About to buy new tires and was wondering which tires to buy. As far as the BFGs, I've heard nothing but good things. The Nittos I don't know much about even though my friend has them on his Acura CL. He barely drives it so I don't know how they hold up as far as wear. My 8 IS my car and I DRIVE it ... got the last autox of the season coming in October :rolleyes: .

Anyway, just looking for feedback on how these tires perform on the 8. The Nittos are $130 per tire while the BFGs are $160.

Oh yeah, a stupid question: I don't need valve stems because the 8 comes with metal ones, right?

Bfg

Search on www.miata.net. They have thousands of reviews. If you want a quick summary...nitto = medicore tirelineup. Go with the bfg or another tire.

Think about the Falken ST615's. About $155 @ Discount Tire / Tires.com.

Think about the Falken ST615's. About $155 @ Discount Tire / Tires.com.

I didn't see those in 225-45-18 for that price!!!!!! I would LOVE to have those.

My bad. The RT615 are $182. Those are the Falkens I was thinking about.

you would be amazed at the new Azenis (RT615), arguably the best autox street tire out there :D

i just got my kdw2's put on last night. they're a little loud right now, but otherwise, they're very nice. noticable change in grip as well. it's supposed to rain for the next four days up here in western washington, so i'll get to see their wet traction capabilities soon.

they're a little loud right now, but otherwise, they're very nice

Are they realy loud or just the newness of them. They do look like some seriously loud, freaky truck tires.

it's supposed to rain for the next four days up here in western washington, so i'll get to see their wet traction capabilities soon.

Definately keep me posted on the wet weather performance.

ZoomZoomH, I'm in NOVA too. Where you at? *that just sounded like a boost mobile comercial*

dude it's Hank, we met at the CDC autox at Osborne HS a month ago :D

I've had the KDW's on mine for the last 4k miles and their great! I have no complaints about them. They are not 'that' loud, and they grip the same in rain as they do on dry pavement. I really like these tires I must say.

New KDW's here too. They do hum at 40 mph, but nothing annoying. From behind, they look like truck tires that form sports car tire patterns. I bought them to prepare for the rainy days (literally). My stock potenza's were already running thin at 23K miles. Not only that they had a short life, they sucked and were very twitchy. These new KWDs are awesome. I've gone way faster on corners that would normally make my stock tires scream or slide. I have 245's all around since I had such a bad experience at understeering those stock tires. The front 245 KDW's can hold much more corner speed.

Looking at the pattern on these tires, I can see why they have a really good reputation for wet traction. The grand canyon lives there!

i still got plenty of treads on my oem Dunlops (just rotated them on Sunday :D ), so I'm good for probably another 10-12k miles

I do need to figure out what to do for winter driving though... the beater car i had planned to use may be on its last legs....

New KDW's here too. They do hum at 40 mph, but nothing annoying. From behind, they look like truck tires that form sports car tire patterns. I bought them to prepare for the rainy days (literally). My stock potenza's were already running thin at 23K miles. Not only that they had a short life, they sucked and were very twitchy. These new KWDs are awesome. I've gone way faster on corners that would normally make my stock tires scream or slide. I have 245's all around since I had such a bad experience at understeering those stock tires. The front 245 KDW's can hold much more corner speed.

Looking at the pattern on these tires, I can see why they have a really good reputation for wet traction. The grand canyon lives there!

that basically sums it up right there. the hum is more perceptable now probably because the stock potenza's were almost down to nothing. They were definately getting twitchy in the rain, not comforting here in the NW.

dude it's Hank, we met at the CDC autox at Osborne HS a month ago

My bad. What's up man? Care for a 180 in my 8?

New KDW's here too. They do hum at 40 mph, but nothing annoying. From behind, they look like truck tires that form sports car tire patterns. I bought them to prepare for the rainy days (literally). My stock potenza's were already running thin at 23K miles. Not only that they had a short life, they sucked and were very twitchy. These new KWDs are awesome. I've gone way faster on corners that would normally make my stock tires scream or slide. I have 245's all around since I had such a bad experience at understeering those stock tires. The front 245 KDW's can hold much more corner speed.

Looking at the pattern on these tires, I can see why they have a really good reputation for wet traction. The grand canyon lives there!

that basically sums it up right there.

Yep. Sure does. BFG KDWs ... ordered and on the way. Uh, I don't need valve stems do I? The 8 has metal ones that I can keep, right?

your TPMS IS your valve stem :p

I have Kdw2 i will not go back they were great at first then boom after 10,000 miles they sucked i have spun out once in the rain on the hy. Great while they lasted but i am going with something better.

and you are dissatisfied with them after 10k? they have a better wear rating than the stockers

I have Kdw2 i will not go back they were great at first then boom after 10,000 miles they sucked i have spun out once in the rain on the hy. Great while they lasted but i am going with something better.

They wear out that fast? What happened?

