I'm getting new wheels and tires. I already have the wheels on hold but debating which tires to get. I've done a search already and everything i've read about the falkens have been positive. I didn't find too much on the Hankooks on this forum. Both tires will be 235/35/19. I'm leaning more towards the Falkens cause of the reviews that i've read so far and also the treadwear is higher. Can anyone else voice in? Thanks

 

For starters, your tire picks are not the most popular ones among car enthusiasts. We are already having enough problems getting information/review on the flagship models such as Falken RT-615 or Hankook RS2 Z212. The ones you mentioned are all a big step-down from the max-performance summer tire category. It goes without saying that the treadwear and dry grip goes hand-in-hand, and is inversely related. Just keep in mind that anything besides max-rubber or R-compound can be easily overcooked. I found it the hard way with my Pirelli PZero Nero M+S after 4 autox.

I would suggest you using the search feature on www.nasioc.com forum and also http://www.1010tires.com/tirereviews.asp?view=all.

Hope it is of help!

 

After some quick reserach, I would recommed running Falken Grb Fk451 if you are not inclined to go full out running Falken RT-615/Hankook RS2 Z212/Kumho MX. Fk451 has great track record, lasting tread, grips like glue when shaved to 4/32th, and cheap in the relative sense.

http://www.falken-europe.de/common/i..._0403_enen.pdf
http://www.falken-europe.de/common/i...fs/sa_test.pdf

Take all my satements with a grain of salt, since I have not run any of those tires. Just A LOT of research as you can see....

 

Thanks for the info..if i had more $$, i'd run tires that are much more sportier. However, i can't change tires after 15K miles..

 

To the treadwear-conscious drivers, here is a great thread on the topic of ambiguity and inexactness of treadwear rating:

http://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=1201065

To put things in perspective, the Pirelli PZero Nero M+S is the top ranking UHPAS (Ultra High Performance All-Season) that is rated at 400. See http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey...jsp?type=UHPAS. My personal experience shows that the tire will mostly like last me 15k-20k miles. Autocrossing on those tires probably bring their demise that much sooner. However, I feel that the sacrifice of all-out performance for longer mileages on the tire is a tradeoff best suited for mundane cars, not RX-8. Usual disclaimers: YMMV + $.02.