Hi Folks,

As some of you know, I ALMOST bought a WRX or STI to replace my ITR. At the last moment, I changed my mind and decided (thankfully) to enjoy my R for at least another year.

That means I need good summer tires (I'm getting a few other maintenance items done, but tires are near the top of the list).

Here's what I really care about:
- Something kindof like the original RE010s
- OEM wheels, so 195/55 R15 size
- NOT track tires - this will be street only (probably)
- Crisp cornering feel and good traction. This definitely means NOT soft sidewalls (someone convinced me to get these cheapo Hankook tires and they're absolutely horrible - worse in cornering than my LM25 snow tires!).
- The car will see rain, but that's it. I have good snows and switchover wheels/tires seasonally.
- I'd like them to last probably 20k miles at least.

Thoughts?

Thanks in advance folks.

Steve

 

I rather enjoyed my Toyo proxes4 on my h22 integra. They had good enough grip and didn't break the bank for me. However mine were 205/55 r16's after looking though the closest size they make is a 195/50 r15 with a 86v rating.

 

One tire I was looking at is Michelin Pilot Exalto PE2, but I really can't tell if they'd be a good performance tire or not. Any comments on this particular tire?

Crisp cornering, cornering feel, and cornering grip are much more important than straight traction for me.

Steve

 

Yeah that looks like a good choice. I'd purchase something like that. I'm up in new england and the roads aren't as forgiving up here even during the summer time. So with the rough roads anything that has great traction is a necessity.

 

using falken azenis RT615.. good street tires.. just i dont like them in the wet.

used kumho SPTs before too.. better in the rain.. but they seem noisy.


friend has used a set of nitto NT-01.. he told me theyre goood.. anyone care to chime in on those..?

once my azenis are gone, thinking about dunlop direzza star specs.

 

Not sure if these would last 20k but my choice would be between
RE-11's or z1 star specs.

Love the re-11's, hoping to try out the star specs soon!

 

Starspecs should last 20k+ without track use. The set on my S2000 lasted 5000 street miles and like 5 track days or something insane. I just bought my second set.

For my ITR, I got a deal I couldn't pass up on some ADVAN Neovas. 205/50/15.

The Direzza Z1, ADVAN neova, or RE11 will do really well in the rain, be consistent, have very crisp cornering capability, would have destroyed the RE010 in terms of grip...and SHOULD last 20k miles with regular street driving. BUT...they're all a total waste if you're not tracking the car.

BFG G-force Sports are probably something to consider. I know they're available in 195/55R15. They're ridiculousy long lasting, about as sticky and responsive as the RE010, and are CHEAP city. I've had them on my GSR a long time ago and a friend tried them out for his S2000. They're really good for street summer tires. They would probably hold up to some track use...but nothing hard core. Seems like those would perfect for what you're looking for.

NOT the G force super sport. The G force Sport. I think they're around $400-450 installed with free rotations, and road hazard at Costco, IIRC. Here's a link to them at tire rack.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....omCompare1=yes

 

Can you clarify this (the comment about a waste if not tracking)? I don't track my cars, yet I drive hard and enjoy every corner. My previous s2000 (especially) and my ITR (somewhat) are VERY tire-sensitive, so I'd rather buy a much better tire and enjoy it rather than give up some enjoyment because the tire is taking away the crispness of the chassis.

So if price is not an issue, do you have 1 or 2 choices, if cornering and road feel are the #1 issues?

Thanks for all your comments...

Steve

 

Is there any other choice besides the 195/55/15 Dunlop Direzza Z1? Seriously, that's probably the best summer tire for the OEM wheel, hands-down.

 

Thanks Todd.

I'll check into them.

Steve

 

Yoko Advan neova AD08 and RE-11's are both better in most areas according to surveys, reviews and testing.

I'd use 205/50/15 when possible, but 195/55/15s are obviously fine as well.

I loved the RE-11's I had one, the star specs feel better at turn in, but overall they aren't as good as the RE-11s. Have a set of AD08s now to try on my own car once I kill off the RT615's on the wheels now, and have 205/50/15s Start Specs on the OEM wheels for comparison.

However, the Star Specs are the best price by a decent margin, I had $100 off the AD08s which made them cheaper so I switched.

And good tires aren't a waste if not tracked, they are the only thing that stops your car and the improvement in grip can mean the avoidance of an accident or sliding into one...

 

RE-11 doesn't come in 195/55/15 in the US, unless this has changed?

And take the tirerack reviews with a grain of salt. For the most part they are ok, but I've seen enough comments on there to know that some of the reviewers are complete morons.

195/55/15 vs 205/50/15 on a 6" wheel--the 195 will have crisper turn-in and generally feel better overall. Peak grip will be within margin of error, especially for a street car.

 

Hi Todd,

The Direzza z1 looks to be about perfect for me. But I do have one question. They're rated 200 treadlife.

With the ITR (which is light), and "fun" street-driving, and no track time, how long do you think a set might last? 15k? 20k?

Just wondering for folks who have experience with this tire.

Steve

 

Wow didn't think folks were running a 55 series, how come not 195/50? Just curious.

 

Stock size is 195/55R15, hence, the 55.

Steve

 

Really? Damn I thought it was 195/50 all along...

