What brand of tires should I get?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

You'll be fine year round with MPSS unless you take your car up to Tahoe or something else snowy. I drove around on 200TW Dunlop Direzza ZII Star Specs for over a year with minimal issues (tire noise and big puddles were the only concerns).

There are a number of good summer and all season tires at around +300TW rating from Michelin, Bridgestone, and Continental if you don't mind paying a bit extra over the cheap stuff.



Would you run these in the snow? Light snow maybe until the real snow hits?

Just curious as I may someday have to deal with this thing called 'weather'.

No. I will switch to my snow tires when the winter actually hits. What these will do for me is greatly extend the season where I don't need to runs snows. As I have always preached the issue with summer tires is how hard they get when it gets cold. Since it can start to approach freezing here as early as late October and last until early May this meant that I had to change to snows no later than early November and keep them on until at least mid April. There is little likelihood of any significant snowfall for either of those months but the stock tires still became too cold and driving could be hazardous. By using the all seasons I can go well into late November (or even December) and get rid of the snows in late February or early March. It is a total win for me since I can have much better tires for 8 or 9 months instead of 5 or 6. The day after I got them put on last week it was 34 degrees in the morning when I left for work. Instead of white knuckling it down the highway I had total grip and no squirmy moments at all. I would have been screwed if I had put the summers back on.

[Teseo]

Less # TW = more grip/less miles (km)?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Teseo

Less # TW = more grip/less miles (km)?

Could. Doesn't mean it does though. There has to be some give and take someplace.

[churchx]

IIRC TW rating is rather moot number arbitrary put up by manufacturers. RE71R 200 threadwear? Riight.

[ZDan]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

As I have always preached the issue with summer tires is how hard they get when it gets cold.

The day after I got them put on last week it was 34 degrees in the morning when I left for work. Instead of white knuckling it down the highway I had total grip and no squirmy moments at all. I would have been screwed if I had put the summers back on.

What summer tires do/did you have? I definitely have more grip even in 30s temperatures on Hankook RS3 V2 on my S2000 than I do with Dunlop WinterSports. Previous version RS3 were not as good in the cold, but still it's not like they were diabolical.

I don't think most modern Max and Extreme Perf Summer tires have that big an issue with cold temperatures within reason (above freezing). Even the NT01s I run on the FD aren't a problem in upper 30s temps.

I usually change over to Winter tires in December, and back to Summers in March/April. I base the changeover times on likelihood of snow, not on temperature. Never have had an issue with serious lack of grip due to cold.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by ZDan

What summer tires do/did you have? I definitely have more grip even in 30s temperatures on Hankook RS3 V2 on my S2000 than I do with Dunlop WinterSports. Previous version RS3 were not as good in the cold, but still it's not like they were diabolical.

I don't think most modern Max and Extreme Perf Summer tires have that big an issue with cold temperatures within reason (above freezing). Even the NT01s I run on the FD aren't a problem in upper 30s temps.

I usually change over to Winter tires in December, and back to Summers in March/April. I base the changeover times on likelihood of snow, not on temperature. Never have had an issue with serious lack of grip due to cold.

This car just the stock. Previous several different types. Some may be OK but I want more than just that.