msrecant

My RX-8 has just under 20K miles with the original factory Potenza RE040 tires. I know a lot of people on this forum don't like the Potenzas but I have found them to be a great balance between performance and street-ability. However, the tires are worn out and I will not get through another inspection with them on the car.

Several months ago I purchased a set of used (2K miles) Potenzas at a great price from the FOR SALE section of this forum. I finally got them on the car this past Friday. It is not unexpected but I definitely can feel the difference: easier to steer, smoother ride, better traction.

Basically all I have done is to put off the decision of which other tire to get. There is no way I would pay retail for them (too expensive). Unfortunately, I probably won't get lucky with another used set when I need to replace these in 15K-18K miles.

RX26b

Yeah, they are pretty damn expensive to buy new. There are other replacements ou there that are cheaper, and you might like them as much, or better.

And who knows, maybe in 2 years when you'll need fresh rubber there'll be more choices in the market. I just read the other day that Michelin will be expanding their lineup of high performance tires. Unfortunately, their tires happen to be some of the priciest out there.

poolsidenaz

I just replaced my potenzas with a brand spankin new set. I got 31.4k mi out of 'em. They grip like mad and wear well. Nothing else compared for me.

swoope

iTrader: (5)

send a pm to tiggerlee.

he has a set..

beers

ExcelonGT

Potenza's RE040...eww

I gotta agree with the general consensus here, the OEM tires suck. Yeah they have gripa they do just fine if you live in any climate other than Arizona. However, they wear extremely fast and the characteristics change alot once they are worn (loud as hell, cupping, uneven wear). thats just my 2 cents. I've researched my replacement set for about a week and decided to go with the Kumho Ectsa SPT's (like many others here). UPS tracking says they should be delivered to me today! Hopefully, I didnt sacrifice too much performance with these Kumhos.

msrecant

I can't argue about the Potenza's noise and fast wear. I had almost 20K on my old set with no sign of cupping or uneven wear but I know some other people have complained about that too.

alnielsen

iTrader: (4)

Many times tire companies replacement tire version has different qualities as compared to the OEM version. In our case, the OEM version was so disliked and the replacement was so expencive that few have put the RE040's back on the car. If they have, I don't remember anyone giving a writeup on how well they worked.

r0tor

iTrader: (1)

I wasn't a big fan of the RE040's... but i'm picking up a set of RE050A's because they currently dirt cheap and loved by many

RX26b

My experience with the Kumho SPTs and 712s is they suck 10 times worse than the RE040s. People who think otherwise have no clue what the hell they're talkin' about.
I've yet to try the MXs, but given my opinion of the korean brand based on my previous experiences I think I'll skip over 'em- there are tons of other max performance tires in the marketplace to choose from.

You mention supposed defects about the RE040s- did you know that cupping is a suspension issue and not with the tire. Same with uneven wear, that's caused by bad alignment. As for loudness, that comes with the territory of lots of performance tires. I haven't worn my OEMs down far enough to experience it yet; but, so far they seem fine.

JeRKy 8 Owner

^^I know I sound like a broken record, but this is the exact same reason why I am not trying another tire again. I'm not going to risk wasting money on shoes that may not be able to grip, handle, and be pushed to the limit as well as the RE040s can.

olddragger

iTrader: (3)

well i just got a set of kumho spt's for the street--lucky i have dedicated track wheels/tires i guess
olddragger

swoope

iTrader: (5)

let the release compound wear off, but the are pretty good.... it is the street!!! how far do you go on the street?

beers

swoope

iTrader: (5)

and on a side note.

for the spt they have rotation indicators... 1 to 6. i rotate every 5k miles... the #3 indicator is still open.... i have 25k miles on them...

still great in the rain... great on the street... a bit of noise is creeping in, but that is an alignment issue / d spec problem..

beers

Vertigo-1

iTrader: (3)

The OEM tires are merely ok, even the OEM Dunlops. You may think they grip well...until you try some of the top ranking max performance summer tires. You most definitely get what you paid for when you move up to max performance summer tires. What's interesting too is that there's a few other sporty cars that use the exact same Bridgestone Potenzas as the RX-8. It's the 350z's OEM tire too for instance.

msrecant

I would probably agree particularly (at Tire Rack) since all the Max/Extreme performance summer tires are about the same price as the Potenzas or more expensive. What I don't buy is when people call the Potenza a POS because they can get an "XYZ Extreme A/S" tire for $25 each and claim that they are quieter, smoother ride, better grip, better wet traction, better dry handling, longer tread life, less brake dust, will make your sex life better and will get you a 25% raise at work.

