Quote:
Originally Posted by Evil86
I have the z2s, buy BF Goodrich rivals.
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I have the BF Goodrich Rivals, buy the BF Goodrich Rivals.
To elaborate a bit: The ZIIs probably won't be the winner of the current "tire war" that's shaping up. They're a modest improvement over the ZIs (my former tires) in most numerical categories (lateral grip, tread life, etc). However, many drivers have been reporting that they are difficult to extract the full potential from. The prevailing opinion on the ZIIs is that they have a very narrow operating window where maximum grip is generated, and fall off quickly outside that window. I haven't driven on them personally, but @
Evil86 can probably attest to setup difficulties with the ZII. With that in mind, it probably wouldn't be an ideal street tire.
BF Goodrich Rival: The Rivals are an all-new design from BFG, and they seem to be the hot tire right now. My experience with them has been that they have very high levels of grip which is produced at a much higher slip angle than the Star Specs. They seem to be wearing very well on the shoulders, which would suggest they're more forgiving and durable on camber-challenged cars. It probably helps that the tread blocks extend down the sidewall. Be aware that these tires like to talk. They'll make all sorts of squealing noise as you push them, but they aren't actually giving up any grip when they do. The Rivals are more comfortable for street driving than the Star Specs (and I suspect the ZIIs as well). Also, I wouldn't expect great traction in standing water from this tire, given the tread pattern.
Bridgestone RE-11A: The latest entrant to the tire war, the RE-11A has received praise as a significant improvement over the old RE-11. Pricing is also much more reasonable than it's predecessor. The RE-11A is reported to have excellent wet and dry grip. The significant downside is that 18" sizes are currently limited to 245/40R18, which would be a bit stretched on a 9.5" wheel (but within spec for the tire, barely).
Yokohama ADVAN Neova AD08R: I don't know when this replacement for the AD08 will be available in the US, but expect it to be along the lines of the RE-11A, a tread compound update to an existing tire design. I haven't seen any independent reviews of the AD08R yet, but even if it's a fantastic tire, the AD08s are ridiculously over-priced, probably won't be worth the extra money.
I would also consider the Michelin Pilot Super Sport, it's been around for a couple years now, but it's still a good daily driver tire that retains the ability to track or auto-x. Also reasonably priced.