Tire comparison

[whiteryder]

I'm looking at tires again...  any opinions on these three options?

   Bridgestone Potenza RE-11

   Yokohama ADVAN Neova AD08

   Michelin Pilot Super Sport

(Sorry Chris - no Hoosiers in my size!  )

[gunny]

some new rims and Hoosiers!

I have the Bridgestone Potenza RE050A on the Vette and I like them alot. They stick pretty good and worked really well at VIR's Patriot course. Treadwear is 140, They just need a little heat and the right air pressure. I will replace them with the same tire when I need to.

LOL
 
Gunny

[wahoo5]

I assume you have already done this, but Tire Rack does fairly extensive testing on their own.

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/testDisplay.jsp?ttid=118

A lot depends on what you plan to do with them. Are they just for autocross, or do you plan to drive them on the street? Just to events, or for trips around the state? What about cold weather? Most of these tires will suck in really cold weather. The Direzza gets downgraded for noise. Do you care?

David

[blue06civic]

no Hoosiers in my size! 

I feel obligated to point out that 245/35/18 and 275/35/18 Hoosier A6s are both available and those would fit quite nicely.

[whiteryder]

A lot depends on what you plan to do with them.

Good point!   These would be for autox + track + driving to/from same.

[whiteryder]

I feel obligated to point out that 245/35/18 and 275/35/18 Hoosier A6s are both available and those would fit quite nicely.

Actually the A6 275's show "special order".  Were you looking at the R6's?

[blue06civic]

I didn't look at availability.

You can't go wrong with the RE11s.  The Kumho Ecsta XSs and Dunlop Direzza Star Specs are also very good.

If you're looking for a super aggressive tire that you can still drive on the street, when it's dry, check out the Nitto NT-01s.  They come in 235/40/18 and 275/35/18 or 275/40/18.  They can take a lot of heat cycles and are a good mix between a track and autocross tire.  Discount Tire Direct sells them.

[ccann26]

RE11's tread wear 180 if you want to be able to run street tire index and the NT01's tread wear 100 if you just want a hybrid on and off the track. I  have used both the NT01's and the NT555r2's by nitto and they are both great sticky tires not very good in the rain though I felt like my bridgestones had a stiffer sidewall but the NT01's were a little more sticky I would probably go with the re11's

these are the bridgestones that came stock on my old mazdaspeed3 and they were incredible the RE11's are a step up from these  :

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza+RE050A&partnum=145YR8RE050AXL&autoMake=Mazda&autoYear=2007&autoModel=MazdaSpeed3&autoModClar=

[whiteryder]

RE11's tread wear 180 if you want to be able to run street tire index

Yeah I figure the A6 treadwear (40) would be gone by the time I got to VIR. 

I'm leaning toward the RE11s myself...

[ricardodemoraes]

Had the RE050a before and now I have the Direzzas Super spec, the bridgestones are great tires, but if you want to autocross with it, the Direzzas will give you much more grip but they are noisy compared to the Bridgestones.

[Conemasher]

I would also consider the Hankook RS-3's. Direzza's are a bit noisy, but quite grippy.

[gunny]

Oh yea, i don't think you would want to use the a6's at a track day, they would be toast in just a few laps.

I might have to try those re11's!

Gunny

[pipefitter]

The Nitto NT-01's worked well on my ITA car at Summt Point. At least they out-lasted the engine! They do not seem to like autocrossing on my Z-28. They launch hard, (better than A-6's, 710's, or Victorracers), but they seems to get "greasy" pretty quick. Once I slide a little, they're history. That being said, the price is great, and if I had a bit more patience, they may work on the Camaro. That car is heavy, has a solid rear, and mine has a little over 300hp at the wheels, has the worst posi in the world, and spinning the tires is unwanted, but all but unavoidable.

[whiteryder]

Ohhhhhhhh, shadeofarubbertree!!!   
Just took my first drive on the new tires - and they are amazing.
Even I can tell the difference, with my ham hands and lead feet.

I think it's going to be hard to go back to the old ones for winter.

[blue06civic]

Good stuff, did you go with the RE11s?

[Marc]

The big question is what did you do for wheels???

[whiteryder]

 
on both counts.



p.s. added file with tire rack comparison data (so I can find it again next time)