In my experience, you don't get something for nothing and that automotive components are all about trade-offs. But everyone has his/her own opinion.

ExcelonGT

i agree. I dont think a much cheaper tire (such as the Kumho SPT) is an all around superior tire to the OEM Bridgestones. I guess there is a reason why the bridgestones are double the cost. However, for most of us who only push the car to 90% of its limits benefit economically from going with a tire which performs 80-90% as well as more expensive rubber but costs half as much. I believe the Kumho's are a damn good performing tire for for a daily driver with aggressive style.

msrecant

Yeah, that is what I keep coming back to. How much of the car's performance do I use for daily driving or even a weekend outing on winding roads. Not enough to justify $250 on each corner (mounted and balanced).

Probably the Pirelli Pzero Nero M+S is the right tire for my driving ... solid wet and dry performance with acceptable traction in the occasional light snow. However, for now I will keep enjoying the Potenzas, particularly since I got them cheap.

JeRKy 8 Owner

We don't have too many winding roads around here either but that doesn't stop me from getting mine. The key is substitution. Start plowing through turns at street corners and intersections every once and a while. That will change your "not enough usage" problem. I also get a thrill out of catching a left turn signal while it's yellow on the way to red, and accelerating through the turn like it's butter..but this opportunity doesn't pop up very often. I am not suggesting you become a maniac about it and endanger childrens' lives and what not, but don't neglect the fact that there are parts of the day where streets are next to empty and you can "get away" with enjoying these tires.

r0tor

iTrader: (1)

my RE050A's showed up in the mail... i'd report on them but it won't be until next pring until i probably will install them

msrecant

Yeah, like this guy did ( https://www.rx8club.com/rx-8-discussion-3/broken-headlight-please-help-98241/ ), lost control and went over an island in the middle of an empty parking lot. Nothing hurt but his wallet.

JeRKy 8 Owner

Wait a minute. You started this thread, and you already bought another set of RE040s. Too late for you to criticize the way I enjoy my non-economical tires.

Vertigo-1

iTrader: (3)

Tires are one of those things that you'll be using day in, day out, possibly for years depending on how gentle you are and your luck in avoiding road hazards. With stickier max performance tire compounds, the car is also less likely to just lose it completely and fishtail, which was the major problem I had with the OEM Dunlops when pushed beyond their limit. Given that, I think it's worth it to spend the extra money for maximum enjoyment and safety.

I'm using Goodyear Eagle F1 GSD3s myself. Dry traction is obviously disgustingly good and a notch up from the OEM Dunlop's dry traction control but even more impressive is when in the wet, I can drive the car about as fast through corners as my OEM Dunlops in the dry. When these tires do start to slip, they slip very gracefully...it's hard to explain but you can feel them slipping and gripping at the same time, with the sensation that you have ample time to bring the car back under control. These tires are very confidence inspiring whether it be dry or wet, and I would definitely buy them again, especially given their awesome looking aggressive tread pattern to boot.

As for playing around with your car in public...I believe that if you factor in a safety margin before doing something, it'll be ok. Most young people have a tendency to just throw their car into whatever they want to do and take it to the limit, and not really consider whether they have any leftover room if they screw up to save themselves, what I like to call the high school mentality. My friends that ride with me always comment on how I could've taken some corner faster, which would've guaranteed tire slip, but that's not the point for me. I always like to keep the car well within tire grip, and not be purposely inducing tire slip.