Ultra High Per TIRES - what do you like?
3rd Gear
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,900
From: CT
http://www.greendiamondtire.com/
Time to see some comparison testing against Blizzak and Nokkian. I'd be curious how they compare on dry pavement.
3rd Gear
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,900
From: CT
Can't say I'm a big fan of Toyo. It's hard to justify spending the money on a Toyo when similar tires that are built better and out perform the Toyo line cost less. (example: 205/55R16 Blizzak, $108, same size in Toyo Garrit is $120) Toyo is the most expensive of the "cheap" tires and often cost more than premium brands.
It's also a hassle to purchase tires that are not available from Tire Rack. A large majority of dealers get their OEM supply and thusly the best prices from Tire Rack. If you get stranded, it's a lot harder to find a Cooper or Toyo tire than it is a Michelin or Bridgestone.
It's also a hassle to purchase tires that are not available from Tire Rack. A large majority of dealers get their OEM supply and thusly the best prices from Tire Rack. If you get stranded, it's a lot harder to find a Cooper or Toyo tire than it is a Michelin or Bridgestone.
Tweaked...Thanks for the thorough info.
Upstate...Those GreenDiamonds sound amazing. I'll probably go with them. I just bought a new pair of Kumho Ecsta ASX all seasons that have about 500 km on 'em. I think I might sell them and get the greendiamonds b/c I could use winter tires here and will be getting a new rim and tire set up in spring (for the warm months) anyways.
Upstate...Those GreenDiamonds sound amazing. I'll probably go with them. I just bought a new pair of Kumho Ecsta ASX all seasons that have about 500 km on 'em. I think I might sell them and get the greendiamonds b/c I could use winter tires here and will be getting a new rim and tire set up in spring (for the warm months) anyways.
1st Gear
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 121
From: Oregon
ahh, here's where I got ya, tweaked. The Toyo Garit KX's got walnut shell teeth (I'm kinda a greener, so carbide is the green version here) impregnated into the compound, so it's great with ice and snow and best, it's studless. I can't ever complain about traction, even after 2 Subarus.
So I am a banker... I do risk management and disaster recovery for one of the worlds largest banks. I'm responsible for the safety of 1200 people on site and need to be available in awful conditions, that's why I have this quattro-thingy. I need to be able to get through any inclement weather in Portland, Oregon. That's usually a small snowstorm in the east, but here, it'll take out everything, people will slide off of hills and it's all out panic when it's 2 inches of snow.
Now, Tire rack is another issue altogether. I get better prices locally. Toyo's aren't Michelin's, I grant you that, but cheap? They're not Federals either!
So I am a banker... I do risk management and disaster recovery for one of the worlds largest banks. I'm responsible for the safety of 1200 people on site and need to be available in awful conditions, that's why I have this quattro-thingy. I need to be able to get through any inclement weather in Portland, Oregon. That's usually a small snowstorm in the east, but here, it'll take out everything, people will slide off of hills and it's all out panic when it's 2 inches of snow.
Now, Tire rack is another issue altogether. I get better prices locally. Toyo's aren't Michelin's, I grant you that, but cheap? They're not Federals either!
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 412
From: Massachusetts
I used to change a buttload of tires. Top dog for high-performance summer driving and weekend track use is always Bridgestone Potenza RE-0 series, and I tend to agree. However, they become noisy at half-tread (but have even better grip on a dry track) and can be very expensive to replace. Depending on how you use them, they can last a long time.
Michelin PS2 is always a good choice and can take some weekend track use as well, but the side walls are very soft. This allows for a comfortable ride and predictable handling, but are not a great choice for areas with large or abundant potholes as they tend to bubble easily with curb and pothole abuse.
I've always been a fan of Yokohamas. Great price for great performance. AVS or Advan series are both awesome for summer driving and some track use, but they need to be warm. These tires turn into rocks below 40 degrees. You'll definitely need an all-season for cooler weather driving. I'd recommend the AVID series for a good compromise between Yoko's performance abilities and all-season needs. They are great for AWD vehicles.
As far as Pirellis, some love 'em, some hate 'em. They look great and the prices are fair, but they are noisy and quality control issue can create vibrations (known as Road Force Variations). OK tire, OK price. P6000 suck in all conditions. PZero Rossa have cool red letters, but are outperformed by tires in the same price range. I wouldn't waste my time with anything but the PZero Corsa, but they are not a good choice for an AWD car as they are more geared towards something like a Porsche GT3.
