Undecided
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From: 619, CA, USA
Undecided
I currently have the stock 15's (01 GSR blades) on my car but want 16's. Since I cannot make up my mind on **** and I am too tired/ too busy to inform my lazy *** and need tires NOW... want rec. on tires for the 15's. (Unless someone out there has Rota Circuit 8's for trade in 16's). 
Falkens, Nitto, WTF!?! Lemme know or kick this thread. 
Falkens, Nitto, WTF!?! Lemme know or kick this thread.
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Re: Undecided (ShortBusTechnologies)
The stock size for those wheels on your car is 195/55-15. You can also use 205/50-15, which is 1.7 percent smaller than stock. I would get the 195/55-15 size if it's available in the tire you're considering, otherwise get the 205/50-15.
As far as a good tire, it all depends on how you plan to use it.
I'm guessing (based on your location) that you don't plan to use your tires on snow, so you can eliminate any thought of all-season tires. You don't need 'em.
Do you plan to use these tires for autocross and track events, so you're willing to spend more money for a better performing tire? Are they just for the dragstrip, so you only care about straight line performance? Or are they for everyday street driving, and you care a lot about how much they cost and how long they last?
IF you are looking for good value as well as good performance, then I recommend either the Kumho Ecsta SPT or the Yokohama AVS ES100. Both the SPT and the ES100 offer very good performance on dry pavement and excellent on wet pavement, both are available in 195/55-15 and are reasonably priced (around $60/tire in that size), and both should last a long time (25-40K miles). They are very good all-around tires, offering good performance as well as good value.
There are other tires that offer even better performance, but they cost more money and typically don't last as long as the SPT or ES100, so they probably aren't worth it unless you are autocrossing or doing track events or have a high-horsepower application (e.g. turbo). You can take one step up in performance and price and get the Toyo T1-R in 195/55-15 and the Kumho Ecsta MX in 205/50-15 in the $80-90 range. Take another step up in performance and price, and you can consider the Bridgestone S-03 in 205/50-15 around $140. For another step up in performance, you can get the super-sticky Falken Azenis RT-615 in 205/50-15 for $78, excellent for autocross but they'll only last about 10K miles on the street, which is only about a third to a half of the miles you'll get on the other tires listed here. Again, though, for folks who are looking for a decent price and don't care about that last iota of performance, the SPT or the ES100 may be all you need.
Modified by nsxtasy at 11:30 AM 1/24/2006
As far as a good tire, it all depends on how you plan to use it.
I'm guessing (based on your location) that you don't plan to use your tires on snow, so you can eliminate any thought of all-season tires. You don't need 'em.
Do you plan to use these tires for autocross and track events, so you're willing to spend more money for a better performing tire? Are they just for the dragstrip, so you only care about straight line performance? Or are they for everyday street driving, and you care a lot about how much they cost and how long they last?
IF you are looking for good value as well as good performance, then I recommend either the Kumho Ecsta SPT or the Yokohama AVS ES100. Both the SPT and the ES100 offer very good performance on dry pavement and excellent on wet pavement, both are available in 195/55-15 and are reasonably priced (around $60/tire in that size), and both should last a long time (25-40K miles). They are very good all-around tires, offering good performance as well as good value.
There are other tires that offer even better performance, but they cost more money and typically don't last as long as the SPT or ES100, so they probably aren't worth it unless you are autocrossing or doing track events or have a high-horsepower application (e.g. turbo). You can take one step up in performance and price and get the Toyo T1-R in 195/55-15 and the Kumho Ecsta MX in 205/50-15 in the $80-90 range. Take another step up in performance and price, and you can consider the Bridgestone S-03 in 205/50-15 around $140. For another step up in performance, you can get the super-sticky Falken Azenis RT-615 in 205/50-15 for $78, excellent for autocross but they'll only last about 10K miles on the street, which is only about a third to a half of the miles you'll get on the other tires listed here. Again, though, for folks who are looking for a decent price and don't care about that last iota of performance, the SPT or the ES100 may be all you need.
Modified by nsxtasy at 11:30 AM 1/24/2006
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From: 619, CA, USA
Re: Undecided (nsxtasy)
Thanks for spending the time responding. I currently have the Toyos up front. In my opinion they do not offer that great of traction and are actually a bit louder then the Falkens I have in the rear. Plus they have a tendency to not do so well in the wet (from my experience). I will consider what you said about the other tires. Thanks again for the recommendations. Anyone experience the BFG Comp T/A ZR's? They come in 205/50-15.
