[re-animator]

My pilot super sports are about done and its time to upgrade to a slightly more track-focused tire with DD-ability. I had it down to the Hankook Ventus v12 evo 2 and Falken Azensis RT615K+. Have done a good amount of research and narrowed it down to these two based on economy, grip, and a handful of other factors. placed an order with a local tire shop to install the falkens.

Setup is with enkei raijin 18x8 wheels +45mm offset and lowered on eibach springs (eventually will be a coilover set). There is some slight camber in the setup, but the drop is only about an inch so nothing too aggressive. The pilot super sports were 225 40 18. I liked them a lot but there were times when i wanted more aggressive dry grip and perhaps more tire. I live in southern california so this will be a year round set. Rain and cold weather are very rare.

tire shop over the phone says 235 40 18 will not fit for rub issues and to stick with 225 40 18. I get that 235/40 is going to be both wider and taller which is an issue with the slightly cambered setup, but every time i had the tires off i felt like there was more room. That said i'm not an expert and i'm not going to necessarily question the math. I know that both setups sit larger than stock and slightly alter the gearing and speedo, but it is not so bad as to be a concern for me.

I also know that 245/35/18 might be the best of all worlds for me, but only the Hankooks come in that size and not the Falkens. While the hankook would probably let me fit more tire, my feeling is that it would still result in less grip than the more aggressive Falkens. I know the v12s will also probably be a little more comfy on the street but i am first and foremost looking for grip and braking as I'm trying to improve my skills as a driver. comfy and quiet is nice but at the end of the day lap times > gf's complaints. for my purposes, 225/40/18 Falkens vs 245/35/18 Hankooks which set are you taking?