summer tires

i-wagon

i-wagon

Well-known member
I know it's a bit early to think of, but I make most of my money during the winter pushing snow. I just picked up a set of rs six spokes from gabe today and need to think of what tires to put on while I have money.

I want to stay with the stock 205-55-16 but can't really find much I like, so I figured I'd ask the masses. Handling is huge to me, along with still being able to drive on dirt roads. i was thinking bfg g-force sport, but i'm not sure. suggestions?

(price isn't real important, but cheaper is better)

and what about gravels? any good as daily road tires?

 
try 225-50-16 it is .1% off the stock size. And with the way they are making tires today, that is less than the brand variance I have seen.

Gravels will suck daily, they will handle like crap on tarmac for the most part, and you will need 15's to get them.

I have had great luck with the following:

Nitto NeoGen (hi-po all season)

Hankook S1 EVO (great so far with ~15k)

Hankook RS2

I have had less than steller luck with:

Kumho SPT's (in other words stay away)a

 
I have had great luck with the following:

Nitto NeoGen (hi-po all season)

Hankook S1 EVO (great so far with ~15k)

Hankook RS2

a
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I use NeoGen tires on my summer 18's. Very good tire. The asymmetrical tread (non directional) allows you to rotate your tires the right way without dismounting. Plenty of grip.

 
after driving serveral hundred thousand miles over the years, I suggest that the best summer tires are...round black rubber ones.

^ on the 225/50-16 size, have had a several sets on various Scoobs over the years and have been quite hap hap happy with results. Yoko S Drive, Pirelli PZero Nero M&S, Bridgestone Turanzas.

As for dual-duty tires, I've been considering light truck tires...Bridgestone Duelers, Goodyear WRanglers etc...not sure what size options are, go to Tire Rack annd search! they have a great tire size chart that will aid your quest.

 
Correct me it I am wrong, but isn't good performance on gravel and good handling on pavement mutually exclusive? Granted, broad statements like that are almost never 100% true, but isn't it basicaly one or the other? I realize that I am coming from the background of AX and "good handling" and "grip" means something entirely different to me than most people on the street.

I know that I am looking at some Kumho Ecsta XS because they are supposed to be better in the wet than almost any other tire and possibly better that themselves when on dry pavement. Or some General Exclaim UHP. Both are about the same price so I am looking to get longer wear or better wet traction, depending on which I am going to choose. I have summer and winter tires so I am not looking for an all-season tire (both of those tires are "summer performance"), and for me handling on the street is a joke. In my opinion, day to day driving, you are so far away from "the limit" that all tires are almost exactly the same. Anyone who disagrees doesn't do motorsports and doesn't actually know what the limit actually is. So I have to agree with Nigel and say that summer tires are cheap, round, black and are make of rubber.

 
well if all tires are the same for DD, why are you looking at summer performance tires? There is defnitely a DD difference between an RE92 and say an RT615. The biggest difference you will see in DD driving is resposiveness and that is typically from the sidewall stiffness. The sticky rubber will wear fast, and will tend to cup as well.

I DD highway 50+ mi each way, I like a responsive tire if I take a back road, but I want something with 50k+ miles before replacement.

But say on the Miata, I run RT215's for DD and anything really. They wear well on that thing because it is light. they are super responsive, and the "limit" is easily acheived with a car that is as tight as a miata. granted, I drive it for fun mostly, but I tend to drive it daily if the weather is nice (sans Fridays because of tourist traffic in ME/NH I95). I think your "anyone that disagrees comment is moot at best.

 
I'm with Pedro, I like a tire that has a pulse and RE92's suck.

I run Bridgestone Potenza RE01R's for summers and have enjoyed them. They've been replaced by RE11's or something, I don't know as I haven't shopped for tires in a while. When I cook them off I'll probably get something more dirt friendly, thus I look forward to whatever conclusion you come to in tire selection Matt. Or maybe a set of rims and some gravels....

 
gravels at this point would require me to buy a third set of wheels. the guy at tire warehouse was pitching the general exclaim uhp pretty hard. but i don't really want directionals. and when i told him that he said i was pretty much s.o.l. in that department. the other thing i was looking at were continental extreme contact dws. both are around 90 a tire. goin to look at that other size now

 
well if all tires are the same for DD, why are you looking at summer performance tires? There is defnitely a DD difference between an RE92 and say an RT615. The biggest difference you will see in DD driving is resposiveness and that is typically from the sidewall stiffness. The sticky rubber will wear fast, and will tend to cup as well.
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I am not saying that there is no difference between something like the Azenis or Star Specs and the Generals. My current summer tires are Falken ZE-512's (summer performace) and they suck for a lot of reasons. Having run both them and a set of Azenis in AX, I felt a mayor difference. But on the street I could not feel one bit of difference. When I changed my springs and swaybars there was a big difference in cornering feel on the street but we aren't talking about suspension.

