CHOOSING UHP Tires- my choices-your comments

[druid-2]

OK...so I've been using the GS-2 for about 3 years now and I'm looking to take a step up.

I have narrowed it down to 3 choices

by price...

GOODYEAR F1 GS D3 (Max Performance Summer) @ 234.00


BFG- g-Force T/A KDW 2(Ultra High Performance Summer) @ $166.00


and Hankook Ventus V12 evo K110(Max Performance Summer) @ $144.00


The Michelins and Pirelli's are out of my price range and the only reason Goodyear is here is because I might get a retirees price break on them.



So......if you ARE RIDING ONE OF THESE 3 types on your car I'd like to hear the PRO's and CON's about them.

If you feel very strongly that I am missing one priced in the $150.00 range then please post it here also.

[kennysabarese]

Dunlop Direzza Star Spec Z1 best rated tire by Car and Driver

[kwayne]

I'm will be on my 3rd summer(when I put them back on next month) w/ KDW's. 1000% better than stock..
After I get back from the Nationals I'll probably be in need of new sneaks, looking for an asymetric performance tire otherwise I'd buy them again.

[JRinKY]

Tire Rack lists the GS-D3s as "closeout" and I did not see them on Goodyear's website the last time I looked.

kennysabarese: Dunlop Direzza Star Spec Z1 best rated tire by Car and Driver

$179 eack at Tire Rack. Certainly worth consideration.

I am real interested in where you go with this. I just bought a spare set of wheels, and will be buying a set of summer tires very soon.

[kennysabarese]

I'm putting the Direzza's on in two weeks.

[kennysabarese]

Originally Posted by kwayne I'm will be on my 3rd summer(when I put them back on next month) w/ KDW's. 1000% better than stock.. After I get back from the Nationals I'll probably be in need of new sneaks, looking for an asymetric performance tire otherwise I'd buy them again.

Just so you can rotate left to right? Why is that important?

[druid-2]

Originally Posted by kennysabarese Dunlop Direzza Star Spec Z1 best rated tire by Car and Driver

it's a drift tire with a tread life of about 10K

Goodyear makes them

[davytudope]

Originally Posted by druid-2 it's a drift tire with a tread life of about 10K Goodyear makes them

i dont know about it being a drift tire. i know a few people that road race and autocross them with good results.
and low tread life is what you get with a good tire. but i have a friend that has autocrossed most weeks last year and did a track day and the direzzas lasted longer than that. maybe not a lot longer, but longer.

[cincat12]

Hey Druid...with your career experience in tires, what do you recommend? I need new shoes, (would love to get them on before 3/20 run!!)

Originally Posted by druid-2 it's a drift tire with a tread life of about 10K Goodyear makes them

[kennysabarese]

What makes a tire suited for drift?

["Maine"-iac]

Originally Posted by kennysabarese Just so you can rotate left to right? Why is that important?

When you run a lot of camber the inside edges wear out pretty quick with a softer tire compound like the Direzza Star Specs. Having a tire with an asymetrical tread pattern allows you to place the inside edge of the left side tires to the outside edge on the right side and vice versa. Of course it means having them unmounted and remounted but at least it's cheaper than buying a new set of tires.

[Roadie Rob]

Druid - for what it's worth...my 2 cents

I have 2 sets of Hankook's and we love them (H725 and H727) on our daily drivers. I would have gotten the Ventus for the Sky but got a package deal on new rims with Kumho Ecsta ASX tires instead.

I am impressed with the Kumho's for the $. They are 100x times better than the GY F1's on the Redline/GXP, IMOP. When I was driving sweep last fall at the Dells in the pouring rain doing "catch up speed", these held the corners like nobody's business.



Best of luck on sorting out the options,
-Rob

[LiquidPT]

I just put the Hankook ventus on my car so I can't really give a review yet. I can tell you why I chose them though.

1) fairly highly rated dry traction (not quite as good as the direnza)
2) highly rated wet traction (important up here in the PNW)
3) price
4) available in my staggered setup (the BFG KDW wasn't)
5) supposed to be quieter than the Direnza (the roads here are a really rough concrete leading to a lot of road noise)

[sky888]

you can't go wrong with a set of NITTO NTO5

thousand times better than the stock tires

I got a set of 275/35/18 (rear) and 245/40/18 (front) for $750 ...........average of $187.50 per tire..which is on your price range!

[JRinKY]

"Maine"-iac : When you run a lot of camber the inside edges wear out pretty quick with a softer tire compound like the Direzza Star Specs. Having a tire with an asymetrical tread pattern allows you to place the inside edge of the left side tires to the outside edge on the right side and vice versa. Of course it means having them unmounted and remounted but at least it's cheaper than buying a new set of tires.

I think you have that backwards.

As I understand it there are two main descriptors for tires: Directional means a tire can only rotate in one direction. Symmetric means that it can be mounted with either side facing out.

1) A non-directional, symmetric tire can be used on any corner of the car, and rotated in any manner desired. It can also be mounted with either side facing out.

2) A directional, symmetric tire can be mounted for use on any corner of the car but, once mounted, can only be rotated fore and aft. To switch sides of the car it must be dismounted and reversed on the wheel.

3) A non-directional asymmetric tire can be used on any corner of the car, and rotated in any manner desired. It must be mounted with a particular side facing out.

4) A directional, asymmetric tire is supplied in LH and RH versions, must be mounted with the proper side out, and can only be rotated fore and aft. Even with dismounting, it cannot be used on the other side of the car.

Please, someone, correct me if I am wrong.