am looking ahead for new tires next year, and i got my november consumer reports magazing, and there pick is:

performance all-season tires
best for all weather conditions:

h-rated:

1 dunlop sp sport 5000, $81
2 michelin pilot exalto a/s, $78
3 falken ziex ze 512, $56

and

v-rated:

23 michelin pilot hx mxm4, $148
25 michelin pilot exalto a/s, 136
26 continental contiprocontact, $119

i was thinking on getting bridgestone potenza re960as pole position, for $205

what do you guys think of consumer reports pick

 

I never trust anything consumer reports says. How are they defining 'best'? If you're going to spend $200 per tire, get potenza S03's - they are a FANTASTIC performance tire as rated in Miata circles.

I trust drivers MUCH more than 'scientists'

 

I agree with "dmp". CR driving style is a bit conservitive and wouldn't work as a good comparison for many of the people here.
Many of us use Pirelli PZero Nero M&S for all-season tires. They work well in light snow conditions and still have fairly good grip when it is dry. A all-season tire is a compromise tire. It dosn't do anything outstanding.
Many people prefer to have two sets of tires. One for snow/cold and one for warmer weather. Because I am a aggresive driver, I use Falken RT-615s in the summer.

 

but potenza s03's are summer tires, do you have them on your 8, and do you drive your 8 during winter around here? because all i have found, in here is to get all-season tire, because it does not need to have snow on the road to slip around during winter time if you have summer tires?

 

As we don't get snow very often around Tacoma - I'd say two sets aren't required. I WISH we had the snow Chicago gets!

 

I don't. I would refer to this Car and Driver Test instead.

 

Winter is not that bad out here in WA, most of it's rain and maybe one or two days it might snow only a few inches. Im taking the chances and rolling with the Kumho Ecta's during the winter here.

 

yet again, all the tires in this car and driver rating are summer tires, do you have them in your car and how are they?

 

Just don't try and drive in ANY snow on the summer tires...especially the Bridgestones

They are like rocks when they are cold.....especially after they have been heat cycled hard a few times.

I would recommend two sets of tires as well. buy some nice rims for your summer tires...and use your stockers for winter.....................or buy some inexpensive 17" rims for snows.

 

Anyone know anything about the Kumho ASX's? TireRack says they can handle light snow. I'm looking for something that is better in cold weather than my stock Potenza's. And something fairly inexpensive.

 

I'll never know why C&D didn't test GOOD bridgestones...

 

I have two sets. One set of dedicated snow tires on 17 cheapo Kazera rims. Dunlop M3's. I have B/F G KDW's for summer on my 18" stock rims. I've been happy with both. The dunlops are a decent wearing tire that handles okay when the roads are dry but the car can now handle the snow and wet pretty well. Disclaimer: the 8 is a rear drive sports car with a limited slip Diff. It will suck in snow without anything but snow tires and even then you should drive very conservatively.

My advice. Get a second set on different rims for the winter even if it only snows once in a while. you'll save life on your summer tires and reduce your risk of getting in an accident on that occasional snow day.

 

blah - when it snows, and you DONT have snow tires, it's easier to call-in to work and take the day off!

:D

 

Dunlop M3's are supposed to be very good winter tires. I'm going to be buying a set soon with some 18" Enkei Evo 6's. I'll put the stock summer tires on the Enkei's and put the Dunlops on the stock wheels, one of them's scraped anyway so might as well let them take the nasty weather abuse

 

Ha ha.. That was my original plan - same tires and new wheels - but now I can't afford them

 

Thats what I plan to do.

 

Me too, but I worry about being away from home and getting stuck someplace

 

Then call me - I'll tow ya w/ the F150. :D

 

Thx Darin

 

There's a relatively new set of these for sale on the forum:

https://www.rx8club.com/showthread.php?t=100509

 

we have the exaltos on our mz3 and they are incredible. Best all season tire out there as far as performance/durability goes.

 

Damn, two other people have already gotten to them first Bah!

I may have to buy them new from discount tire, those guys are just up the road from me.

 

What kind of tires you put on your car should depend a great deal on what kind of driving you plan to do with your car.

First, if you want fairly high performance tires, you should get summer tires; SO-3s are excellent tires, and wonderful in the rain (we have a little of that around here). But if you have summer tires on your car, you should be very careful about winter driving. The tires will be hard from the cold temperatures, and traction on the cold pavement will be poor. And traction on even a dusting of snow is non-existent. Unless you're ready to turn you car into a garage queen from mid-November (or earlier) until mid-March (or later), you should not even think about keeping summer tires on your car in the winter. Either put real snow tires on, or garage it. I bought extra wheels and keep snow tires on them for the winter.

All weather tires are a compromise that I am not comfortable with on our local hills with a RWD car in the snow. Good all weather tires are fine for FWD and AWD cars, but a bit too dicey, IMO, for a balanced front engine/RWD car. Your summer performance will be compromised, and your winter performance will be compromised. Why chance it with a $25,000 car?

 

Those ones are being replaced by RE050A Pole Position, which rates much higher and has a little lower price. They also rate higher than the all-season ones Anibal mentioned for rain and stuff and they are considered a "summer" tire.

These are the ones I intend to get as a replacement when the time comes.

 

I so rarely see snow that I have to deal with, just occasional slush. Just usually tons of rain. My compromise is, if it is snowy and crappy out I steal my mom's AWD Tribute and promise to be very, very careful.