Hi, I have been reading up on this subject for a couple weeks, but I am still unsure which tire and size to get due to the sheer number of choices out there. I need tires soon since I'm almost to the wear bar indicators. I was recommended Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 by my tire shop but they said I won't get more than 10K out of them, so I am still looking since I don't track my car and don't quite need that level of performance.

Here is what I am looking for:
1) An ultra/high-performance sticky summer tire.
2) I want to be able to get about 15-20K out of them.
3) Must perform well in the wet as well as dry, but more driving will be done in the dry.
4) It would be nice if it was priced around or under 100 a tire.
5) Would prefer a tire with a larger amount of tread depth if possible.
6) I don't care about road noise at all, only performance.

My rim size is 16x7 +45, and I am moderately lowered with about a 2-finger gap on all wheel arches. I have been using a 205/45/16 which fits well without rubbing. Should I upgrade to a 215/40/16 or 215/45/16? What about a 205/40/16? I know for sure a 50 series will rub, so those are out.

Previously, I have had Yokohama YK-420 (now discontinued), Falken Azenis, and now am on Yokohama ES100. I have been generally satisfied with the performance of them, but I would like a better, stickier tire now.

Thanks to anyone that can help out.

 

price is going to be what kills you here. the bridgestone 11 is great but only around 100 in 205 50 15, the 16 version is 205 45 16 and quite a bit more expensive. hit up the tire rack and pick any of the new gen stickies. the yoke ad08, bridgestone 11, kumho xs, dunlop star spec, hankook 3, i don't think you can go wrong with any. the xs is the only one you might remove due to it's skettish wet performance. the tread design just isn't made for standing highway water

 

If this is for your '95 Civic, the best 16" sizes to use are 205/40-16 or 195/45-16. The other sizes you mentioned are too large for your car, and will have most of the downsides associated with oversized tires (slower acceleration, inaccurate gauges, rubbing).

If you want a longer-lasting summer tire that's good in rain, I recommend the Yokohama S.drive in 195/45-16. This is the replacement for the ES100 you're currently using and it's very similar. At Discount Tire Direct, they're $83/tire after rebate with free shipping.

If you want a stickier tire, get the Falken Azenis RT-615K in 205/40-16. They won't last all that long (10-12K miles) and they're more expensive than you want to pay ($133/tire with free shipping at DTD).

So those are your choices.

The other sticky tires on the market aren't available in sizes for your car, and cost more than the amount you want to spend anyway.

None of those tires is available in the sizes he needs for his '95 Civic.

 

Thanks for some direction guys. I've been reading and have narrowed it down to these options. I include the RE-11 as a choice now because they seem to be in the same range as the RT-615K. How long can I realistically expect the RE-11 to last on a street car? Can I get 12-15k out of them? I could live with that if they are worth the price compared to the others.

Which is the best choice of all the ones I listed? I am comfortable paying the prices for any of the tires on this list, unless there is something better I didn't know about. I have been looking at 205 series since I can fit without rubbing and I like a wider tire. I don't have much of a preference for 40 versus 45, so either one will work for me.

1) Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 - 205/45/16 for 137 at TR
2) Falken Azenis RT-615K - 205/40/16 for 133 at DTD
3) Continental ExtremeContact DW - 205/45/16 for 119 at TR (DTD doesn't list this size)
4) Yokohama S.drive - 205/45/16 for 88 at DTD
5) Yokohama S.drive - 195/45/16 for 83 at DTD

nsxtasy, is there a reason you recommended the Yokohama S.drives in 195/45/16 instead of 205/45/16? They are only an extra 20 bucks for all 4 for the 205 versus the 195.

Thanks again guys, I really appreciate the input here. The amount of options out there can be somewhat overwhelming, so it's great to be getting some feedback.

 

205/45-16 is too large for your car. You need to stick to 195/45-16 or 205/40-16. The reason is that both these sizes are close in outer diameter to your stock size of 185/60-14, as you can see:

185/60-14: 22.74" (stock)
195/45-16: 22.91" (+0.7 percent)
205/40-16: 22.46" (-1.3 percent)
205/45-16: 23.26" (+2.3 percent)

It's not just a matter of cost. Another downside is that the oversized tires may rub. They also will make your car accelerate slower, due to the added weight as well as the added diameter (they are like putting taller gears on your car). They will also throw off the accuracy of your gauges.

Stick to 195/45-16 or 205/40-16.

 

My stock tire size was 185/60/14, since I have the EX model.

Out of those 5 tires, which do you feel is the best choice?

 

185/60-14 has the same outer diameter as 175/70-13 (within 0.4 percent). I'll correct my previous post.

You should still be getting 195/45-16 or 205/40-16. Get the S.drive in 195/45 if you want a longer-lasting tire, or the RT-615K in 205/40 if you want a stickier tire.

 

How much do you think my gauges would be off by with a 205/45/16? Would my speedometer read 2.3% over or lower than the actual speed or is there a different way to figure that out?

I ask because I am running a 205/45/16 with no tire rubbing at all, and the extra 5MM gives me some more options in tire selection.

I'm not trying to ignore your advice by any means, and I thank you for your input, but I've not heard about this type of thing before so I want to know as much as I can.

 

Because the tires are larger, you are going a further distance than the speedometer "thinks" you are going, so your actual speed is 2.3 percent higher than it would be with stock-sized tires at any given speedometer reading.

There's no advantage to getting tires that are larger in diameter than the stock diameter.

Also, when comparing prices, don't forget that the Tire Rack charges extra for shipping (typically around $15/tire) whereas shipping is free with Discount Tire Direct.

 

Your speedometer will be 2.2 mph off when driving at 60 mph.

Given that the Bridgestones are available in 205/45-16, and the fact that you are already running that size without rubbing issues, I wouldn't have a problem recommending that.

As for the longevity of the RE-11, it really depends how you drive it. Under moderate-to-spirited driving, you should be able to get closer to 20k on those. It is the longer-lasting tire in the Extreme Performance Summer category.

They tend to be pricey -- we have them at $162 each -- but Bridgestone is giving away a $100 AMEX Prepaid Card with a purchase of a set, so that ought to offset some of the bite.

Current offers

 

Well you might get slightly better mileage while cruising in top gear.

 

check the price on onlinetires.com

 

So, I broke down and got the Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 in 205/45/16.

I love them. They are the grippiest tire I've ever used! My last set of Yokohama ES100 doesn't compare to these in the slightest, even when they were new. I feel like I have a different car.

I give these babies

 

Falken 452: 225/45/16 : 255/40/17 : rota rims

Nice summer tire, throws off water well when wet. Not overly priced. For a street tire I wouldn't waste my money on anything more aggressive as you'll really never get to use it on the street . I use these for wet track as well. I was very surprised at how well they performed on the track. A very impressive tire at a very good price. I use the R888's for dry track, can't be beat.

 

I'm glad you like them. Enjoy your new tires!