Help me pick out some tires!

"Axial" (axial)
05/08/2014 at 20:30 • Filed to: corvette c4 need tires ohgodslicksintherain

So, the 1996 LT4 Corvette needs some tires. The Firehawk Wide Ovals I have on it now were on the car when I got it ~20,000 miles ago, and they are no longer made in the sizes I need. I'm not looking to break the bank, and I'd like to keep it under $800 for all four if I can. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! tires for ~$500 because I've heard good things about them, but because I'm not actually that experienced with this I am making an appeal to my favourite set of people on the internet for recommendations.

So, here are the sizes I need:

Rear: 285/40/R17

Front: 255/45/R17

I use the car as a daily driver, so anything that is essentially street-legal racing slicks is a non-starter. If you know of some all-seasons in the required sizes, great! But summer tires are fine, too. Push comes to shove, I get a set of winter-shoe steelies and on the cheap.

Thanks, all!

DISCUSSION (38)

jkm7680 > Axial
05/08/2014 at 20:35

Dammit, No Hoosiers I guess.

Those tires that you're looking at sound nice. Michelin Pilot Sport As Plus also are good for C4 Vettes.

Axial > jkm7680
05/08/2014 at 20:41

They are also super pricey (for good reason). You're looking at ~$1200 for a set of 4! ._.;;

jkm7680 > Axial
05/08/2014 at 20:43

Yup, I could't help it Haha. My father now has a C5 used to have a C4 with those tires on it. Great tires, held up nicely felt better also. Besides the fact that the original tires were. Well, original.

Smackjack21 > Axial
05/08/2014 at 20:46

I Dont have any personal experiences with the Nittos, but Ive seen quite a few sets of them at autocross. I dont think you'll find much else in the price range that would touch these. Conti DW's could be another possibility, but might be a bit more than the NT555's, and not quite as sticky.

Axial > jkm7680
05/08/2014 at 20:47

Interesting note: if you have a set of original Goodyear Gatorbacks that haven't rotted out, they are worth money to people who do NCRS shows.

As for the Michelin's, I would totally get them if I could and this post would not exist. However, the car needs shoes sooner rather than later (barely passed inspection last month, also need alignment) and because of that saving is not an option.

jkm7680 > Axial
05/08/2014 at 20:50

Dammit. It's about five years too late now. From what I remember, they had minimal tread on them, unsafely minimal tread.

But I understand why you'd need some tires to get the job done. I'll keep my eye out!

PheeNoIVI > Axial
05/08/2014 at 20:51

I don't know much about tired. But show me the corvette!

PheeNoIVI > Axial
05/08/2014 at 20:52

Let me see the ride!

signintoburnerlol > Axial
05/08/2014 at 20:53

Continental

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.js…

I'm too lazy to fix the font. But these are quite good...

dogisbadob > Axial
05/08/2014 at 20:57

Don't buy directional tires, because you can't rotate them.

The best tires available in your size seem to be the Continental DW (summer) about $700 for the set.

I cannot find any winter tires in those sizes, so you'll have to minus-size.

signintoburnerlol > dogisbadob
05/08/2014 at 20:59

You can front to back instead of crossing...

But he's still staggered...

Axial > signintoburnerlol
05/08/2014 at 21:10

Can't do that either, actually. The car has different widths front and back. I could swap sides left-to-right, if that's what you were trying to say, but no diagonal and no front-to-back.

Axial > dogisbadob
05/08/2014 at 21:13

Yeah, I saw the Contis. They were actually my first option, but the price of the Nittos is significantly less and it makes them hard to ignore. The car actually wears very evenly, except for this past winter when I did a one-wheel burnout on the driveway because of surprise snow, so rotating isn't really much of a concern.

Still, the Contis are in the running. Them, these Nittos, and a set of Kumhos. Apparently my car has a weird tire size. Thanks for looking!

P.S. Yeah, I know I'll have to downsize for winter. The wheels are too wide even for winter tires to help much; they spread the weight out over too large a surface. Something narrower for steelies. Probably 235 to 255-ish all around.

Axial > PheeNoIVI
05/08/2014 at 21:15

Ha ha, hold onto your britches! I'm multi-tasking.

Kinja'd!!!

Axial > signintoburnerlol
05/08/2014 at 21:16

They were my original first pick. Have you used them? If so, can you give a mini-review?

PheeNoIVI > Axial
05/08/2014 at 21:17

Haha Saweet!

signintoburnerlol > Axial
05/08/2014 at 21:18

Only drove them used on a friends Mustang. Compared to the old tires on that car, the continentals were a lot better. They didn't chirp as much, cornering is good. Sidewall is great, not a lot of flex.

