I possibly need (or actually want) a new street tire...

I am possibly getting some forged altima se-r wheels (18lbs/each) 18x8 wheels soon from a local guy for my everyday/street wheels! I am thinking about ditching my 235/40/18 toyo t1r's since I can't stand the horribly soft sidewalls anymore that make my suspension feel like it is half the spring rate it really is (although when I have my r comps on at autox or track, it's fun to see night and day difference) in either case, I don't want to spend too much money since I might be selling my max soon...I had an option for half used 245/40/18 kumho mx's but those are really old technology (albeit a good double duty tire for those times when I don't feel like changing out my tires at an autoX, keep in mind that heat is not so much an issue since I always change out to my ra-1's for road race work, however, I hear they are very soft sidewall as well), now I have a set of hankook rs2 z212 as a option and I am wondering if those will last longer than azenis rt-615's....and I also have a option for a really cheap set (local guy) of used michelin ps2's

what are your opinions on these tires? and if you had to get something better than the toyo t1r, yet can on occasion do double duty and run an autocross here and there on a lazy day where I don't feel like changing out for r comps as well as street mostly, which would you get? I know the z212 would have better grip than the ps2, but am wondering if it would be just as good of a everyday street tire...

if anyone's had experience with both, which has a stiffer sidewall, I know the kooks are not very stiff from what I've read, but anything would be a lot stiffer than t1r's? The ps2 has a 220 treadwear rating, the z212 has a 200...also does anyone know the weight of hankooks? they don't have it on their website, but I do know the ps2's are notoriously lightweight like the t1r's...which is an characteristic I want to keep.

factoring in price, the z212's are new but a guy is letting them go cheap $500/set and the ps2's are $300 since they are local pickup to save on shipping but are at 6-7/32'nds left...which would you get in my position? then I look at the rt-615 which isn't that much more for a new set at edgeracing than the kooks, but the 615's won't be as good in the rain and will heat cycle out early, leaving me with a 3/4 used tire that will suck from my past experience with them

so I guess the ultimate question becomes what are the sidewalls like in relation to eachother, what is the wear like in relation to eachother...

I already can guess what the grip is like compared to eachother, 615 is best by a fair margin, and z212 and ps2 are probably close with the z212 coming out on top...

 

Grip and everything will vary with heat cycling, tread depth, etc... and you KNOW this, man!

I don't think there is a way to ascertain the best tire for your application from the information given.

 

I don't want a best tire assesment, I know this is impossible, I want a objective opinion from those that have had experience with each of them along with a comparison of sidewall stiffness and wear more than anything...

I already know what will grip better and what will handle heat better or worse...

 

I meant that depending on the wear of the tires and how many times they have been heat cycled they will grip differently. A lot of these tires change properties after they have seen their share of track days or back roads. Most of the tires you are talking about are used, no?

That said, I'd want to go with PS2s simply because they are the best all around tires and will be seeing street use as well, IIRC the sidewalls are pretty stiff, but don't quote me on that.

 

no, the hankook's would be new, whereas the ps2's are used at 7/32'nds...

 

 

well what I'm saying is they are both good prices, but would you do in my position and which has a stiffer sidewall and what is the wear difference?

the price difference is not a an object, but rather they are both good deals, are the same size, I just need to know from others experiences what the their opinions on each are and how they compare in sidewall and wear...

 

The kook Z212 sidewalls were a bit soft for me, I have heard that the PS2 sidewalls are adequately stiff but I don't know firsthand as they're too expensive for me to consider them.

Wear wise you will probably get more out of the kooks since they're new, but I think they are similar to RT615s in that they will lose grip much before they've run out of life, my guess is that the PS2 as more of a street tire doesn't possess the same property to the same extent--but again, no firsthand experience.

 

hmm...it would be interesting to find out if the 615's and the kook's both share the property of becoming crap with a quarter life left...that would definitely knock them out of the running...but I do know the kook's handle heat a little better and rain/wet as well than the 615's...

the ps2's however while not as grippy, I am wondering how much slower they will wear than the kook and how stiff the sidewall is in relation to the kook...any idea on the z212 weight? I can't find it anywhere, whereas I can find the weights for the 615's and the ps2's...

so I guess the decision becomes $500 for a new set of kooks in 235/40/18 or $300 for a set of 6 or 7/32nd ps2's in the same size...

