Michelin PSS vs Federal 595RS-R
 

Hi,

I need to change the current tires and my options are limited to these 2 tires (for various reasons I'll not get into). I use the car as a daily but I also hit the track about 2 times per month for the whole season (march-october). Starting next season I'm considering attending a time attack competition.

Car:
'13 GT86 with stock everything except:
Tomei UEL header with OFT stage2+
SPC front camber bolts with -1.2 degrees
Stoptech Slotted rotors and brake lines, Castrol SRF
Carbotech XP10 pads front, EBC Yellowstuff back
Blitz SUS Power LM air filter

The question is simple: do added weight (~2kg per wheel) is worth it considering the amount of grip/stiffness I'll gain with Federal?
Short analysis:

The federal are loud and I mean LOUD, they are about as noisy as my mud tires honestly.

Federals are junk tier 3 tires

I tried a 245/35 on an 18x8. It pinched the tire and felt "mushy", killing the steering feel. Don't do it. I would get the 225 width PSS for 18x8 wheels. I removed the 245/35 and went to 225/40 PSS on the 18x8s. They fit perfectly and are a good tire. I would not get the Federals. But I don't like really noisy tires.

This question is unfair. The federals are 220tw super. Grippy uncompromising ties. The pss are a 300 tw so well grand touring this you "can" take to the track.

Comparing them is like the s2000 vs a m4 total differing leagues.

The federals are run down here in the socal area as a cheap super sticky practice tire for them to use until points days in which they'll swap out to the stones super tire the re71r. I have no data on the michelin

I can’t speak for the RS-R but I’ve had 2 sets of the RS-RR.

I have also had 2 sets of PSS in 225 and 245.

The federals last me 23k miles and the PSS last me 40k miles. The PSS are $800 and the Federals $400 but the Federals are super noisy as mentioned above. I’ve tuned it out since I’ve spent so much time with them.

The Federals are not ideal for DD as mentioned above, but they do grip well. The PSS will NOT last at a track day...you will fry the outside contact patch in no time.

My suggestion: put the PSS on the OEM rim in 225 section, and get a separate set of track wheel/tires.

If 2 sets of rims is not an option for you, try the GT Radial Sx2. Not as loud as the Federal, halfway decent road manners, grip well (but not great like the RE71), and will hold up to all the track day abuse you could throw at them.

:burnrubber::thumbup:

GT Radial Sx2 is also the spec tire for the 86 cup which is supposed to be street legal, but trackable racecars.

I have no actual experience from them, but if they are a spec tire they cant be bad

Why not give the Indie Firehawks 500 a try?
Personally I wouldn't touch both of your choices.

I've had the PSS, RS-RR, and just got the the Pilot 4S a few days ago. RS-RR is miserably loud for daily driving. I would only consider them if I had them on an extra set of track wheels.

It seems I made a mistake and I'm not limited to Federals!
I CAN use any tire that is NOT semi-slick and threadwear is >139 (except Pilot Sport Cup 1,2). To my understanding this means any Extreme Performance tires (with those exceptions).

That being said, I cannot find RE71R in my country but I did found GT Radial SX2.
I'm open to suggestions :)

"I use the car as a daily but I also hit the track about 2 times per month for the whole season (march-october). Starting next season I'm considering attending a time attack competition."
Not sure RE71R is best choice for DD & HPDE. Might be for time attack depending what you mean with that. AFAIK they often are referred more of one lap wonders, nice to get almost track slick like grip for auto-X despite being marked of (imho far from truth) 200tw, but in real life they wear very quick, thus not sure about sense of using them for DD, and can be easily overheated for multiple laps during HPDE/track use.
GT Radial SX2 IIRC nice budget dual-use tire choice, good for learning and reducing track wearables spending. Expecting top tier vendors to have a bit better offerings top grip result wise, but of course, at price premium. I'd also put among tires to consider AD08R, PSS (no 17" PS4S in EU).

As stated in the first post now I have the 225/40/18 PSS (no 18" PS4S in EU as well). Also, no RE71R in my country (and too expensive to order abroad).

As @BlueWhelan mentioned the upper sidewall is gone (on PSSs) in just 1 trackday.
I'll research a bit for AD08R(S) and GT Radial SX2, thanks!

Toyo proxes RR for track use. Awesome grip and lasts pretty long