Absolute best rain tires
 

Okay, so its not as sexy as asking what tire can allow me to do 200MPH around 90 degree turns but...

I am looking to buy new winter tires soon. I live in Seattle (RAIN!) and am tired of the hydroplaning I go through in my CRX every time it rains here. So what is the absolute best tire for wet traction and hydroplane resistance?

Re: Absolute best rain tires (FairlightRacing)
 

Depending on what size you need the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 and the Bridgestone Potenza S03 Pole Position are both excellent wet traction tires.

Re: Absolute best rain tires (Clay@tirerack)
 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Clay@tirerack &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Depending on what size you need the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 and the Bridgestone Potenza S03 Pole Position are both excellent wet traction tires. </TD></TR></TABLE>

He's not looking for top dollar perfomance wet traction tires that last one year.

Dude I'm in Seattle too and it's looking like the rain is gonna stop for a while this Summer. You should probably look into some all seasons like the Falken Ziex 512.

Re: Absolute best rain tires (chowmien)
 

The GS-D3's don't wear as quickly as people think. They'll go for two to three years before needing replacement. My MX's wore down faster than my roommate's GS-D3's did.

Yoko ES100's were pretty stable in the rain. I only had those tires for 2-3 weeks and went through 2 days of rain, but from what I experienced, they're very capable in the rain...at least when new.

And S03's would be a lot more than what you're looking for.

Re: Absolute best rain tires (chowmien)
 

There seems to be a misconception behind some of the posts here.

WINTER TIRES AND ALL-SEASON TIRES ARE NOT SPECIFICALLY DESIGNED TO BE GOOD IN RAIN. They're not any better in rain than summer tires. Understand, I'm not saying that all-seasons or winter tires are bad in rain. But the reason to get winter tires or all-season tires is because you expect to use them occasionally in frigid cold and/or on snow/ice. If you do, then by all means get all-season tires (for year round use) or winter tires (for winter use only). If you don't, then get summer tires. Summer tires like the S-03, ES100, MX, and F1 GS-D3 are designed to be great in rain as well as on dry pavement (although they are not recommended for cold or snow/ice). You can check the tests on the Tire Rack site to see which ones are better in the wet, to help you in your decision.

I also agree with P Nut. The difference between expensive, top-of-the-line tires like the S-03 and F1 GS-D3, and less expensive, "bang for the buck" tires like the ES100, is that the expensive tires give you better overall performance. The ES100 isn't quite as sticky, but will last just as long and give you just as much hydroplane resistance as the expensive tires. If you care primarily about wet traction, and you don't want to pay extra for dry grip and handling, then the ES100 (or other budget tires like the Dunlop DZ101 or Kumho Ecsta SPT) will meet your needs just fine. If you want to pay more for dry grip and handling, then by all means get the more expensive S-03 or the F1 GS-D3.

Incidentally, both these tires - the S-03 and the F1 GS-D3 - do last a reasonably long time. In that regard, they're not in the same category as super-sticky, fast-wearing tires like the Falken Azenis ST-615 or the Hankook Z212.

But again, if you plan to use the tires when Seattle gets its average of 11 inches of snow per year, or 29 days when the temperature goes below freezing, then you will be better off with an all-season tire like the Kumho Ecsta ASX (or dedicated winter tires, if you swap tires at the start and end of the winter).

Re: Absolute best rain tires (nsxtasy)
 

I also live in the Northwest, and I have been using the ES100's since October 04'. They are basically night/day compared to the all-seasons that came on the car on both dry and wet. IMO, ES100s are a great DD tire. Good price, decent wear, and capabilities in both dry and wet. And if you're worried about snow, some steelies with snow tires would be the best route IMO instead of getting all-seasons.