got spoiled on Pilot Sports...
 

I'm due for another set of tires, and though I can toss another $1,200 for tires, i'd rather not. What's the next step down? I need a good all season with stiff sidewalls.

Pirelli Nero M&S if you don't mind running out of spec tires (235/45-17)

If you want stock size tires than, I guess, it's Kumho ASX.

stiff sidewalls are relative. The Proxes4 are not "stiff" but I'll still run circles around you and your Pilots ;) It's all about grip. That, and they run about $500 for a set of 4.

Less than that. I got them for 108 a tire shipped from treaddepot.com. Dont know if they are still that price though.

Proxe 4 wont have as stiff of a sidewall as the pilot sports but they still have quite a bit of grip.

I gotta have a stiff sidewall. Cant stand the feel of soft sidewall tires. My Nitto 450 grip like glue but are loud and feel soft like butter......

I dont have experience with the nittos, but Pilot sports are one of the best AS tires out there and you pay evey penny for them. If your willing to give up some sidewall stiffness the proxe 4s grip pretty well and arent noisey at all. To combat the sidewall issue which I encounter rarely I have them pumped up to 40+ psi all the time. The only time I notice the sidewall flex is when I'm really working the tire on a back road. I only feel it in quick transitions, in a constant apex I have never felt the tires roll over or give like most passenger tires would, and the times I have felt flex in the sidewalls is when I'm driving like a maniac togue style on a deserted back road at 4 in the morning.

On the other hand you could go the 2 tires for different seasons route. There are tires like the Hankook ventus r-s2 z212 which can be had for around 100 a tire and have the grip of some of the best street legal summer tires out there and you could use them on auto X (deff lookin at these for the rx7 I'm building). And then for the winter you could use whatever cheap winter/passenger tire you want. Down in Md the snow season deff isnt as bad as up here in MA. If you played your cards right you should be able to get 2 sets of tires for less than one set of Pilot sports and still get the best of both worlds.

Well since I've moved to Florida from Boston I am gonna probably try a summer tire since all season tires here don't seem like a smart choice. The roads here are like glass compared to roads in MASS. and having a stiff tire or stiff suspension isnt a problem. I may now consider lower springs. I'll probably go with Kumho tires
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Will these KUMHO ECSTA 215/50/17's, fit on my 99 Nissan Maxima GLE. I have 15's on them now. Please help, auction ends soon. This is the bolt patttern. 17 inch Bolt pattern is 5 on 115.

How long did your Pilots last?

Enjoy your vacation.

^^^ not too long. I believe he's on his second set already, or going on third:eek:

My bro had the Pilot A/S, HTR-Z II, and ASX. He votes Pilots hands down... if you can swing the #. They also lasted a darn long time.

Jae

i would also vote on the Proxes4....great tire. HAd them on my prelude and they lasted pretty long. I was kinda wondering about the avon 550 a/s as the next tire to replace my blowtenzas..... maybe you should try them and let me know how they are. ;)

i loved my pilots on my totaled 2003.. just bought some new ones for my new maxima.. but how did you spend 1200? i spent 800.

For $1200 they had better be > S03/02 PPs. $1200 can get you a set of Kosei K1s (well, COULD get you) AND some Hankook RS2s.

pilot sports in stock size cost u $1200? jeez, where do you get yours?