Yep, I'm over on the less funded but less travelled half of the state so I know what you mean.

Plus 225/45's look super square and mean on 17x7.5" STi BBS wheels...

Good to hear about the Potenza S-04. Those are the tires I'm picking up in the spring :D

Very good tires. Watch tire rack for the Bridgestone $70 Visa prepaid rebate.

I have been through 4 sets on various cars. Very stiff sidewalls, the biggest issue I have with them is that a few tire shops were unable to mount them.

Get some Dunlap Direzza ZII Star Specs 215/45 and call it done.

ZII Star specs are good tires, but I don't think that they fit the bill of what OP is looking at. Otherwise RS3/RE71R would be on the table too.

I think they do fit the bill. Even though they are 215s, they are still wider than the stock Primacy tires. They offer great grip for hard back road driving while also offering great wet weather traction. For a stock car I think they are the perfect summer tire.

Hankook Ventus are pretty good, whether it be the Noble's or Evo's. Around $100 per corner depending on the exact tire, decent grip for stock, lets loose when you want it. My opinion for a daily tire, it's what i currently run and about to purchase again.

"Chasing speed with patience"

I had Ventus Evos on my Civic Si (same OEM tire size as twins), and recently replaced them w/ S-04's. No comparison, the S-04's are way, way better in noise, grip, and ride quality. I also had 3 blowouts w/ the Hankooks...maybe a bit of bad luck hitting sharp Botts dots, but I that's about as much as I've had the rest of my life combined.