Tire/wheel section seemed very dead. I've got a 08 TSX that I just got some 17x8 TL-S rims for and in the spring i'm looking to put a sticky 235/45/17 up front. I'm finishing up the TL 4p Brembo conversion and have decided to run Hawk HP+ pads up front. The most important thing I'm after in a tire is wet braking as well as highspeed wet driving(resistance to hydro planning). I have my eyes on the AD08R or possibly the Michelin pilot sport 4S, I know those are kind of far apart but I'm leaning more in the 200 UTQG range. Would appreciate input, dry grip is a concern but not nowhere near as much as wet grip.

 

The Bridgestone RE-71R has a reputation for strong wet weather performance amongst street class autocrossers. They're great in the dry too. Only downside is that they wear faster than most 140-200 treadwear tyres..

 

I think P4s or the conti extreme contact sport. Those were the tires of choice for the rain storm that occurred at solo nationals

I had to drive my GTI on AD08Rs in a rain storm, I couldn't drive it past 45mph, they have over half the tire life left. Fine for most situations, but I think a lot of the 200 tw autocross tires probably would have felt similar in that situation I was in

 

RE71R are bad against standing water, they grip well on a damp surface though. I had them on my Miata for a summer and basically wouldn't drive on the interstate in the rain.

Continental ExtremeContact Sport (ECS) or Michelin PS4s are what you want for sporty daily driving. ECS is cheaper and available in more sizes. PS4s didn't go below a 19" rim for awhile, no clue if that's changed recently though.

 

+1 for the Continentals. I have them on my S2000. Wear very well, take abuse on the track, and work great in the rain. Use them on my S2000 and the wifes BMW

 

Thanks for the input guys, i'll have to do a little reading between the 2. Will probably boil down to which one is cheaper at my dealer, according to Tire rack, the PS4s have a 300 UTQG vs the 340 for the Conti ECS. Don't know if that 40 would be noticeable or worth the extra $45, the PS4s go as low as 17 now so i'm in luck there.

 

UTQG is set by the manufacturer and is basically whatever they feel like making it. Hankook had the RS3 go from 140 to 200 without a change when the SCCA bumped the ST classes min TW from 140 to 200.

 

"Bad" is subjective. Compared to old Kumho Ecsta XS and Rivals RE71's are juuuuuust fine haha! But I agree that they aren't the wet tire. I've seen some pretty good drivers do AMAZING things on the PS4's in the wet, so they get my vote. For example, at a SUPER rainy event last year at Summit Point Jefferson a relatively quick (usually mid-pack-ish) driver in a 135i had the 3rd fastest lap time in the wet out of 90 cars on the PS4's.