Conti ExtremeContact Sport vs Hankook R-S4

[Guru Woodman]

I apologize in advance because this tire vs that tire topics have probably been chewed to death but I could use a little help.

I am currently looking into a fresh summer setup for my Sparco 17x8 wheels.

I have used my stock Michelins Premacy's on these rims for a couple of seasons. These 215 tires are slightly stretched and I'd like to upgrade to 225/45-17 size. They still have thread left but have become noisy and I feel like they are past their prime.

I have been offered two affordable options.

The Continental ExtremeContact Sport and the Hankook Ventus R-S4.

Both are priced comparably (although the conti's have a mail in rebate)

I will be using them during the summer for my (spirited) daily driver. I have been trying to find info and reviews online but have not been very successful in deciding which one are the best for me.

Any input will be much appreciated.

[wparsons]

If you're not autoxing or tracking it, RS4's will just wear faster and not give any real increase in daily traction. The RS4's need heat for optimal grip, so daily on the street the conti's will be a better option.

[Guru Woodman]

Makes sense. Thank you.

[Guru Woodman]

A little follow up

I've installed the Conti's an the difference nothing less then spectacular. I am no expert but these tires transform the car.

[smg1138]

Get the Contis for daily driving. I've been using them since last summer and they've been great. The RS4's are really more of a time attack tire and will wear out really fast on the street. The only time I drive my 200TW tires on the street is to and from autox and track events.

[Guru Woodman]

I did aha

[Vesartis]

I am interested in trying the Contis for daily use as a replacement for the stock Primacies. Can you explain a little further on what changes/improvements you are feeling? How is steering response affected?

Reviews aren't as plentiful for this tire, especially on our cars, so any insight you can provide would be awesome.

[Guru Woodman]

What can I say. It is a different car. More serious and grown up. My cornering speed is higher and it feels like the limits are further away. It feels more planted and steering response is more point and shoot. Less drama too, more forgiving and less road noise in my case.
I went from 60% worn Michelin Premacy's to new Conti's so the comparison might not be totally fair but I don't remember the Michelins being that impressive out of the box.

I would say that this is the single and most spectacular 'mod' I did to the car. I have owned a lot of cars (50 or so) and I haven't seen such a change in driving experience, except for my 911 Carrera 4 but that was for the worse when I upgraded to larger rims and tires. It unbalanced the car.

[Vesartis]

Sounds like exactly what I am looking for! Thanks for the extra insight.

[Guru Woodman]

You won't regret them. Let me know how you like them !

[BlueWhelan]

You cannot beat the improvement per dollar ratio that good tires provide. Always tires 1st.

I run the Conti ExtremeContact Sports currently and I love them (225/45/17). Are you familiar with the Michelin Super Sports? These are 95% of those tires for $100 less per set. In short:

- stiffer sidewalls = better steering feel, but a bit more NVH
- A lot more grip across the board
- Good breakaway characteristics/predictability
- Great wet weather performance
- Less road noise than a 200tw tire
- Decent tread life: I've put about 8000 daily miles (canyons and highway) plus 2 autocross days on them and they're at about 35%. Not quite wearing evenly but that's because I don't have enough camber...

Overall, they are THE performance street tire bang for the buck right now IMO.

Unless you consider the GT Radial SX2... I haven't tried them yet but I heard great things.

[venturaII]

I used to run the Conti XC-DW, which the XC-S was supposedly developed from, and assuming the XC-S is even better, there's no way you will regret it. I can't wait for my current set of V12 Evos to wear out so I can get the XC-S.

[weederr33]

Originally Posted by Guru Woodman

A little follow up

I've installed the Conti's an the difference nothing less then spectacular. I am no expert but these tires transform the car.

I'm probably going to pick these up next month and was curious how your treadwear was holding up? How are you liking the tires now that they've been on for a while? Thanks!

[Guru Woodman]

Originally Posted by weederr33

I'm probably going to pick these up next month and was curious how your treadwear was holding up? How are you liking the tires now that they've been on for a while? Thanks!

They are amazing! I recommend them without hesitation.
I have to say that I have used winter tires for about 6 months so I have not been able to rack up many miles. But they are holding up great.
Switching back to these tires after the winter made me realize (again) how much a good set of tires transforms this platform.