i have a set of 15" sunflowers that will be going into my hatch, however they need tires.
What tires would you guys recommend, taking into account that:
1. car is sometimes driven in snow
2. need to be good in the rain
3. good for overall dry ground

basically i need a set of all weather tires, which ones are my best bet?
by the way i was looking into the size 195/50. any thoughts?

 

I have ES100s, they did well for me in the snow and rain. Pretty good traction and not a bad tire for the strip. They are pretty cheap in the 195/55/15 size. I spent like 260 shipped from TireRack. Got them in like 3 days.

 

http://www.toyo.com/tires/tire...1.htm
and for 15's i would go 195/50/15

 

i got the Nitto extreme performance 450's from tires.com for 204$ shipped, they were 205/50/15's , i like them

 

thanks for the replies ill look into those, any other ones?

 

i love my kumho ecsta asx's. check out tirerack.com for specs and pricing.

 

TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO TOYO

 

There's no such thing as an "all weather tire".

You'll either eat them up in the summer, or have crappy wet driving.

Get winter wheels and summer wheels. End of discussion.

With that said, Toyo makes a couple of nice grippy low-budget dry-weather tires. However I prefer Falken myself.
Both will kill you when it starts to rain.

I have a set of kumho wet tires now and I love them. Toyo snowprox is a nice alternative.
Both tires will get destroyed when driven on warm dry tarmac.

 

195/50-15 is the proper size for your car using 15" wheels. And, since you plan on using the same tire all year round, in snow as well as in warm weather, you should get all-season tires.

Unfortunately, the very best all-season tires around, like the Kumho Ecsta ASX and the Pirelli PZero Nero M+S, don't come in 195/50-15. So you're stuck with tires that aren't quite as good as either of those. I would suggest either of two tires, and they both come in 195/50-15:

- Falken Ziex ZE-512, $46/tire for 195/50-15 at Vulcan

- Toyo Proxes 4, $55/tire for 195/50-15 at onlinetires.com.

Neither is exactly great, but they're okay, and they're both all-season tires that come in your 195/50-15 size. And the price is great on either one.

That's a TERRIBLE recommendation. The ES100 is absolutely NOT appropriate for driving in snow. I have the ES100 on one of my cars, and they're fine from mid-March through late November. They suck on snow, which is why I have a separate set of winter tires.

Track tires, for use in snow? What are you, crazy?

Sure, I drive the Toyo RA-1 also. But only on the racetrack in warm weather on dry pavement, where they stick like glue and I don't mind having to replace them every 2-3K miles. NOT on snow, where they won't stick at all.

Another TERRIBLE recommendation. Ignore it.

Well, first of all, the size you want is 195/50-15. Remember, not only are wider tires worse for a lot of other reasons - they throw off your speedometer/odometer, they can rub on your wheel wells, they make acceleration slower - but they are also worse on snow. Stick with the proper size, which is 195/50-15.

The NT450 does come in 195/50-15 for $49/tire. It's okay. But I think the Falken and the Toyo are a bit better, for about the same money.

As I mentioned, that would be a good recommendation, but they don't come in your size.

Every brand makes a wide variety of tires - everything from supersticky tires for the racetrack, to expensive top-of-the-line tires for warm weather driving, to budget performance tires for good performance at a good price, to all-season tires for all weather conditions, to winter tires for snow and frigid cold. Recommending a brand without a specific tire is useless. It's like when someone asks you what kind of car to buy, and you tell them a Honda or a Ford. Not particularly helpful.

Not true. All-season tires are designed to provide okay performance in warmer weather as well as winter snow and cold. They don't grip as well in winter as winter tires, and they don't grip as well in warmer weather as summer tires, but they will be okay in both.

It's true that you will have better performance all year round with two sets of wheels and tires - one with winter tires for winter weather, and the other with summer tires for the rest of the year. But if you have to get by with one set of wheels and tires, and you don't mind the "compromise" nature of doing so, then all-season tires are for you.

You're confused. There are no "dry weather tires", other than R compound track tires and maybe the Falken Azenis. All other street tires are designed for use on dry pavement as well as in rain.

 

Well I will say it again the ES100s worked well for me in the winter. I know they are designated for dry weather use. However they did a good job keeping me on the road. Not going to debate with you. There are a good deal of tires out there that will help you.

 

Well I'm running azenis as well. But the toyo RA1's someone here suggested won't work in heavy rain any better either.

Especially when it's cold. They seem 'ok-ish" when it's hot and wet.