Fl roads are made out of shale Which has shells and other crap in it. After 10,000 miles they were baddly eaten up on the sides. I also aout x and have fun once in a while. They also deformed from the heat and cant be balanced. My left side is completely bald and the right side has another 5000 miles.

your TPMS IS your valve stem
oh ... thanks *crowd yells at rain "idiot"*

Ive got 5,500 on my kdw2' and have no wear that I can see or feel. Did you say you auto x'd them, eclpsO? That alone could have killed 'em, regardless of street miles.

Fl roads are made out of shale Which has shells and other crap in it. After 10,000 miles they were baddly eaten up on the sides. I also aout x and have fun once in a while. They also deformed from the heat and cant be balanced. My left side is completely bald and the right side has another 5000 miles.

Sounds like it isnt the fault of the tires, sounds like you are unrealistic about expectations on the tires

You will enjoy your KDW, mine have yet to disappoint.

i was thinking about going up to a 235/40 or 245/40 tire on my stock rims...can i do that.

I have KDW's....22's on the double R and love them. I know it is not the same on a SUV...but very sticky.

my first impressions after almost a week of ownership are positive. aside from finding my front left tire flat and the rest all about 10-15 psi low, the tires themselves are great. you can still break the tires loose if you give too much throttle when it's wet, but overall traction and hadling on the freeway and through the backroads feel much better than stock and much more predictable. i still think the road noise from these are more than i anticipated, but when the stereo's on, it doens't matter all that much.

I LOVE my KDW's... super sticky and aren't too bad in the rain either.

I have 13k miles, 3 spirited trips through the mountains, 6 autocross events, and 2 days at RoadAtlanta and I have not been kind to these tires. While they seem to have plenty of grip for a 300 treadwear tire, and are only worn about half way, even after all of that. But the noise and low speed ride of them is enough that I will NOT buy another set.

The hum at 40 has been mentioned, but does anyone else get the not so subtle hum between 80-86 MPH? Cause i do. I can't drive that speed, and not hear it. Yesterday, 84 MPH with the windows down, and stereo on 14, i still heard it. And I still hated that noise. It is not an issue about being out of balance either, I made the installer re-balance them 4 times, and nothing changed. I can also feel each one of the tread blocks on the ground as I roll up to a stoplight. I feel like I am driving a 4X4 truck.

They do have good grip, wet or dry, I have autocrossed them in the wet, they do slide, but not as much as I would have expected. I have not seen the excessive wear that eclps0 mentioned. Not sure where that comes from.

I hope your experience is not as bad as mine has been. Cause I hate these tires, and have been trying to kill them almost since I bought them.

I love to hear people complain about the minor road noise that comes from these tires... What were you guys expecting when you looked at the tread pattern before you bought them?

Noone has said they lack grip either wet or dry, and only one person says they have had tread-life issues... Sounds like a good performance tire to me... If you want something comfortable, buy the Pilot Sports... For performance, KDW's are the way to go

Just my 2 cents

sorry, minor road noise i can deal with, but a noise that is so loud that it can be heard over the wind generated by the windows and sunroof being open, and the stereo on, is in my observation, NOT minor. and my hearing sucks. Others that have been in my car, have also considered it an untolerable noise. I am just trying to let people know what I have experinced with these tires, on an RX-8.

Take it for what it is worth, or disregard it if you think I am being sensitive.

The tires were great while they lasted but to me i wont pay 170 a tire for this tire. I can go 7 dollars more and get falken 615s. I also had 20,000 miles on the kdws. And after 15,000 miles the noise is horrible.




Man eveyone is bitching at me i was just giving you guys some input from a driver that drove over 20,000 miles with the tires :mad:

Sometimes I think people get different tire compounds then other owners. Case in question, I don't like my T1-R's, but everyone praises them online. I think I got sold lemon rubber. :(

Case in question, I don't like my T1-R's, but everyone praises them online. I think I got sold lemon rubber. :(

that is scary, i have been looking at the T1-R. One of the other Georgia guys has the T1-S, and likes them. I may have to go with the Falken's after all. I do believe that it is possible to get a bad set of tires, that had a defect in the manufacturing process.

Hm, I know 2 different 8's in town, a saturn, and 3 subarus that all love their KDW's... I've ridden in every car and I have never even noticed road noise... Maybe there were some variations in the rubber compound... Maybe a difference from east coast to west coast...

On a side note, Ive heard the subaru guys complain about the tires being too sticky on a couple of occasions...

Whee

Update which tire is the Winner? :confused:

^

I don't know how mine would be a good conclusion, but here's an improvement IMO:

At this specific 100 degree right turn on my way home, I always test my car's cornering ability. I have found the perfect line to taking the turn and have been using that line consistently. What I changed was the entry speed. With the stock Potenzas I had, the rear tires would start screaming loud at 35 mph. With my KDW's (1K+ miles), I am able to take it 42 - 45 mph before the tires would scream (light scream too).