let's start an opinion list of tyres tried and true, and maybe even just a mention of some tyres to be wary of...

i don't have a sports car, so i really can't contribute (yet), but i'm wondering what sorts of options there are for the novice autox'er...
i've heard good things (from QuickLude mostly) about the Michelin S03's, but how 'bout it everyone?? what's your tyre of choice??

i've heard good things about the SO3, Yoko's AO32R, uhhhh... dammit, i knew a few others... oh, the P-Zero (Pirelli)... others?? Goodyear?? Bridgestone?? Dunlop??

 

From personal and others experience.
Bridgestone RE92 - "all season" rolleyes tire. Average in every season. Would never buy one again.
Yoko A520. Loud, sticky in dry, bad in the rain.
Pirelli P7000s Summer. On my car now. Great in the dry, wet. Very quiet compared to the Yoko's. Since it's sticky, it has a low treadwear rating, 160. I don't anticipate getting more than 30-40K kms or less depending on how many lapping days/auto-x events I'll be attending this year.

From others:
Toyo T1-S, very good summer tire, in wet/dry, low treadwear.
Bridgestone S02/S03 - same as above, my choice for the RX-8 225/45/18 size.

 

Quick_lude (or anyone else), can you please elaborate on treadwear ratings. I noticed that you give the Pirelli P7000s a treadwear rating of 160.

 

For autocross/track days -- Kumho Victoracers. Stickier than any street tire, DOT legal, they're easy to drive at their limits and last a long time for race tires. Oh, and they're not too pricey either.

For the street, I haven't found the 'ultimate' tire yet. Right now I'm on Yokohama AVS ES100s. For purely street use they're quite good, although the sidewalls are soft so they don't hold up to track/autox use at all, which is a shame since the compound is fairly sticky. The soft sidewalls do give a nice ride on the street though, too. They're better than what I had before - Kumho ECSTA Supra 712s. I might try Falken Azenis next, even though they will probably be short-lived.

 

Basically every tire has a treadwear rating. The lower the number the faster it will wear out. I've seen all season tires at 400-500 rating while some high performance summer only tires at 140-220. Keep in mind that a Pirelli 160 doesn't necessairly equal a Toyo 160 rating. It's not an exact science, more of an estimate on how long the tread will last.

The Yoko A032 R compound is a 60 I think?

 

I'm currently have Falken Azenis on my Civic Si. They are extremely sticky in the dry. Just a notch below race tires. The sizewall are very stiff and hold well in hard corner. I found that I could finish midpack among other drivers using race tires. On street compound brake pads, the tires will not lock-up no matter how hard I braked (in the dry). There are more tires than brake.

They are surprisingly good in the wet and much better than the OEM supposedly "all-season" tires. Unless there is a significant amount of standing water, they will not hydroplane.

They have two disadvantages. They are short lived and are only available in certain sizes. I think the stated wear rating of 200 is a little optimistic. My last set had 16k miles on them. But I have 5 track days and 3 autoX on them. They would have lasted a couple thousand more miles but a puncture cut that short. Luckily, they are relatively cheap enough ($70/tire) that replacing them won't break the bank.

As long as Falken still make these tires, they will be the only tires I own.

 

I've heard nothing but good things about the Yokohama AO32R. Excellent performance in dry conditions, but sub-par performance in wet conditions.

Certainly is a mean looking mother, eh? (Heheheh, Canadian!)

 

This tire should be saved for track/auto-x. As much as it's marketed "for the street" the low - 60! :omg: rating and lack of safe wet performance make it unsuitable economically and from the safety perspective imo.

 

I'll just drive my dads Aerostar when its wet...inside?
Hey, it's got 220 lbs ft! Laugh it up. I'll smoke you!
It's actually faster than my moms 91 Maxima!:D

 

Who cares about tire wear, buy more. We're all made of money. Right?
Perhaps you should stop being such a pooper and think about other people than yourself Quick Lude...if that really is your real name.
I think it's about time you woke up and smelled the burnt rubber.
This tire...ahem...OwnZ j00!

