I've decided that I should definitely hold off on buying a set of wheels+tires for autocross until I've truely figured out how to drive my soon-to-be H-Stock Honda Accord.

That being said, I'm going to go ahead and purchase something cheap+decent to mount on my stock 15x6" steel wheels. I'm looking for a 205/60-15 set of tires, and I was wondering which would be better for me:

Sumitomo HTR-200 (High Performance Summer)
Falken ZE-512 ZIEX (High Performance All season)

Both are practically the same price for me (around $41+), so I guess I have a choice

 

On my VERY limited (student) budget, I am going to use a 195/60/14 Falken Azenis Sport. You can also find 205/50/15 Azenis Sport for about $55 a piece and I would wager they are MUCH better than the 512s, in the dry. Not quite as good in the wet, however.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by LX4CYL &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Sumitomo HTR-200 (High Performance Summer)
Falken ZE-512 ZIEX (High Performance All season)
</TD></TR></TABLE>

hmmm, that is kindof a tough choice,
I think they are pretty similar tires.

I might lean toward the falken.. if for nothing more than just the trustworthy brand name

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tad &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I might lean toward the falken.. if for nothing more than just the trustworthy brand name </TD></TR></TABLE>

Those Ziex tires suck.... at least in dry grip.

 

the Kumho 711 is a good, predictable, cheap, fairly long lasting street tire.

I've autocrossed on these a number of times when it was too wet, or I was too lazy to switch to my R comps. I think you can learn faster on street tires anyway, especially with smoothness of pedal and steering inputs.

my vote would be for them. They come in a lot of different sizes too. so you might be able to work with a 225 upfront and 205 in the rear.

 

keep in mind that I'll probably be using on the street for a while so I'll be limited to 205/60-15 on my stock 15x6" wheel.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by LX4CYL &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I'll be limited to 205/60-15 on my stock 15x6" wheel.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Why? A 205/50 will work fine, and there are plenty of good choices in that size.

 

these are going to be used on the street for the next few months too...

 

So?

205/50/15 work fine on the street too.

 

eh, my stock tire size is 195/65-15. You sure I won't kill my gas mileage or anything by changing to a 1" smaller diameter?

 

Cheap tire? Go to a junk yard or tire shop and ask if you can have four "spent" tires. This is by far the cheapest way to go and will give you a lower traction threshold. Why would you want to do this? If you're talking about "learning" and not competing, this will allow you to feel what it's like to loose traction at a lower speed. Plus if you flat spot them, what have you lost? Virtually nothing. Once you learn the basics, then you can step up.

Have I done this? No, but it sounded like good advice to me when I heard it.

Remember the most important thing is to have fun and learn in the process.

anti-ing up my 2 cents.

 

Is price a big factor? The Yoko ES100 is available in 205/60, 205/55, 205/50. It would be a better performing tire than these other two.

There are plenty of choices in 205/55

Between these two, I don't think it matters which you choose.

 

I agree about the used tire deal, but I at least something semi-safe for the street, since my stock wheels are the only wheels I have for now.

The ES100s do come in 205/60-15, but I think I want to give the HTR200s a shot since it will be a good compromise between a cheap used tire, and a really nice tire like the ES100.

The HTR-200s are the best rated High Performance Summer tire at Tirerack, and for $41/tire you really can't beat it.

I've done my past 6 autocrosses on a nice set of 225/40-18 ES100s, shich I hoped to replace this summer, but I destroyed 2 of them on the street in an "accident."

I've realized that in the past 6 autocrosses, I haven't learned how to properly drive the car because it had a bit too much grip for a novice like me, so that's why I want to go with a semi-cheap tire on stock steel wheels

 

Hey, if you really want to learn car control try some Goodyear Allseason Touring Eagles whatevers...those tires are absolute crap! I Ga-rUN-tee' you'll learn car control better than I did on those tires. Absolutely horrible in the wet and search for traction in the dry (with an automatic Integra taking off 'gently'. ) They will even hydroplane on dry pavement if you say the magic word! So you won't even need to have a wet skidpad to learn car control with limited traction...

Vracer111, who actually strongly advises against getting the Goodyear Allseason Touring Eagle whatevers for daily driving. Might be a fine tire to learn about traction management in a controlled environment though.

P.S. - I plan on doing the Evolution school (still tentative if it will happen) on my stock wheels with the new BFG T/A 'everyday tires' I had put one. Stepping way down in traction from Azenis hopfully will be a good thing... Do you think you might want to go to the *potential* Evolution school (Thursday April 1st, no this not a joke either... ). Let James Rogerson know via e-mail if you are interested, I think we need at least 10 participents to make it happen.


Modified by Vracer111 at 9:59 AM 2/18/2004

 

Lest we forget the Kumho 712 Supra. A very well manored tire that holds very well in the dry and wet and has a tell tale break away signal. Cheap and available every where in the 205/50-15 V or W tire size.

 

lol, I'm fully aware of the other well known tires avaiable in 205/50-15, but I think I'm going to want to keep the stock diameter since I'll be using these on the street for a while. I really don't want to make the car look like a rollerskate or rev higher to get from point A to B, so the Sumitomo HTR-200s in 205/60-15 will have to do unless someone knows of something better in that size besides the ES100s that cost twice as much...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Tad &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I might lean toward the falken.. if for nothing more than just the trustworthy brand name </TD></TR></TABLE>
Actually, Sumitomo owns Falken, so either way you're getting the same quality tire.

I'm guessing these would be daily drivers...do you need all seasons?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Steppin Razor &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
Actually, Sumitomo owns Falken, so either way you're getting the same quality tire.

I'm guessing these would be daily drivers...do you need all seasons?</TD></TR></TABLE>

nope no ice here. Did just fine with es100s in the winter

 

Sounds like you've made your decision and are just looking for someone to agree?

Yes, get the most POS street tires you can find and learn on them. It'll make you a much better driver. Uniroyal Tiger Paws or something. Then, since they never wear down, when you finally do get a better auto-x tire, you'll still have good street tires for years to come.

 

Go with the azenis in 205/50/15. The accord needs all the gearing help it can get.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by LX4CYL &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">
The HTR-200s are the best rated High Performance Summer tire at Tirerack, and for $41/tire you really can't beat it.
</TD></TR></TABLE>

The HTR200s cannot even come close to the performance that the Kumho 711s will give you. And check the prices, you'll be amazed. The HTR200's sidewall is crap. It's way way too soft.

FWIW, I've had both of these tires. I've autocrossed on both too.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by LX4CYL &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">eh, my stock tire size is 195/65-15. You sure I won't kill my gas mileage or anything by changing to a 1" smaller diameter?</TD></TR></TABLE>

isn't that nearly 2" smaller?

195/65-15 = 24.98"
205/50-15 = 23.07"

who needs MPG?

 

I am running on Sumitomo HTR200 right now and I like them. They have performed well on track and at autox's.

 

Sumitomo HTRZ-II worked well for me.
Better grip than the Kuhmo 712 and slightly cheaper.