Tire Choice Considerations Pre/Post Car Purchases

"VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely" (vajazzlemcdildertits) 04/18/2019 at 18:05 • Filed to: michelin, expensive, tirelopnik

1

23

I don’t know if everyone is already doing this, as the majority of cars have tires and wheel options available en masse, but it could still be useful to check the intended wheel and tire sizes for the car that you are acquiring before you buy it.

My NSX had a staggered 16"/17" wheel setup (aftermarket) that was a challenge to find tires with the right dimensions for the fronts without going a little narrow or wide.

My Z06 has 20"x12" rear wheels that take OEM tire specs of P335/25ZR20 which Tire Rack only sells a few models of.

Sticking with Tire Rack for the time being, I can purchase:

1. Conti ExtremeContact Sport
2. Michelin Pilot Super Sport ZP
3. Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ ZP
4. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 (Currently running and going bald at 5k mi)
5. And interestingly, Michelin Pilot Alpin PA4 Winter tires that also fit the stock wheels.

The last time I bought rears to have mounted/balanced, the rears were so big that Firestone told me to go somewhere else. So I did.

The Cup 2 rears are wearing so fast on my current daily Vette that I’m probably going to switch to the Super Sports. I realize I can probably switch out to non-runflats, but when I attempt to search by size only on Tire Rack the Contis and the Alpins are showing up that way.

Chariotoflove > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 04/18/2019 at 18:17

1

I don’t usually let wheel size factor into my choice of purchase.  I have had new cars, like my RX-8, come with expensive Goodyear performance tires.  When it’s time to replace them, I got with some Bridgestones or similar at half the price.

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > Chariotoflove 04/18/2019 at 18:21

1

I was the same way with my STI. However, as I continue on this adventure called life, it appears that my tried and true strategies are starting to dwindle as I foray further into more exclusive territory...

Chariotoflove > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 04/18/2019 at 18:27

0

They are.  I’m imagining my method wouldn’t apply very well to your ‘vette.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 04/18/2019 at 18:33

1

Yozers, I paid $400 for my last set of 4 tires...

benjrblant > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 04/18/2019 at 18:33

3

A good friend looks up tire cost per specific vehicle and says it’s a surprisingly good gauge to estimate cost of ownership, maintenance, parts cost, etc.

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 04/18/2019 at 18:37

1

Admittedly the fronts are wearing fine! 

Just Jeepin' > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 04/18/2019 at 18:42

1

Fortunately I haven’t pulled the trigger on anything and discovered this problem too late, but my concern is that I don’t want to buy something that doesn’t have the room to carry a full-size spare.

I could live with a donut, I suppose, but this new trend of not including any spare at all is unacceptable to me.

OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 04/18/2019 at 19:01

1

The inside of those tires look pre driven

AestheticsInMotion > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 04/18/2019 at 19:05

0

That's a big tire... 

I’ve been running 205's on 15x8's, but apparently that’s slightly stretched and 225 would be the ideal size. Unfortunately 205's have all the great 200tw summer tires, whereas 225's just have high performance all-seasons, and straight up race tires in 15 inch sizes...

BeaterGT > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 04/18/2019 at 19:12

0

Yeahhhh I didn’t do this when I bought the C5Z. Tirerack shows 1 option for the stock sizes , Goodyear Eagle F1s. S izing up made things easier.

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > Just Jeepin' 04/18/2019 at 19:16

0

I totally get that full size spare feel. Typically they only show up in non-run flat AWD/4WD vehicles.

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > OpposResidentLexusGuy - USE20, XF20, XU30 and Press Cars 04/18/2019 at 19:16

1

Funny thing, that’s what one of my friends said when he was checking out my car.
“Hey your tires are bald, dude”
“No, that’s just how Cup 2s look” 

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > BeaterGT 04/18/2019 at 19:27

0

So you’re saying I should get 21's for the rears, then? :D

Just Jeepin' > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 04/18/2019 at 19:33

1

I don’t even mind if they don’t provide a spare, just so long as there’s space for one somewhere.

BeaterGT > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 04/18/2019 at 19:37

1

For me it was going   wider. B ut 21s on the rear doesn’t look the worst, certainly helps with the stock 4x4 look ..

promoted by the color red > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 04/18/2019 at 19:48

0

I’m not sure if i want to install the cheapest decent quality all-seasons on the Volvo or run with the Goodyear RS-As that give it something of a sportier stance .

T hey’re 15" so it’s not a big deal either way.

factoryhack > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 04/18/2019 at 20:10

1

I got really tired of buying tires on my Grand Sport so   I switched to the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S 3+ ZP. The 500 tread wear rating is a massive improvement over any equivalent performance rubbe r. I can’t say I notice any loss of steering feel or grip from either the crappy Eagle F1s or my last set of Pilot Super Sports (which were phenomenal). Then again I don’t track it so my take only applies to street driving. 

DAWRX - The Herb Strikes Back > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 04/18/2019 at 20:16

1

I’m uhhh...not going to complain about paying 120 a tire now...

But in all seriousness while the stock 17x8 wheels on my WRX are quite ugly, I quite enjoy that I don’t have to pay the premium (around $40 a tire more)  on the tires that the upgraded 18x8.5 wheels require.

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > factoryhack 04/18/2019 at 20:28

1

I appreciate the input! I’ve read that others have done the same and am considering it, but I might run through a set of Super Sports just to get a feel for them. 

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > BeaterGT 04/18/2019 at 20:28

0

ihm96 > AestheticsInMotion 04/18/2019 at 20:36

0

Yeah finding a good set of 225/60r15s for my E34 was impossible. Cooper cs5s weren’t bad but I’m going to 17s now to make it better and to open up the gateway to swapping 340i m sport brakes eventually cause they bolt up

VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely > DAWRX - The Herb Strikes Back 04/18/2019 at 20:38

0

Also, if it’s anything like the 18s I had on my STI, they are a fair bit noisier as well. 

DAWRX - The Herb Strikes Back > VajazzleMcDildertits - read carefully, respond politely 04/19/2019 at 07:47

0

oh my god that’s the last thing I need