Axial > Smackjack21
05/08/2014 at 21:22

The Continental EC DWs were actually my original first pick, but with the Nittos being $100 cheaper, it was hard to ignore. Apparently, they still offer a AA-level of traction, but the tire wear rating is superior (if you can even count that across different brands). They are still under consideration, however, since they have stellar ratings. Have you used the DWs before?

Axial > signintoburnerlol
05/08/2014 at 21:24

Sounds promising. I doubt I'll find a tire that compares favourably to what is already on the car, due to price class, but if I can still take empty exit loops at 50+ we're good!

dogisbadob > Axial
05/08/2014 at 21:25

Aren't the Kumhos directional also? And so are the Nittos, which leaves Conti.

I hate weird tire sizes, and I'm glad to help you out because I know how it feels!

Axial > dogisbadob
05/08/2014 at 21:29

I appreciate it, thanks! Twenty years ago, 17 inches was the common performance car size and 18 inches was for supercars. Now, 20 inches is for super cars and 18 inches is where performance cars start. Most seem to actually go to 19 now. Boo, big wheels!

Yeah, the Kumhos are directional. They also have quite a bit of reviews talking about blowouts, so they are at the bottom of my list. If I'm willing to shoe the rears with 275s and the fronts with 245s, I can find more options. However, I'd really like to keep it stock if I can.

Aren't the Continental DWs also asymmetrical? Doesn't that not bode well for tire rotation, too?

Axial > PheeNoIVI
05/08/2014 at 21:30

Dat fender panel tho.

dogisbadob > Axial
05/08/2014 at 21:51

Oh yeah I hate big wheels/tires! It also hurts the low end. For example, 195/60-14 used to be a very common size in the 90s among sporty compact cars like the Integra; today, they basically don't exist.

Yes, the DW is asymmetric. Asymmetric tires are perfectly fine for tire rotation. Those tires have an inside and an outside, and the outside stays on the outside when rotated, and the inside stays inside.

Even mainstream economy and family sedans have dubs these days!

My tire size is 206/65-15, but requires a speed rating of V. Thankfully there is still a decent if not great selection of such tires, but they might not be available by the time my tires wear out! But hopefully, I'll have another car by then. My tires are the Dunlop SP Sport Signature, and I'd easily recommend them to you if they were available in your sizes. I just got them at the start of this year.

Smackjack21 > Axial
05/08/2014 at 21:56

I had DWSs on a daily driver a couple of years ago and was happy with those, but wish I went for the DWs.

Axial > Smackjack21
05/08/2014 at 22:05

Was it because there is less grip on the DWS? Those are A-rated while the DWs are AA. UTG is much higher on the DWS, though.

Axial > dogisbadob
05/08/2014 at 22:10

What's your car? Those are some super-skinny-but-also-super-thick tires, at least relative to the sizes I am familiar with. :o

Yeah, modern family cars also go to 18- and 19-inch today. It's ridiculous. I was pleased when Cadillac stuck with 18 on the ATS when everybody else is going to 20, and I was equally pleased when the reviews came in and said them doing so accomplished exactly what they said it would: superior ride and handling.

As for tire rotations, I can only swap left and right sides anyway, no front to back. You think going directional would really be that much of an issue?

Smackjack21 > Axial
05/08/2014 at 22:22

I was driving 90 miles a day for work and didn't want to burn through them too quick, so the 500-something UTG appealed to me. They were very predictable and stable. I would buy something similar again.

Axial > Smackjack21
05/08/2014 at 22:25

I drive about 55 miles per day for classes, so that actually appeals to me as well. I haven't found anything with a UTG in excess of 400-ish, though, and that was on $330 tires.

dogisbadob > Axial
05/08/2014 at 22:25

I have a 1996 Lexus ES300 (Camry)

And of course, I'm not really a fan of directional tires, and I'd still want to swap side-to-side, especially in a staggered setup where I can't go front-to-back!

Directional tires are OK if you're willing to take your Vette to Walmart. They sell all the tires you're considering, and their lifetime balance/rotation package includes remounting for directional tires.

Axial > dogisbadob
05/08/2014 at 22:32

Oh snap, if Wal-Mart sells them that probably means Sam's Club sells them, too. I honestly never looked at Wal-Mart, because trying to find stuff for my car from them has typically been a hit-or-miss affair with a bias toward missing.

Heh, Camry. It's at least cushier than an actual Camry, right?

Edit:
*Nooooooooooope* They only have Pirelli PZero System and Goodyear Eagle F1s. That's a $700 and $320 tire, respectively.

Smackjack21 > Axial
05/08/2014 at 22:33

If it were me, I'd pull the trigger on the NT555. Cheapest tire, still decent reviews. Worst case you hate them but can get a year or two out of them, and not be too far behind $ wise. Also I'm guessing your not going to see anything higher UTG than the 300s because the cars need something sticky enough to keep them pointing in the right direction.

dogisbadob > Axial
05/08/2014 at 22:47

The third-gen Camry is the best car ever made. The ES300 just adds some extra luxury and prestige to that. It's slightly cushier , although I haven't been in a 3g regular Camry in a long time.

