking (235/40-17 since it'll throw off the speedo less than 1%) there aren't tons of options...I'm used to running Ventus V12s and Nitto NT555's, neither of which are offered in that size.

Am I the only one who wants tires that are bigger in circumference than stocks, since the speedometer is already off by over 1% at ~60mph?

Tires-wise, I was looking exclusively at max performance tires, as I do not anticipate an overabundance of autocrossing in my near future (and even if I do and shred them, they're a great baseline to compare future track tires against). In this group, I could not pass up on the value of Hankook Kumho LE Sports, as they're currently under $100 per tire, plus a $50 rebate Visa card on a set of 4 at Tire Rack. However, if it weren't for the current deal on them, I was quite interested in trying out Sumitomo HTR Z IIIs ($9 more at the 235/45/17 size I ordered). From everything I've read, they strike a pretty excellent balance for daily driving tires: good road comfort while still quite grippy and decent for track use.

[Chewie4299]

How would these compare in the lineup? Anyone have any experience with them?

BFGoodrich g-force T/A KDW 2



I just started researching wheel/tire combos that I'm going to shoot for.

Tire Size Calculator
Willtheyfit.com

I used those to try to figure out the best size tire for 18x8 +35 wheels and landed at a 235/35R18. I'm hesitant to go too wide on the tire due to the low weight of the car and this size should lead to the absolute least change on overall diameter.

What tire sizes are most people using? It looks like options in this size are limited.

[Khyron686]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

That makes sense, unless you don't really need "winter" tires. I need "non-summer" tires, but not "winter" tires. In Atlanta I can always wait an hour for the snow to melt before I go out, and have no desire to get out with the crazies if it takes longer than that, particularly in my FR-S.

I do agree though if you live in an area with a reasonable expectation of snow summer/winter tires make the most sense.

This is a complete misconception. If the ambient temps while you're driving are lower than 45 F (7C) you should be on winters. People always say "oh it's above freezing - at noon" and forget they are commuting at 6am. The snow has nothing to do with it, it's the cold turning the tire into a hockey puck with no grip.

They are called winter tires, not snow tires.

Florida guys can disregard. :P

Edit: BFGoodrich g-force T/A KDW 2 - I had them on my fwd Jetta - loved them till they started getting worn then holy mother of god they were noisy. Also heavier than avg if I remember.

[Toyobaru808]

Any one have any personal experience with Kumho ecsta le sports??

[Khyron686]

Originally Posted by Draco-REX

But I want this car to grip, not slide. So the Primacy HPs are off the list. Someone who wants to maintain the characteristics of their current tires aren't looking for tire upgrades. They're probably circling the member classifieds waiting for us in this thread to start selling our stockers.

If you had to buy new tires as close to the characteristics of the stockers, but cheaper - what would you go with? Some cheap Kumho/Generals?

[Draco-REX]

Originally Posted by Khyron686

If you had to buy new tires as close to the characteristics of the stockers, but cheaper - what would you go with? Some cheap Kumho/Generals?

My tire choices tend to the ends of the spectrum, so I cna't say for surety what tires have the same characteristics as the Primacy HP. But there are some good choices for less.

Assuming you're keeping the stock size,

Michelin Primacy HP (Stock tire): $191

Extreme Performance:
Hankook R-S3: $139

Max Performance:
Continental ExtremeContact DW (Personal favorite for this class): $127
Sumitomo HTR Z III (Old standby): $95

Ultra Performance:
BF Goodrich Sport Comp-2: $117
Bridgestone RE760: $129

Of the bunch, I think the Sumitomo may have similar grip/slip characteristics. The Continental ECDW is a fantastic tire that I've owned and highly recommend for it's all around capability and comfort. The Hankook will get you spectacular grip, but are noisy and not the best in the wet. The BFG and Bridgestone are both very popular tires as well.

But any of these will save you at least $200 across a set compared to the stock tires without mounting junk.