I agree, what we are talking about is basicaly sidewall stiffness. Summer performance tires (any one, take your pick) are going to have a stiffer sidewall than an all-season. Yes, the top dollar ones are going to be stiffer but my point is that, on the street, the difference that you feel (because cornering forces, ect are not even close to motorsports realm) is so small that it just does not justify the price.

And yes, the top dollar ones have a more sticky compound, thereby increasing grip, cornering speed, ect. But once again you aren't going to be feeling the difference enough to justify the added cost plus the decreased life.

I DD highway 50+ mi each way, I like a responsive tire if I take a back road, but I want something with 50k+ miles before replacement.
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We are on the same page there. All seasons aren't going to be stiff enough (good enough performance) but I still want a long lasting tire and I don't want to spend an arm and a leg. Hence, the Generals. And of course, they are going to last a hell of a lot longer than my Azenis (with street only use, let alone AX) and the ZE-512's cause they wear like crap.

Hell, I don't even feel a signifigant difference between my 16" winter tires and the summers. It is there, it's just small. And it doesn't bother me one bit in my daily driving.

To sum up my thoughs:

If you want performace, buy summer performance tires. But there is no reason to buy top of the line. Buy the cheapest one that has the expected tread life you want. If its for motorsports, but the most expensive one you can afford.

If you don't care about performance then the longest lasting all-season that you can afford will work just fine. Except in one of the seasons, winter.

 
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the guy at tire warehouse was pitching the general exclaim uhp pretty hard. but i don't really want directionals.
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That was one of the reasons I hate the ZE-512's. But I am willing to deal with it if I can get longer life (General) or better wet traction (Kuhmo).

 
I know that you are looking for summer tires and all; so I am not sure if you would consider an all-season? I run the Goodyear Eagle GT and I love them. They come in the stock 205-55-R16 size and they handle great in the summer and on gravel. I have driven them pretty hard over the last 9 months and they have warn great, they are very quite and they stick to da tar like glue in hard cornering. I have put about 15,000 miles on them so far and still have plenty of tread left. They are also at a reasonable price at around $100 a piece depending on where you go.

Here is the Tire Rack link for ya if you want to check them out:

Goodyear Eagle GT

Hope this helps!

 
well. as far as price goes i'm pretty much sold on the extremecontacts. i had pretty good luck with the old style, and the new asymmetrical style looks mean. and i won't be pushing my car to the breaking point, or really even close, so i think a performance all season should do fine. i looked at the eagle gt at sears today, and they look directional. is this really the case?

 
Those ZE-512's are all seasons. and from all accounts they wear like crap. With the ~200k mi I have done in my time, I definitely notice the difference in tires. between all season and summer. I will say that the next tire I buy (soon) will be the Nitto Neo Gen in a 225-45-17. and there is a huge difference when I put on my snows. but I can't beat the performance of them in the white stuff.

I am not saying that there is no difference between something like the Azenis or Star Specs and the Generals. My current summer tires are Falken ZE-512's (summer performace) and they suck for a lot of reasons. Having run both them and a set of Azenis in AX, I felt a mayor difference. But on the street I could not feel one bit of difference. When I changed my springs and swaybars there was a big difference in cornering feel on the street but we aren't talking about suspension.
I agree, what we are talking about is basicaly sidewall stiffness. Summer performance tires (any one, take your pick) are going to have a stiffer sidewall than an all-season. Yes, the top dollar ones are going to be stiffer but my point is that, on the street, the difference that you feel (because cornering forces, ect are not even close to motorsports realm) is so small that it just does not justify the price.

And yes, the top dollar ones have a more sticky compound, thereby increasing grip, cornering speed, ect. But once again you aren't going to be feeling the difference enough to justify the added cost plus the decreased life.

We are on the same page there. All seasons aren't going to be stiff enough (good enough performance) but I still want a long lasting tire and I don't want to spend an arm and a leg. Hence, the Generals. And of course, they are going to last a hell of a lot longer than my Azenis (with street only use, let alone AX) and the ZE-512's cause they wear like crap.

Hell, I don't even feel a signifigant difference between my 16" winter tires and the summers. It is there, it's just small. And it doesn't bother me one bit in my daily driving.

To sum up my thoughs:

If you want performace, buy summer performance tires. But there is no reason to buy top of the line. Buy the cheapest one that has the expected tread life you want. If its for motorsports, but the most expensive one you can afford.

If you don't care about performance then the longest lasting all-season that you can afford will work just fine. Except in one of the seasons, winter.
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