I've narrowed my choices down to these two to fit my price range and level of performance that I desire in the size 205/50R-15

Duty served: auto-x & daily driving

Dunlop SP Sport 8000

$109/tire installed final price @ Discount Tire (price-matched to $94 @ Tire Rack in South Bend + $10 freight + $5 install/warranty)

Advantages:
.Good reputation for performance on dry ground
.Lower price than S-03 PP's ($109/tire installed)

Disadvantages
.Summer tire only (not an all-season rated tire)
.Treadwear rating is 180 (altho the ratings are not cross-weighted b/w all brands, it still might be indicative of high wear)
.Older tire with technology and design dating 3+ years
.Heard the wet traction can be difficult

Bridgestone Potenza S-03 Pole Position

$125/tire installed final price @ Discount Tire (price-matched to $110 @ Tire Rack in South Bend + $10 freight + $5 install/warranty)

Advantages:
.Newer tire tread design and technology
.Features the technology that allows newer, sticker compound out as the tire wears down, resulting in a non-loss of traction as the tire wears and ages
.Better treadwear rating (200), not enough of a difference to say which is better tho

Disadvantes:
.More expensive, but only by $64 total price ($436 Dunlop vs $500 S-03)
.Heard the sidewalls are not as stiff, which I feel is important for initial turn-in feel

Right now I'm leaning more towards the Dunlop's, but if the Bridgestones will hold up under weathery conditions, I'll gladly pay the extra for them.

That's all.

Just looking for some input to make a choice.

 

i my SO3's

but they are kinda heavy

 

 

Wow, and I thought I was never going to get a reply. I've pretty much made up my mind tho to get the S-03's.

I saw the SP Sport 8000's on a 2.5RS today at the auto-x and didn't like the tread pattern. The money should be well worth it.

thanks

 

im running SP Sport 8000's right now on my stockies. if i had to do it over again, i'd go w/the Pole Positions. the Dunlop is a good tire, and as you already know, its a pretty weak performer in wet roads, and the thread life is horrible (8000 miles of daily driving and am down to 65% front and 70% rear with regular rotation )

 

I have sp8000's, had pirelli p700z's and bridgestone re71's before. The dunlops are great for the money, but that was a year ago when I got them and the so-3's were a ton more. Treadwear is pretty bad, traction great though. Can't comment too much about the wet, but I'm sure it's good.

However, for 64 dollars I don't think it should be a question of whether you should get the so-3's. They are the best street tire available period. They not only have great wet and dry traction, they are quiet and comfortable to boot. Now that they are so cheap, they will be my next tires. Just get them and you won't look back.

 

I have always put all-season tires on my car (currently, SP Sport 5000's). But that is changing now that Bridgestone is making Pole Position S-03's for stock Integra wheels. As far as I am concerned, this is the tire to have. Hell- I'd put them on a 996 Turbo without a second thought.

 

Damn, I dont know about you guys, but I have been running 205/50ZR15 Dunlop SP Sport 8000's on my stock GSR wheels for the last year and a half, and have put upwards of 40,000 miles on them. This includes some very aggressive street driving, but no autocrosses or track events. I live in Florida and they have performed great, they are ok in the wet too, but not spectacular, but I have not really had to worry much about cold or snow performance because of living this far south. They stick very well to the road, and because of the reduced price(now that they have been replaced by the 9000's), I feel that they are one of the best overall (summer) performance tires available considering price value. I have enjoyed them so much and they performed and last so well(for the money) that I have just purchased 4 more to replace mine now that they are ready to be replaced. Just my thoughts on these tires and I have not experienced the other tire mentioned.