y0 gang!

Current tire: Azenis rt-215, 205/50/15.
Current wheel: Volk ce28n 15x7 [7" width]

- This tire is notoriously oversized compared to other 205's...but it's a good match for my wheel, I can even go SLIGHTLY wider.

Considering:

- Azenis rt-615; ----> is the 205/50/15 also oversized (compare it to the rt215 please!), or will I want a wider tire? Is there a wider rt-615 anyway?

Also:

- hankook rs2 z212's: how is the tire life and NOISE compared to the rt615, do they last slightly longer, slightly quieter?

Lastly:

- What width of tire would I want from another manufacturer if the azenis are oversized? 215? 225?

Any advice is appreciated...you pretty much know what I want from the tires I'm mentioning. I'm also interested in the potenza S03 and eagle f1-gs-d3

Thanks

 

What kind of CAR (year, model, version)?

Also, is this for autocross and track use, or just street use, or both?

Going wider is not necessarily a good thing. If it means a larger diameter tire, it can slow down your acceleration.

If you're looking for better performance, concentrate on better tires, not wider tires. The Azenis are very sticky - about the grippiest street tire on the market - but if they're not good enough for your usage (racetrack?) then consider getting R compound tires.

This has been discussed previously in this forum. Did you try doing a search?

The topic with the most comments comparing the old and new Azenis is here.

Did you consider looking on Falken's website for the answer? Help yourself first, and THEN if you can't find answers, we'll be happy to help you out.

I don't know about tire life and noise, but they won't grip as well as the RT-615. If you're looking for the most grip, go for the RT-615.

It's also worth noting that some people were buying the Z212 because it was less expensive than the Falkens, but Falken recently lowered the price of the RT-615 and now the RT-615 is less expensive (205/50-15 is $78/tire at Vulcan, compared with $85 for the Z212 at Discount Tire).

The best size depends on what kind of car you have. Care to share?

The S-03 and F1 GS-D3 are both excellent street tires. Between the two, I generally prefer the F1 GS-D3 because they offer similar performance at a lower price. Neither has quite as much grip as the Azenis, but both will last a lot longer (typically twice as many miles). If I were getting tires for autocrosses and track events as well as street use, I would get the Azenis. If it's for street use only (and daily driving), I would get the F1 GS-D3.

However, the only 15" size for the F1 GS-D3 is 195/50-15. If your car (tell us about your car!) is best with 205/50, then 195/50 is too small. If it's best with 195/50, then 205/50 is too large.



Modified by nsxtasy at 11:18 AM 1/5/2006

 

Car: DC2 Integra; 2100 lbs; ~300whp
Purpose: Street; Road-Race

- I forgot to mention the car, sorry, but the questions were so specific that it really didn't matter.

Specific 1: THE SIZE of the 205/50/15 on the new rt615; is it the SAME (width) as the 205/50/15 on the rt215; Will it LOOK the same on my RIM or will I need a larger tire to achieve the same fitment? All I've gathered is that the contact patch on the rt215 may be slightly wider ---> that doesn't answer the question definitively.

Specific 2: hankook rs2 v212 isn't as sticky as the rt615, I knew this. BUT, it is almost the MOST SIMILAR tire with perhaps better wet-traction. SO I was wondering about 2 things I haven't seen discussed: Noise and Tire Life! ---> ?

- I am not considering a larger diameter at this time
- I was fairly sure that 205/50/15 was the only Azenis size, past and present, but I needed to know for sure because the website is so sparse...I also note that tirerack and discount tires don't list every size of their tires --- so I was just HOPING for a 215 or 225 width azenis really...

Alrighty, now I hope that was sufficient. Thanks for any help.

NSXSTASY: You're a very helpful guy in general and I follow your posts...which is why I felt the need to defend myself. I'd think your comments would be legitimate, so the answer must have been under my nose just eluding me...

- also, lemme find the thread where either YOU or someone else who knows their tires states that it is not yet known if the rt615 is oversized like the rt215. Obviously you know the answer now - tell!

Update: I've found this more updated quote from you: "Yes, but the RT-215 was notorious for the 205/50-15 tire being substantially larger than all other 205/50-15 tires. The RT-615, not so much."

- Now can you confirm that for me real quick so I can RIP ? heh...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by archmage &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">- I was fairly sure that 205/50/15 was the only Azenis size, past and present, but I needed to know for sure because the website is so sparse...</TD></TR></TABLE>

It's not the only size (but it IS the only 15" size for now, with 195/50 and 225/50 expected late this year), and the website isn't so sparse. Go to the Falken Tire home page (see link above) and click on RT-615 in the lower right corner. It will give you a big web page with a lot of info on the RT-615. Scroll down, and down, and down some more, and you will find a chart showing all the sizes currently available. Or, go to Vulcan's website, which not only lists sizes and prices currently available, but also planned release dates when additional sizes will be introduced.



Modified by nsxtasy at 7:19 PM 1/5/2006

 

My recollection is that folks here have posted that the new RT-615 (in 205/50-15) is not as oversized as the old RT-215 (in 205/50-15). However, I don't have a link to the topic where that might have been stated, and I don't remember whether it is only somewhat oversized, or is instead about the same size as other brands of 205/50-15 tires. Sorry.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by archmage &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Specific 2: hankook rs2 v212 isn't as sticky as the rt615, I knew this. BUT, it is almost the MOST SIMILAR tire with perhaps better wet-traction.</TD></TR></TABLE>

I wouldn't say that. I've heard some people claim that. But it's not supported by the tests in Car and Driver (where it finished eighth in dry performance) or in Grassroots Motorsports (where its autocross lap times were fourth). I'm not saying it's a BAD tire - it's a very good tire (particularly in dry conditions) at an attractive price. But no more so than other street tires (like the Goodyear F1 GS-D3 or the Yokohama Advan Neova AD-07, to name two). The Azenis RT-615 is really in a class by itself IMHO.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by archmage &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">SO I was wondering about 2 things I haven't seen discussed: Noise and Tire Life! ---&gt; ?</TD></TR></TABLE>

I don't know (about either one), and I really doubt that you're going to find out anything about tire life. Reason - because the tire is relatively new to the market, and no one has used up a set yet. All you can judge by is the treadwear rating, and that's often extremely misleading (as in the case of the Azenis, which should have a treadwear of 100, not the 200 it has, based on how many miles folks get out of them).

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by archmage &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I also note that tirerack and discount tires don't list every size of their tires</TD></TR></TABLE>

In my experience with their websites, they DO. I have yet to find a case in which they don't. (I'm not saying it never happens, only that I've never seen it, and I've used both websites A LOT.) One thing somewhat confusing about Discount Tire's website is that if a tire has two speed ratings, they have separate lists of sizes for each speed rating, so you have to find the other rating to find sizes not listed.

 

oh jizz... I see a 225/50/15 width in one of the charts...

The bottom chart only had the 205 for some reason...so I guess I just have to ask for it...

Edit: Ok I see...it may be released later, or I may just have to inquire or something...got it.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by archmage &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">oh jizz... I see a 225/50/15 width in one of the charts...

The bottom chart only had the 205 for some reason...so I guess I just have to ask for it...

Edit: Ok I see...it may be released later, or I may just have to inquire or something...got it.</TD></TR></TABLE>

4th quarter 2006.

 

Ooh, looky what I found on the eagle f1 ds-g2/3: http://eu.goodyear.com/home_en...sizes

Looks like the sizes I'd want are for the g2 though...I wonder how that is, darn.

 

That's their European site, doesn't mean those tires are available here in North America...