Ok guys I need to buy some tires. I have certain priorities and wants when it comes to tires. I want the best possible dry traction I can get. Wet traction is the next priority. Road noise, comfort and tread-life are really low on the want list. Those are not what I am going to base my decision on.

The wheels I have are bronze Konig Next 15"x7" with a +38mm offset. I have completely stock suspension and don't plan on lowering it at all.


Right now I have Hankook Ventus HRIIs that I have put 15,000 miles on. These were decent tires. They had a great deal more dry traction than the stock tires, but wet traction leaves a little to be desired. I have to REALLY be nice with the throttle in the rain, or they just sit and spin at a light. Forever. In a FWD automatic anemic-*** 1.5L Fit!

I have narrowed it down to the following choices, and they are in the order of my top to bottom choice:

195/55/15 Dunlop Direzza Z1 Star Spec
205/50/15 Falken Azenis RT-615
205/50/15 Nitto Neo Gen
225/50/15 Hankook Ventus R-S2
205/55/15 Yokohama S.Drive
205/55/15 Nitto NT450

I have a local bro-in-law, slap-yo-mamma steal of a deal I can get the Neo Gens for. I talking less than $60/tire.

I have gotten some really good info on the Dunlop and I may end up going with that tire. It looks like it just might be perfect for me.

Now the only reason I even bothered to list the S.Drive (and it is at the bottom) is because it replaces the old Yokohama ES100. I have owned 5 sets of ES100s in my lifetime. I love then to death.

They have an awesome look, they had great dry traction and some of the best wet traction I have ever had. And they were pretty cheap.

I had a set of ES100s back when I had my monster AWD DSM. They were 225/40/18s. I didn't want a big, heavy 18"(I did get a nice set of Enkei RP-02Js in SBC that looked killer and were very lightweight) wheels, but I had no choice because I had upgraded the brakes to 13.25" diameter rotors and BSLn 6 piston calipers, all from Wilwood. A 17" wheel would not clear the calipers.




Well, back to the 225/40/18 Yoks. Even when launching from 7500rpm with a clutch drop those ES100s would stick like glue. I would hit consistent 1.5' second 0-60' times. With an 18" STREET TIRE!!!(AWD is so very nice)

Here is the only video I have of the Talon. My Talon AWD Turbo vs 2000 Firebird LS1 Video by Jay Dog Photog - MySpace Video

So yeah the S.Drive might be nice since it replaces the ES100, but I have FWD now not AWD. So I think I want and need a MUCH stickier tire.

I know I am rambling, but when it comes to tires, I think they are one of the most vital parts you can upgrade on a car. They can make or break the entire driving experience. They have the ability to completely and totally change the demeanor of the car, for good or ugly.

So tell me what you guys know and have experienced.

 

dunlops.

 

Well, doing a poll is pretty silly.

For one thing, you list some choices in the wrong size for your car. Your fit takes 195/55-15 or 205/50-15. So I wouldn't vote for something in 225/50-15 or 205/55-15. OTOH the Yokohama S.drive might be a good choice - except you only list it in the WRONG SIZE.

You also don't mention whether you are going to use these tires in snow. If you are, you need all-season tires. Two of the tires listed - the NeoGen and NT450 - are all-seasons. The NeoGen are okay, the NT450 crap. And the Kumho ASX is better than either one, but it's not listed.

You want a tire that's good on dry pavement and good in rain. The Azenis is worse in rain than almost any other street tire. The R-S2 and Star Spec are just okay; the S.drive is far better than these other three in rain. You want the best dry traction? Get the Star Spec. You want the best wet traction? Get the S.drive (it's a lot like the ES100 you already owned). But don't use any of these in snow.

If I were buying tires for a Fit, here's what I would buy:

- If I sometimes drive in snow, Kumho ASX 195/55-15 (which is not listed in the poll).
- If I don't drive in snow, and care about dry traction AND wet traction, Yokohama S.drive 195/55-15 (which is not listed in the poll).
- If I don't drive in snow, and care ONLY (or mostly) about dry traction, Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec 195/55-15.

All of which tells why this poll is silly...

 

I would say the Dunlops, but I have no prior experiance with performance tires or wheels for that matter, I'm tryin to fix up my Da9 on a shitty job's budget and had to go Used on the wheel part, but anyhow I traded some cash and my steelies+tires for a set of
5zigen fn01r-c Wheel's and Dunlop Direzza's 205/50/15. And honestly They are grippy as hell in the dry and aren't bad in the rain at all.

 

Not true. Take a look at the outer diameters and see for yourself:

195/55-15: 23.44" (stock)
205/50-15: 23.07" (-1.6 percent)
205/55-15: 23.88" (+1.9 percent)
225/50-15: 23.86" (+1.8 percent)

Also, sizes with larger diameters have additional downsides that going smaller doesn't: they can rub, and they hurt the rate of acceleration (like putting taller gears on your car).