ghettomaximaz

GUys,

I need your help. One of my tires blew out today and am looking for a good all around performer.

I have a 2001 Maxima GLE, 215/55-16.

The car is a full time Florida car. I would like the car to be able to handle rain and heavy downpours quite well. I would also like the compund to not be so soft like Dunlop.

Any good suggestions on an all around performer would be greatly appreciated


What do you guys think of:
Dunlop Sport A2+
Continental CH-95

Thanks,
Steve

jjs

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey....jsp?type=HPAS

Stay away from the Contis. I have them on my C and already wore out a set at 11K miles...will see how long the 'warranty' replacements last.

Tosh

iTrader: (1)

Unless you are going to replace the blown tire with an _identical_ tire (same brand, line, and size), you should be looking to purchase a pair, mounted opposite each other, and relegate one of your existing tires to an emergency spare. The two front tires always should be identical; the two rear tires always should be identical; you can have different tires at the front vs. the rear.

You might take the opportunity to get a slightly wider (225mm vs 215mm) tire, which will make negligible difference in your speedometer and odometer, and will expand your range of options. A lot more tires are made in 225/55-16 than in 215/55-16.

All else being equal, a soft compound (we assume you refer to the tread compound; most modern tires use three or four compounds in different parts of the tire) is your friend, handling and braking better than a hard compound. The only downside of a soft compound is fast wear.

Dunlop compounds are no softer than other rubber companies' compounds. There are hard Michelins and soft Michelins, depending on the line within Michelin; there are hard Goodyears and soft Goodyears; hard Pirellis and soft Pirellis; hard Yokohamas and soft Yokohamas. Soft compounds are not the special province of any one brand.

The only function of a directional tread pattern is to aid in dispersion of water deep enough to flow on the roadway. (Directional tread patterns do nothing at all on dry surfaces.) If downpours are your primary concern, look to tires with radically directional treads, such as the Toyo Proxes T1-S. Another option is a tire with an asymmetrical tread pattern; asymmetrical tread patterns usually reflect asymmetrical internal construction as well, and there are some excellent asymmetrical tires that also are excellent at dispersing water on the roadway. For performance in the dry, an asymmetrical tire is usually a better bet than a directional tire.

You ask about two specific tires: Dunlop Sport A2+ and Conti CH95; both are dated designs. Within the Dunlop line, the SP Sport 01 is a thoroughly modern tire, and a much better choice than the Sport A2+. Within the Conti line, the ContiExtremeContact, a V-rated tire, would be a better choice than the H-rated CH95, which has been around for more than 20 years, and is getting a bit long in the tooth. I think you will find that the SP Sport 01 will steer much more precisely than the ContiExtremeContact,. as the latter lacks even one continuous rib, all ribs interrupted by cross-sipes. (The Conti CH95 also has cross-sipes interrupting every tread rib.)

ghettomaximaz

Thank you both very much for your answers.

Tosh, amazing write-up. Thank you for taking the time to write that.

I am looking for an all weather tire. The Dunlop SP Sport 01s you suggest are summer tires albeit probably amazingly good at channeling water away.

I guess since there are so many tires, one can become confused quite quickly.

What I am looking for in the tire is that it can handle the Florida heat and all the rain and be durable enough so that I wont have to buy another set after 11,000 miles of wear.

What do you guys think of Bridgestone Potenza's RE950?

Please help me with this

Tosh

iTrader: (1)

ghettomaximaz, it appears that one of us is confused.
Previously, you said that your Maxima is a year-round Florida car.
Is there a place in Florida that gets snow with any regularity?

A "summer" tire (probably not the best designation for it, but we don't get to make the rules of language) is really an every-day-of-the-year-it-does-not-snow tire. Think of it as a three-and-a-half season tire. If you want traction on _wet_ roads -- which is what I thought you were asking for -- a "summer" tire will beat the beejeezus out of an "all season" tire just about every time, right across brands and price levels.

What makes a tire an "all season" or "M & S" tire is the rubber in the tread compound, nothing more. In fact, some manufacturers make some of their tires in two versions, "summer" and "all season." Look at the Pirelli P Zero Nero (a "summer" tire): the tread pattern is identical to the tread pattern of the P Zero Nero M & S (an "all season" tire), and in some sizes both versions are available. The "M & S" designated tire is called M & S ("mud and snow": another name for "all season) because it has a tread compound that in technical jargon is called _hydrophilic_ -- "hydrophilic" is Greek for "likes water." This means that, in snow, when the weight of the car compacts the snow and causes it to melt ever so slightly, the snow gets wet and sticks to the tread; the snow sticking to the tread then compacts with the snow on the pavement, as in packing a snowball, and the tire gains traction.

"Summer" tires, in contrast, are made with _hydrophobic_ ("dislikes water") tread compounds, better to evaculate the water away from the tread, because a thin layer of water sticking to the tread between you and the pavement (which is what happens when the tread compound "likes water") acts as a fair lubricant, which is Not a Good Thing for traction.

Roll two cars, one with "all season" tires, and one with "summer" tires, through a puddle, then look at their respective treads. The tread of the "all season" tire will look shiny and wet, while the tread of the "summer" tire will look dry enough to light a match on. It is the summer tire you want under you on a wet road.

The Bridgestone Potenza RE950 is an "all season" tire.

You don't need to take my word for it. The Tire Rack regularly runs comparison tests of the tires they stock. usually in groups of four, almost always with their pet BMW 330Ci (sorry, they don't test on Maximas). The tests are done by different people under different ambient weather conditions, which yields great variability, and would never pass peer review in a scientific journal, but they are useful enough within individual test groupings to get a feel for the respective tires' strengths and weaknesses. One of the most revealing tests, always conducted, is braking on a wet surface from 50 to 0.

Here are some Tire Rack test wet 50-0 results:
What does this say to you?