The clubs (Sam, Costco, BJ, etc) usually have a fairly narrow tire selection, even in common sizes.

Axial > dogisbadob
05/08/2014 at 23:00

So I noticed. And here I was hoping to shave ~10% off the price with Sam's.

What are you looking to replace the ES300 with?

dogisbadob > Axial
05/08/2014 at 23:12

It's also surprising that Falken doesn't have any tires for your car, especially since they're known for having a wide variety of sizes and is usually very good with odd sizes.

As far as replacing my ES300, I won't be able to afford to replace it for awhile, but I'd like to get a 4-cylinder with more aftermarket support, better gas mileage, and easier to work on (transverse V6's are EVIL!) and of course a manual (my Lexus is automatic). The front-runner is the Vibe GT/Matrix XRS with the 2ZZ engine, but I'm also looking into the Saturn Astra with its huge panoramic sunroof even though I'm not a huge GM fan, and there's also the P11 G20 (small 4-cylinder luxury cars are awesome). But I'm not ready to buy right now, and the market may very well change by the time I am (more/newer cars falling into my price range, older cars disappearing from the streets, etc).

Axial > dogisbadob
05/08/2014 at 23:21

You might hate me for suggesting this, but I recommend staying away from the Vibe (I was not impressed by it when I was in one) and instead looking at the Saturn Ion. Yes, even with the ignition switch recall. The '06-end models are really, really good. They are easy to work on, they have very stout engines, and, if you can find a Redline (which comes in the rare 2.4L N/A and more common 2.0 L S/C variants), the suspension is great. You'll have to get over the center-mounted gauge cluster, but the fit and finish on the car is surprisingly good and the creature comforts are many. Clutch is easy to work (I prefer my stiff truck-clutch though) and the lever is snappy.

And the best part? It comes as a quad coupe. That means four doors with the appearance of two.

One of my best friends has one (a rare, blue 2.0 L N/A Redline), and I am impressed by it every time I sit in it or drive it. And he recently put a proper Borla exhaust on it, so it crackles and pops nicely. None of that ricer-buzzing.

dogisbadob > Axial
05/08/2014 at 23:41

Thank you for the suggestion!

What exactly is/was wrong with your Vibe? I know that newer Toyotas aren't as good as they were during the golden age (early-to-mid 90s), but I thought the 9g Corolla/Vibe/Matrix were still good.

If the Ion is as good as you say it is, I'd consider it, but of course I still prefer a real sedan or hatchback over a coupe, even a quad coupe.

I will admit to liking the HHR SS more than I should, as well as the 2009-only Cobalt SS turbo sedan.

The center mounted cluster doesn't matter to me either way. The only reason I'm ruling out the Scion xA with its center cluster is because you can't get a sunroof on it, except for the *very rare* release series, where you might as well not even bother looking for such a unicorn.

Axial > dogisbadob
05/08/2014 at 23:52

Nothing was really wrong with it, it was just...blah. Nothing particularly stand out, other than the fact that it could be had in super basic trim AND still be a manual. It was a beige Toyota at heart, and it showed. As cliché and over-bought as the car is, I'd rather have a GTI. GLI if you want to be weird (and awesome, because I am not fond of hatchbacks).

The Ion does have a sunroof! It's not full panoramic, but most cars aren't. I wouldn't recommend a Cobalt, simply because they feel like super cheap plastic inside...because they are super cheap plastic inside. :(

Textured Soy Protein > Axial
05/09/2014 at 00:52

I had the Continental DW on my old Mazdaspeed 6. They replaced a set of Sumitomo HTR Z III on the same car.

Tire Rack lists both of these as "max performance summer" tires.

In terms of handling, peak grip levels started out about the same. Wet traction was perhaps ever so slightly better for the DWs. The HTR Z IIIs had sharper turn-in response, more steering feel, and held up to extended fast driving better before going greasy.

But, the DWs were a much easier tire to live with day to day. In return for the not-as-good handling, they're a lot more comfortable, quiet, and last longer.

I don't have personal experience with the NT555s but from the reviews I've seen of them, I'm reasonably confident they won't drive as nice as the DWs but also won't last as long.

It looks like that Tire Buyer site you found doesn't have the Contis in your rear size, so a set from Tire Rack is $632 + shipping. But hey there's a promo for 2 free nights at participating Marriott hotels with a set of 4!

Really though, you might save a couple hundred bucks up front on the Nittos, but you'll probably have to replace them sooner, and the Continentals are just nicer. Unless you're particularly strapped for cash, I think the Continentals are worth it.