I also avoid Continental. They discontinue tire lines randomly, are often on back-order, and are out-performed by much cheaper tires. ContiExtremeContact and ContiProContact are geared towards AWD cars, but the Pros suck in the rain and the Extremes are too often on back-order. The Pro line replaced the CH-95 Touring line and are a real compromise in all conditions. They understeer on dry pavement, lose grip on wet pavement, and are questionable in snowy conditions after just one season. As far as a performance tire, pick something other than Conti.
If you're on a budget, check out Falken. I personally always felt Falkens were noisy junk, but budget-oriented track guys love the Falken name. I personally prefer Kumho performance tires as they are quieter and seem to have a nicer build quality, but they seem to be consistently beaten by the equivalent tire by Falken.
There's always Dunlop SP series, BFGoodrich, Nitto, and Hankook, but these tires often have to be ordered becuase they are not as popular (and for a reason), so your car might be put down for a few days waiting on a tire if you need one in a rush.
And last, if it says "Goodyear," walk away.
To sum it up: I'd go with the Yokos for the best bang-for-your-buck. If you want all out weekend track performance and have the dough, nothing beats the Potenzas.
Michelin PS2 is always a good choice and can take some weekend track use as well, but the side walls are very soft. This allows for a comfortable ride and predictable handling, but are not a great choice for areas with large or abundant potholes as they tend to bubble easily with curb and pothole abuse.
I've always been a fan of Yokohamas. Great price for great performance. AVS or Advan series are both awesome for summer driving and some track use, but they need to be warm. These tires turn into rocks below 40 degrees. You'll definitely need an all-season for cooler weather driving. I'd recommend the AVID series for a good compromise between Yoko's performance abilities and all-season needs. They are great for AWD vehicles.
As far as Pirellis, some love 'em, some hate 'em. They look great and the prices are fair, but they are noisy and quality control issue can create vibrations (known as Road Force Variations). OK tire, OK price. P6000 suck in all conditions. PZero Rossa have cool red letters, but are outperformed by tires in the same price range. I wouldn't waste my time with anything but the PZero Corsa, but they are not a good choice for an AWD car as they are more geared towards something like a Porsche GT3.
I also avoid Continental. They discontinue tire lines randomly, are often on back-order, and are out-performed by much cheaper tires. ContiExtremeContact and ContiProContact are geared towards AWD cars, but the Pros suck in the rain and the Extremes are too often on back-order. The Pro line replaced the CH-95 Touring line and are a real compromise in all conditions. They understeer on dry pavement, lose grip on wet pavement, and are questionable in snowy conditions after just one season. As far as a performance tire, pick something other than Conti.
If you're on a budget, check out Falken. I personally always felt Falkens were noisy junk, but budget-oriented track guys love the Falken name. I personally prefer Kumho performance tires as they are quieter and seem to have a nicer build quality, but they seem to be consistently beaten by the equivalent tire by Falken.
There's always Dunlop SP series, BFGoodrich, Nitto, and Hankook, but these tires often have to be ordered becuase they are not as popular (and for a reason), so your car might be put down for a few days waiting on a tire if you need one in a rush.
And last, if it says "Goodyear," walk away.
To sum it up: I'd go with the Yokos for the best bang-for-your-buck. If you want all out weekend track performance and have the dough, nothing beats the Potenzas.
I got my tires so easily. where are they backordered?
3rd Gear
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,900
From: CT
ouzo 2: When the ContiExremes first came out, they made quickly made it to Tire Rack's top picks list. When I first saw them, I tried to get a set for my X-Type (225/45R17) and they were on back order for over three months (they had JUST come out!). I needed tires quickly, so I instead grabbed up some Yoko AVID H4S which were less expensive and held significantly better traction on dry pavement when I later compared them to the ContiExtremes I installed on a customer's A4.
Conti has had back order issues for a few years. Shutting down production plants and discontinuing tires lines is extremely frustrating. Porsche was actually buying Michelins and Pirellis for customers that had Contis on their vehicles. It's very upsetting to get a nail or a bubble in one tire and have to replace an entire set of 4 tires because the manufacturer has back ordered or discontinued the line only a month after your vehicle was fitted with them! Thus, Porsche stepped in and would split the cost of new tires with the customer and supply them with an alternative Michelin or Pirelli.
I'm not saying they are always on back-order. I'm just saying they've got issues!
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