I don't think that any toyo tire is any good on snow except the snowprox.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SETI20 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I don't think that any toyo tire is any good on snow except the snowprox.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Toyo makes two all-season tires: the Toyo Proxes 4, which is their "ultra high performance all-season tire", and the Toyo Proxes FZ4, which is an all-season tire that is a step down in performance. Like most all-season tires, these will be okay on light snow, but they won't perform as well in snow and other winter conditions as a true winter tire.

That's why all-season tires are "compromise tires". In winter conditions, they perform better than summer tires, but not as good as winter tires. In moderate to warmer weather, they don't perform as well as summer tires. You will get better performance ALL YEAR ROUND if you have two sets of tires (and preferably on two sets of wheels, to make them easier to swap), one with summer tires for moderate to warm seasons, and the other with winter tires for winter weather.

 

im in the same boat. i just bought a teg and i found out that the new tires that came with it absolutly suck in the snow (michelin xgt v4)! so i was thinking about trying some BF goodrich traction T/A . should i try these or try some ziex ze-512 or Toyo Proxes 4? are any better than the other in snow? are any quieter than the other?
oh ya im looking for 195-55-15

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by coot_er &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">im in the same boat. i just bought a teg and i found out that the new tires that came with it absolutly suck in the snow (michelin xgt v4)! so i was thinking about trying some BF goodrich traction T/A . should i try these or try some ziex ze-512 or Toyo Proxes 4? are any better than the other in snow? are any quieter than the other?
oh ya im looking for 195-55-15</TD></TR></TABLE>

Keep in mind that your Integra size (195/55-15) is different from his Civic size (195/50-15).

If I had to buy all-season tires in 195/55-15, I would buy the Kumho Ecsta ASX for $65/tire. It's better than any of the tires you mention. Oh, and the Toyo Proxes 4 and the BFG Traction T/A tires do not even come in 195/55-15. The Ziex ZE-512 comes in 195/55-15, but it's about the same price as the Kumho. So get the Kumho.

Incidentally, the Michelin XGT V4, which is the stock tire on the Integra GS-R, may not be all that good in snow, but it is rated an all-season...

However, you'll get much better performance by getting a separate set of winter tires, not all-season tires. Oh yeah, we already said that.

 

why do you think the kumho is better? is it better in the snow or quieter or what?

oh ya, tirerack claims the have the bfg ta in 195/55/15
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/...R5TTA

i'd buy winter tires but then i would have to drop $400 now (wheels and snow tires) and then still have to buy some better tires for the summer which will probably be another $250

 

i bought some SI rims for my civic and it comes with 195/55/15 tires...and i checked on tirerack the size for a 99 lx sedan 15 inch tire and it said 195/55/15...is that the correct size tire for me?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by coot_er &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">why do you think the kumho is better? is it better in the snow or quieter or what?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Better overall performance - better snow traction, better dry handling, etc. (Note that the Tire Rack puts it in a higher performance category, their "Ultra High Performance All-Season", whereas the BFG is only in their "High Performance All-Season" category.) And it's less expensive, too. Better tire for less money makes it a no-brainer.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by coot_er &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">oh ya, tirerack claims the have the bfg ta in 195/55/15</TD></TR></TABLE>

Oops! I missed that somehow. Sorry!

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by coot_er &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i'd buy winter tires but then i would have to drop $400 now (wheels and snow tires) and then still have to buy some better tires for the summer which will probably be another $250</TD></TR></TABLE>

That's true, and if you don't care about performance, then get the all-seasons. But if you DO care about performance, then get both. Keep in mind that the $400 includes mounting and balancing (which will otherwise cost you $50-80 now), and will let you switch between winter tires and summer tires yourself, with just a jack. Also, the winter tires will last you many, many winters (because you only use them 3-4 months a year, and people tend to drive less miles in winter anyway). Sure, you'll need to buy the summer tires too, but they will last you a while (you can get 30-40K miles on a set of Yoko ES100 for $240) so you won't need to buy tires for several years.

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by hkboy87 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i bought some SI rims for my civic and it comes with 195/55/15 tires...and i checked on tirerack the size for a 99 lx sedan 15 inch tire and it said 195/55/15...is that the correct size tire for me?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes. Many later Civics (like yours) came with 185/65-14 tires from the factory, and 195/55-15 is the proper 15" size. Most older Civics came with 175/70-13 or 185/60-14 tires, and 195/50-15 is the proper 15" size for those.