 

n00b tire question. I know 195 is the hight of the tire wall .. 50 would be the width of the tire? And obviously 15 is the size of the wheel. Instead of making a new thread I too want to know what brand tires came stock on the 98-01 ITR's and what would be the best all around season tires to upgrade to?

Here where I'm stationed at in SC the winters aren't crazy, but it does rain quite a bit and very HOT/humid summers. Price is not a factor. Thanks

 

195 is the width in mm, the 55 is the sidewall height in % (55% of 195)

I personally loved the Hankook RS2's for dual duty, but they have been 86'd.

 

One tidbit about the ratio (55%), is that it's NOT 55% of the sidewall height as measured at the tread width contact patch.

It's actually measured at the widest "bulge" of the tire. This means that some tires that have the same ratio will have different tread widths, which seems wrong. I

When I first learned of this, I was shocked - it seems SO counterintuitive.

(not a big deal in many tires, but it can explain some headscratching measurements sometimes).

Steve

 

I had dunlop direzza's last year and I enjoyed them, I will actually be buying the re-11's for this summer though. I did autocross and most people had the star specs or the re-11's

 

What I meant by "waste" is that for your purposes, a tire with that gives up some grip to improve tread life would probably be advantageous. Kinda the same logic behind not using R-compounds and race pads on daily drivers that you like to drive hard every now and then. Significant product life, refinement, and wallet content losses for a tiny tiny gain in ACTUAL useability.

For what you're going to use the tire for, something like a G-force sport would probably be the most advantageous in all categories. Considering, wear, price, etc.

Basically, I don't know if you'd see the benefits of the Starspec, RE11 or AD08 on the street. "Spirited" street driving is a lot different than being on track.

For example: My ITR came with junk *** Yokohama YK520 all season tires. The car seems plenty grippy on the streets when I'm trying to get to work in a hurry and I take that left turn onto the highway at speed. It feels great on on-ramps as well. Why? Cuz I'm probably driving the car at 5/10 to 6/10ths at the VERY most and that feels like I'm maneuvering like Michael Schumacher on the street. And I'm doing it for a period of about 1-2 seconds max. The obstacles, other cars, and shitty driving lines offered by "spirited" street driving cause you to think you're taking that turn faster and more dramatically than you actually are. Plus...it's only 1 turn...so tire consitency is not really a factor. Hell, my daily driver 98 EX on snow tires feels like it handles like a champ on the street when I'm taking turns fast (I run late for work/school a LOT).


If I were to take my ITR to the track with the Yokohama 520s...I would definitely notice the difference in tire grip. The reason is that I'd be pushing the car a lot farther. Plus, the tire compound comes into play when you're looking for consistency after consecutive hard laps. 20 minute sessions of hard driving using a driving line to maximize speed coupled with hard braking from high speeds and full throttle acceleration is different than taking a quick left on the street at half throttle after stabbing the brakes down from a blistering 50mph speed. You're paying more for the Starspec, RE11, or AD08 because they offer technology that makes the viable on TRACK. For the street...all that is a total waste. You'll never get the tire to even break a sweat. You probably wouldn't get something like the YK520s to break a sweat unless you were running from the cops or something. So why try to kill a fly with a machine gun?

However, even after seeing all that, if you're set on something more hardcore...the Z1 starspec is the BEST value tire out there for a street/track tire. If you feel like you want to spend the extra $20 or so per tire to gain grip but give up tread life (significantly), then the Star spec is something you shouldn't pass up.

 

Should last around 20k. But it's hard to define "fun". Hella burnouttzzzzz? Then the treadlife comes way down. I'm sure you'll reach 20k miles with a reasonable amount of "fun".

Also, the treadlife of 200 means absolutely nothing unless you're comparing it to a tire of the same brand. Those tricky tire manufacturing jerks all have proprietary treadwear ratings.

A 200 in Yokohama could mean a 180 for bridgestones...or 120....or 150....or....(doesn't translate).

Find another Dunlop tire that is rated for some sort of mileage warranty. Then compare that tread rating to the 200 on direzza sports.

Example: If another Dunlop passenger car tire came with a 50k mile warranty and a tread wear rating of 400...then you can be pretty sure that the "life expectancy" of starspecs is around 25k miles since they have a 200 tread wear rating.

But there are other factors that influence tread wear. Since the starspec compound is more apt to deal with abuse...it might actually last LONGER than a regular passenger tire with 2X the treadwear rating under the same circumstances of abuse.

Honestly, the UTQG ratings and tread wear warranties are kinda useless unless you're driving a minivan or a buick or something and you're just shopping for a tire that you're going to be driving VERY normally and maintaining meticulously. Or...for comparison shopping if you know what you're looking for.

 

I live in a climate where there is lots of rain year round and I ended up getting Kumho SPT. They are the best rain tires in its class based on what I've researched, which was my primary critera, but the dry grip isn't top rated.

If you are not planning to track, having RE-11 and Star Specs might be a waste of money but again, if I didn't get a great deal on the SPT, I would have definetely got the Star Specs.

 

yokohama AD08 or potenza RE-11/RE01

have used all three on track and road and theyre brilliant, loads of dry grip, wet grip isnt bad, plenty of feedback too

perfect tyres for the Type R imo

 

Thanks B-Serious and everyone else for your great comments!

I'm sure others will appreciate them as much as I do.

Steve