Edit: And besides, who honestly keeps their "Senior member" tag.
Really. It's pitiful.
You need to clean something up.
YOUR LIFE!

 

What's that all about?

 

I was talking about the tag, under your name. Like mine. Set it and forget it.
You need to clean up your life too.
*Shakes head*

Why did I put that in there? Because that car ownZ j00!

 

Damn west coast and their AsIaN AvENuE kids.. shakes head.. :p

There done and done. Happy Mr. Potatoe Head?

 

Easy there, Quicklude...

Potatoes, you have a PM that you should read.

---jps

 

I think it is quite easy to discern that this is just 2 of the regulars having a good time. But then again, since there isn't a chat or anything transitory, its best to refrain (as much fun as it can be to joke around sometimes) so newcomers to the forum don't start somberly bashing at each other taking this example the wrong way.

 

Just to get this thread back on topic...

Basically, you'll need to decide if you want R-tires or street tires.

Among the R-tires, most autocrossers use either the Hoosier A3S03 (autoX compound), R3S03 (roadrace compound), or the Kumho Victoracer V700 or Ecsta V700. The Hoosiers are slightly faster, but significantly more expensive. The Kumhos are probably your best bet for a grippy, affordable tire that has decent wear.

There are also a few other R-tires out there like the Yokohama A032R, the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup, and the Toyo RA-1. These are better suited for track driving than autoX. They tend to have harder compounds and don't seem to heat up quick enough for autoX. However, they should last much longer than a comparable Hoosier or Kumho.

For street tires, hmm, so much to choose from, but if you take a look at the results of most national level events, the Falken Azenis and BF Goodrich KD seem to stand out.

BTW, Grassroots Motorsports did a tire comparo a few issues ago. They compared both R-tires and street tires. Among the R-tires, the Hoosiers A3S03 was slightly quicker than the either Kumho V700, with the Toyo a bit further behind. BTW, this was on an asphalt surface and the Kumhos and Toyos were shaved (can't really shave a Hoosier, since you'll just get cord! )

In their street tire comparo, they tested the BFG KD, Falken Azenis, the Kumho 712, and some Hankook which I didn't really pay attention to. The KD and Azenis were the fastest of the bunch, with the KD being a little quicker of the 2. Unfortunately, the KD's cost an arm and a leg, and the Azenis doesn't come in any 18" sizes.

 

I use Yokohama AVS Sports on my R1 RX-7. I love them.

 

I'm sad. I've been warned. Maybe I should just take this knife and...

 

I love the Falken Azenis on my 10AE. But I must resist and take them off. Save them for the track. The daily driving tires are Toyo T1-S's...pretty sweet themselves...I have two sets of wheels with each tire type...decisions decisions...lol

 

I'm glad I did take the Azenis off the miata today before we headed out to play in the soggy hill-country. An TexasRXs club member put together a sweet run, and we toughed it out regardless of the rain.

I am VERY impressed with the wet performance of the Toyo T1-S's!! Excellent grip on the most slippery pavement...:D The best value for the money I have found yet...if you are to have two sets of tires.

 

Same here. The T1s have shown to be an excellent combination of wet performance, dry performance, and track survivability. By "track survivability", I mean that they're consistent, and they normally won't break down under the stress of track use.

---jps

 

Did you guys see the post from that British mag review? The blue car had S03's on it. I wonder if North America will get the same.. hope so..

 

Now I have to disagree about the wet traction of the T1-S. I have the on my 99 miata as well and I have learned to drive very carefully in the rain. There is a stop sign near my house that is on an incline that I always stop and turn left at. When it is raining if I can spin the tires through 2 full gears and part of third until they catch again. It's fun don't get me wrong, but it would be nice to have a tire that performed well in the rain too.

 

So, just that one intersection?

---jps

 

yup