Modified by ShortBusTechnologies at 8:41 AM 1/24/2006
Anyone experience the BFG Comp T/A ZR's? They come in 205/50-15. Modified by ShortBusTechnologies at 8:41 AM 1/24/2006
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Re: Undecided (ShortBusTechnologies)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ShortBusTechnologies »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I currently have the Toyos up front. In my opinion they do not offer that great of traction and are actually a bit louder then the Falkens I have in the rear. Plus they have a tendency to not do so well in the wet (from my experience).</TD></TR></TABLE>
Wow, that combination doesn't sound like a very good idea, although you don't specify exactly which model tires you're talking about. The Toyo - I assume you're referring to the T1-R, or maybe its predecessor, the older T1-S - is a pretty good street tire, not the best around, but a small step up from budget performance tires like the ES100. The Falkens - are you referring to the Falken Azenis, either the old RT-215 or the new RT-615, or some other Falken tire? Because the RT-215 and RT-615 are extremely sticky on dry pavement, but so-so in rain. If that's the combination you're talking about, your car is likely to exhibit extreme understeer on dry pavement, with a quick transition to extreme oversteer when you hit a wet spot. So the problem you're having may not be so much that the Toyo is that bad (in dry or wet), but that you are using it with mismatched rear tires. Your car's handling is likely to be far better (more neutral) with four matching Toyos or four matching Falkens than with that mismatched combination. Hope that makes sense.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ShortBusTechnologies »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Anyone experience the BFG Comp T/A ZR's? They come in 205/50-15.</TD></TR></TABLE>
I thought the Comp T/A line of tires was discontinued or renamed by BFGoodrich years ago. Are you sure you're not referring to some other tire, possibly one of their g-force tires? If so, none of the BFG tires will give you as much performance in the price categories I listed as the tires I named.
Wow, that combination doesn't sound like a very good idea, although you don't specify exactly which model tires you're talking about. The Toyo - I assume you're referring to the T1-R, or maybe its predecessor, the older T1-S - is a pretty good street tire, not the best around, but a small step up from budget performance tires like the ES100. The Falkens - are you referring to the Falken Azenis, either the old RT-215 or the new RT-615, or some other Falken tire? Because the RT-215 and RT-615 are extremely sticky on dry pavement, but so-so in rain. If that's the combination you're talking about, your car is likely to exhibit extreme understeer on dry pavement, with a quick transition to extreme oversteer when you hit a wet spot. So the problem you're having may not be so much that the Toyo is that bad (in dry or wet), but that you are using it with mismatched rear tires. Your car's handling is likely to be far better (more neutral) with four matching Toyos or four matching Falkens than with that mismatched combination. Hope that makes sense.
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ShortBusTechnologies »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Anyone experience the BFG Comp T/A ZR's? They come in 205/50-15.</TD></TR></TABLE>
I thought the Comp T/A line of tires was discontinued or renamed by BFGoodrich years ago. Are you sure you're not referring to some other tire, possibly one of their g-force tires? If so, none of the BFG tires will give you as much performance in the price categories I listed as the tires I named.
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Joined: Oct 2004
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From: 619, CA, USA
Re: Undecided (nsxtasy)
The fact that I have miss matched tiers on my car can very well explain the problems I have with traction. Like I said, time is always the issue and at the time of purchase, I took what I could. But now that I have 5 mins. I might actually have the time to make an informed decision. The tires are actually Proxes up front and Falken Zeix 512's in the rear. Great combo huh!?! Anyways, http://www.easy-tire.com (found them by chance just to get pix) is selling them for $35.40. To good to be true probably but since we (at work) sell them, I will have to inform myself.. I know they have new tread and old tread designs. Its the old tread design I am looking for. Oh well... will keep searching. Thanks for all the help.
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Re: Undecided (ShortBusTechnologies)
<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by ShortBusTechnologies »</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">The tires are actually Proxes up front and Falken Zeix 512's in the rear. Great combo huh!?!</TD></TR></TABLE>
Then the problem isn't that the tires are mismatched. The problem is that you are using all-season tires (and even worse, they are MEDIOCRE all-season tires). They are cheap, and they perform like cheap tires. All-season tires may be a good choice if you drive in snow and need to use the same tire all year round, but otherwise, they are a terrible choice for anyone who cares about performance. Especially if you live in San Diego and never drive on snow.
Even the bargain-priced Kumho Ecsta SPT or the Yokohama AVS ES100 will give you much, much, MUCH better traction and performance and handling than those crappy all-seasons. You will be amazed at how much better your car will perform. Try them.
Then the problem isn't that the tires are mismatched. The problem is that you are using all-season tires (and even worse, they are MEDIOCRE all-season tires). They are cheap, and they perform like cheap tires. All-season tires may be a good choice if you drive in snow and need to use the same tire all year round, but otherwise, they are a terrible choice for anyone who cares about performance. Especially if you live in San Diego and never drive on snow.
Even the bargain-priced Kumho Ecsta SPT or the Yokohama AVS ES100 will give you much, much, MUCH better traction and performance and handling than those crappy all-seasons. You will be amazed at how much better your car will perform. Try them.
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