 

I have found the kooks to generally be between 615s and T1Rs in the weight category. They are never exemplary but generally aren't too heavy either. Obviously there are some outliers though.

 

T1Rs are very good tires especially in rainy track conditions. I had to finish off a track event in heavy downpour and it did excellent.

I'm looking at a set of Nittos for track events.

 

don't get me wrong, the t1r's are good for what they are, grip, wear, and wet grip, are good for the price, but those damn sidewalls...lol...makes my car feel like stock suspension!

I've had 615's, they are notoriously heavy! but the sidewalls are very stiff...similar to bridgestones philosophy, stiff sidewalls, heavy tire...

the bottomline is if the kooks are better in wet than the 615's (sure they are since tread pattern has more void area), and have stiffer sidewalls than t1r's combined with the ability to not heat cycle out 3/4 through the tire like the azenis, then I will certainly put them at the top of my list...other wise I might go for the used set of ps2's that are really cheap near me...

 

I ran T1Rs at the last event and they did pretty good, 245-40-18 and 265-35-18.

I'm looking at doing 275s all around on a set of CE28Ns this coming season, then again my car has absolutely nothing inside it now and lost about 350lbs over winter. I am going to have to recalibrate everything once I roll her out of the garage spring time.

1st official 5th gen dedicated time attack car

 

make that second, well it was only for one season though, I had absolutely no interior and 255/40/17's ra-1's on enkei rpf1's...and then 245/45/17 v710's...with no exhaust after the headers...lol...

 

I'm removing the dashboard, heater, A/C condenser, Lexan windows with manual front window regulators. I'm puting a STACK instrument cluster in there and a fuel cell in the trunk. Car is pretty uncomfortable to drive as it is now, I've decided to make it a time attack car. I find my R32 a comfy DD at the moment and the Maxima is my track queen.

 

r32 as in skyline or r32 vw?

wow, the only thing I took out except for the entire interior was a/c and heater...I was considering full roll cage and fuel cell/cut off switch/fire system but decided to put it all back together since at the time I didn't have another car, it was my only...

 

VW R32 is my winter beater for now.

I'm in process of mild turbocharging 350-400WHP (very high response turbo) and big time weight reduction. The car is not going to see any street after I get done, if anything maybe just a quick drive here n there but its not going to be a DD.

 

what is the torque/power bias of the r32 awd system?

 

hmm...so 6/7/32nd ps2's for $300 or new hankook z212's for $500...I am sure they will both be dead in the same amount of time/miles...provided the z212's don't do what the azenis do...

 

50/50 split when slip is detected. Its not a full time AWD like Subaru's. They sell Haldex controllers which can vary the TQ split and even engage the rear diff under braking. Alot of people have asked my why I don't track the R.

It would need a ton of weight reduction to do that, and personally I like the way Maxima handles.

I advise you not to buy used tires, I've done that a few times. Its a waste of $$$.

 

I just picked up some Hankook RS2 Z212 in 235/45/17. Given i havent taken them auto-xing in them yet, but i got to drive them VERY aggresively on the street for a day, and compared to my michelin pilot sports i like them much better. Dry traction is insane, i find the sidewalls are a tad soft, but the thing is, it takes quite a bit for them to break loose, i couldnt get them to break loose in a turn, even going over the speed limit but the breakaway seems pretty predictable i had a feeling i was getting close to it.

Overall im happy picked up 4 for cheap,

used tires i bought once, and i was told no holes, well i mount it, balance it within 10 minutes its loosing air, there was 2 HOLES, so now i have 2 patches in a tire i was told that was good, and usually by the time you realize something is bad, its too late, my freind picked up 2 used tires and one of the belts had shifted, he didnt realize it till he already had them for a week, it was only bad on hte freeway.

 

this is a friend who is selling the used ps2's...so it's not a shop...I wouldn't buy used tires from a shop...

but I have bought plenty of used r comps in the past and they worked out great...

that puts me off a little since I am trying to get away from mushy sidewalls from my t1r's...I wonder how the z212's are in comparison...