 

True Toyo doesn't make the Proxes4 195/55/15. They make it in the 205/55/15

195/55/15 OD(23.4) 205/55/15 OD(23.9)


http://www.toyo.com/tires/tire_specsheet.cfm?id=18

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by pingaturbo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">True Toyo doesn't make the Proxes4 195/55/15. They make it in the 205/55/15</TD></TR></TABLE>

That's true. So, if your car needs 195/55-15, you can buy a Toyo tire that has inferior performance AND has the wrong size AND is wider which will be a lot worse on snow. Or, you can buy a Kumho tire that's much better AND comes in the correct size for your car. Your choice...

 

HERE IS WHAT TOYO OFFERS in the 195/55/15

TOYO PROXES TPT
http://www.toyo.com/tires/tire_specsheet.cfm?id=18

TOYO T1R
http://www.toyo.com/tires/tire_specsheet.cfm?id=18
Where are you located in New Jersey, I'm from cumberland county, but in sunny Southern California

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by pingaturbo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">TOYO PROXES TPT</TD></TR></TABLE>

A truly low-performance tire!

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by pingaturbo &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">TOYO T1R</TD></TR></TABLE>

...which came in eighth (out of eleven) in the comparison test of top-of-the-line street tires in the current (December) Car and Driver, which said:

In fact, the Proxes never placed higher than eight in any test, and in two dry tests, the autocross and the skidpad, the Toyo finished last, trailing the top finishers by significant margins. In some tests it felt better than it actually was performing, but overall, Geswein noted that it was "soft and imprecise" and didn't "feel like a sport tire."

In the end, the Toyo has its high wear grade and attractive price to thank for its eighth-place finish. In performance terms, there are lots of tires that do better.

And, of course, neither of these Toyo tires is appropriate for someone who intends to drive on snow.

Like any manufacturer, Toyo has some tires which are excellent (like their RA-1 track tire) and some which just aren't competitive, so they price them less than competing brands in order to sell them (like the all-season Proxes 4 and the so-called "top of the line" T1-R).

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

Better overall performance - better snow traction, better dry handling, etc. (Note that the Tire Rack puts it in a higher performance category, their "Ultra High Performance All-Season", whereas the BFG is only in their "High Performance All-Season" category.) And it's less expensive, too. Better tire for less money makes it a no-brainer.
</TD></TR></TABLE>
well the tire i have now (michelin xgt v4) is also considered a ultra high performance tire and i think slicks would do better in the snow. i guess im just not sure of the credibility of tire rack's utra high performance category.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by coot_er &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">well the tire i have now (michelin xgt v4) is also considered a ultra high performance tire and i think slicks would do better in the snow. i guess im just not sure of the credibility of tire rack's utra high performance category.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Yes, but check out the user survey ratings of the 17 tires in that category. The XGT V4 came in 16th, and the Kumho ASX came in 5th. (None of the first four above the Kumho come in sizes for Civics or Integras, and all of those are considerably more expensive, except for the Pirelli, which I also recommend along with the Kumho, when they come in the size needed.) In particular, check out the question:

"Would you buy this tire again?"
Possible responses:
- Definitely 8.6-10
- Probably 6-8.5
- Possibly 4.6-6.5
- Probably Not 2.6-4.5
- Definitely Not 0-2.5

Average response:
- Kumho Ecsta ASX: 8.2
- Michelin XGT V4: 2.6

It's also worth checking out the comments in a side-by-side comparison test of the Kumho along with two other top all-season tires on the Tire Rack website here.

But if you want to buy some other tire - regardless of whether it's worse or whether it costs more or anything else - go ahead. I don't make any money off tire sales. I'm just giving you my opinion based on a lot of driving in a lot of cars with a lot of tires, and talking to a lot of people who know about tires. However, I just don't understand why you seem to want to argue with my response every time I answer a question you ask. If you don't want to accept advice, then don't ask for it...

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by nsxtasy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">

However, I just don't understand why you seem to want to argue with my response every time I answer a question you ask. If you don't want to accept advice, then don't ask for it...
</TD></TR></TABLE>
sorry to offend you, i was only playing devils advocate to get a better answer. and it worked! look how good of an answer you gave me!

oh ya and i realize without a doubt that the kumho is better than the xgt, i just don't understand why the xgt would be considered an ultra performance tire. by the rating i would think it would be at the bottom of the list of regular performance tires.

 

ok it seems like people say...195/50/15 is correct size for civic...i just bought some SI for my 88 CRX and it has incorrect tire size..so i'm thinking about changing it...it came with 185/65/15...so i was thinking about getting sme 195 or 205...205 ppl said is too wide...so if i get 195 do i go with the 55 profile or 50? any difference....it'll be driven mostly in rain/dry....maybe once or twice in snow