 

does anyone know or have read if the z212's remain grippy till the end and don't heat cycle out like the azenis?

 

They go off (suppose all do) a bit but nothing as bad like the Azenis. The sidewall was soft but was workable with some earlier turn in. I noticed a lack of straightline braking with the Z212's myself. Both freshly shaved and later in their life. Oh, FWIW a local B14 driver (JP) swears by em for open track days.

 

well I know they can handle a little bit more heat than the azenis before they get greasy, but they still do apparently...I just want a tire that will be consistenly grippy all the way through to the wear bars...tall order in grippy tires, which is what makes the ra-1 so popular for entire spec series, they only get faster till they cord...lol

I have also read that the straighline/longitudinal traction leaves something to be desired on the kook...acceleration and braking...

the sidewalls were soft in comparison to what other tire/were you comparing them to?

 

Given its a magazine review, but it still has some good points.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features...the-tread.html

Personally id say there on par in wet traction with my old michelin pilot sport a/s's. Given when i initially got them they only had about 75% tread, and these are rs2's are brand new, but tire traction shouldnt degrade that signifiantly at 75% lol. Sidewalls id say are WAY stiffer then my pilot sports a/s. Its funny when i removed them, i got one of my fat freinds to sit on the michelin, it flexed quite a bit while the hankook barely did, now it probably didnt prove much but i thought it was interesting.

Overall im happy. Obviously there are better tires out there, but for the price there good, I think they will definately outlast the PS2's.

 

for double duty, the azeni's are my favorite.
when pushed the azeni's don't just fall away on you, you can feel the limit approaching. plus they are good for many many heat cycles. they don't make a bad everyday tire either.
the azeni's were used on a slightly modded miata, e46 m3 and triumph tr6
i have no experience with any of the others.

 

what do you guys think of/or have heard of the new dunlop z1?

 

Sidewalls are nice and strong on the hankooks

 

okay.. lemme get this straight.. the first line of the thread says you want a new STREET tire. you already have the RA-1 for a track tire.

My opinion is to go buy the cheapest 60,000 mile all-seasons you can find and deal with it. run the RA-1 when you want something sticky and run the plastic tires the rest of the time.

No point in buying tires that cost just as much as the RA-1 if you're going to drive them on the street.

just my $0.02.

 

I don't want a all-season, as if you read my original post, I said I want a tire that can do double duty for autocross when need be...the ra-1 will be dedicated to road racing/track...

and the ra-1's I always get really cheap, there is an abundance of used ones out here at all the events for sale...

I don't mind spending some decent cash on street tires (within reason, certainly not neova's--lol) as long as they are something that mixes the best of both worlds for my needs. A tall order I know, but very doable since I only put about 6K miles/year on my max...

also, there's no point in getting an all-season out in los angeles...we don't have seasons...lol

 

1st hand softer than BFG KD, Falken 215 and 615, Bridge RE01.

 

I think I am going to get the kook's...or possibly the new dunlop z1 if my friend who works for dunlop can get me them cheap...I wonder how they stack up...

this upcoming year should be interesting with the re-01r replacements (the re-11's), and the toyo r1r as well as kumho xs...this should make the street tire classes very interesting.

on a slight tangent, does anyone know if the new toyo r888's have a softer/different compound then the ra-1's? or is the only difference the internal construction and tread pattern?

 

I've used the kumho mx, both for autox and at pdx. For the money they can't be beat. Very predictable at the limit. I'm a relative beginner, so I'm looking for predictable, and I'm also a cheapskate.

 

I just picked up a set of used (5/32nd) neova's from a local aftermarket tuning shop (tri-point engineering) if any of you are familiar with them...can't wait to get them installed...

 

Nice buy. I can imagine the for sale ad...recently bought neova's for sale, about 22miles (10lap Laguna) on em, 5/32 tread left mostly on the inside edges...

 

Never thought I'd have neova's on the account of them being so expensive, so I never considered them as a feasible/realistic option...I just got lucky, the ad went up on a mazda forum and I happened to stumble upon it 15min after it was posted; afterwards, there was a flood of responses from others but I had first dibs