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**Here is the FAQ thread from the old boards that answers many questions:
http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/s...322090&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=7&fpart=1 ** 1314
We really don't need a million threads on this topic.
OEM tires ranged from 185 to 215 in width and 24" to 25" in OD.
Sizes:
14"
Sorry, not much made for you anymore. Get some cheap used 15s.
15"
205/60R15 - tallish but meaty
205/55R15 - rarer, I believe. Probably a bit small.
16"
205/50R16 - probably too small.
215/50R16 - nice size, but hard to find. OEM SVT.
205/55R16 - Not bad, a little narrow and tall. OEM SVT.
225/45R16 - low-profile option, fits easily and offers a low-profile look
225/50R16 - a bit meatier option for 16" wheels, will put the power down better
17"
225/45R17 - very common, great fit, 'nuff said. Don't bother with anything else on 17s.
18"
225/40R18 - there are a couple other sizes you can fit, but they might rub
19+
get some lighter wheels.
Tires:
Ultimate Street Tires. There is a new group of awesome tires that are expensive but offer massive dry grip, great wet performance, and a quiet, smooth ride. These are at home pimping it around town, ripping up an autocross, tearing down a racetrack at 120mph, or cutting a light at the local strip.
Bridgestone RE-01R - reasonably priced with some good 16" and 17" sizes. The 225/50R16 is the ONLY tire I would run on stock SVT wheels if you can swing the cost.
Yokohama Advan Neova AD07 - Just amazing. Very, very expensive and only 17"+. If you have 17s and the cash ($192 each) the 225/45R17 will rock your world.
"Comprimised" track/street tires. These offer about the same performance as the last category, but are not as well-rounded for one reason or another.
Hankook Ventus Z212 S2- a little slower, wears faster, but is cheap and offers great wet traction.
Falken Azenis Sport 615 - between the first two and the Hankook in speed, but not as good as any of them in the wet. Overheats on hot autocross courses, needs to be sprayed to be fast. Not very expensive.
Economy Tires. If you're not seriously campaigning a street-tire autocross class or looking to spend beau coup bucks on street tires, these will give you the vast majority of the performance without the high price tag.
Kumho Escta SPT - Cheap, handles heat fairly well, good (or great) in the wet.
Goodyear GS-D3 - okay, I should list this. It's the best wet tire there is for the money. Possibly better than the Advan Neova, but I don't know about that. If you are looking for wet performance on a budget, this is the tire for you. NOT good for track or autocross use, but does okay in the dry on the street.
There are handful of other tires like the Yokohama AVS ES100, Toyo T1-R, Bridgestone Potenza S03, General Exclaim, Kumho MX, BFG KD and KDW2, etc. that get lots of attention. I have looked into these tires extensively and I see nothing else on the market that is worth the money. The SPT cleans up the economy end of the market and the RE-01R is cheap enough that the other "high-end" tires just can't compete. For the autocrosser on a budget you have the Azenis for cooler conditions and Hankook when wet is important. And for the ultimate in everything, the Yoko is probably the perfect tire.
If you are absolutely broke, Discount Tire Direct has the Falken Ziex ZE-512. They stick very well for the money and do okay in the wet. They don't last very long or work at all in the snow, however. I would consider these the kind of tires you get when you're selling the car soon, or when you NEED tires but have no money at all. Available in 14" sizes.
Note: All-seasons are junk. The Kumho ASX isn't a bad tire, but it's still nothing compared to an SPT/Winterforce combo. And remember - when you use tires for half the year, they last twice as long. Now, if you live where you rarely get snow, but when you do you NEED to drive in it, I guess the ASX might work. I certainly wouldn't screw around with any other "all-season". But a final word - if at all possible, get different tires for winter and summer. It's not much more (if any) money, and you get an incredible boost in performance all year long.
http://www.contour.org/ubbthreads/s...322090&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=7&fpart=1 ** 1314
We really don't need a million threads on this topic.
OEM tires ranged from 185 to 215 in width and 24" to 25" in OD.
Sizes:
14"
Sorry, not much made for you anymore. Get some cheap used 15s.
15"
205/60R15 - tallish but meaty
205/55R15 - rarer, I believe. Probably a bit small.
16"
205/50R16 - probably too small.
215/50R16 - nice size, but hard to find. OEM SVT.
205/55R16 - Not bad, a little narrow and tall. OEM SVT.
225/45R16 - low-profile option, fits easily and offers a low-profile look
225/50R16 - a bit meatier option for 16" wheels, will put the power down better
17"
225/45R17 - very common, great fit, 'nuff said. Don't bother with anything else on 17s.
18"
225/40R18 - there are a couple other sizes you can fit, but they might rub
19+
get some lighter wheels.
Tires:
Ultimate Street Tires. There is a new group of awesome tires that are expensive but offer massive dry grip, great wet performance, and a quiet, smooth ride. These are at home pimping it around town, ripping up an autocross, tearing down a racetrack at 120mph, or cutting a light at the local strip.
Bridgestone RE-01R - reasonably priced with some good 16" and 17" sizes. The 225/50R16 is the ONLY tire I would run on stock SVT wheels if you can swing the cost.
Yokohama Advan Neova AD07 - Just amazing. Very, very expensive and only 17"+. If you have 17s and the cash ($192 each) the 225/45R17 will rock your world.
"Comprimised" track/street tires. These offer about the same performance as the last category, but are not as well-rounded for one reason or another.
Hankook Ventus Z212 S2- a little slower, wears faster, but is cheap and offers great wet traction.
Falken Azenis Sport 615 - between the first two and the Hankook in speed, but not as good as any of them in the wet. Overheats on hot autocross courses, needs to be sprayed to be fast. Not very expensive.
Economy Tires. If you're not seriously campaigning a street-tire autocross class or looking to spend beau coup bucks on street tires, these will give you the vast majority of the performance without the high price tag.
Kumho Escta SPT - Cheap, handles heat fairly well, good (or great) in the wet.
Goodyear GS-D3 - okay, I should list this. It's the best wet tire there is for the money. Possibly better than the Advan Neova, but I don't know about that. If you are looking for wet performance on a budget, this is the tire for you. NOT good for track or autocross use, but does okay in the dry on the street.
There are handful of other tires like the Yokohama AVS ES100, Toyo T1-R, Bridgestone Potenza S03, General Exclaim, Kumho MX, BFG KD and KDW2, etc. that get lots of attention. I have looked into these tires extensively and I see nothing else on the market that is worth the money. The SPT cleans up the economy end of the market and the RE-01R is cheap enough that the other "high-end" tires just can't compete. For the autocrosser on a budget you have the Azenis for cooler conditions and Hankook when wet is important. And for the ultimate in everything, the Yoko is probably the perfect tire.
If you are absolutely broke, Discount Tire Direct has the Falken Ziex ZE-512. They stick very well for the money and do okay in the wet. They don't last very long or work at all in the snow, however. I would consider these the kind of tires you get when you're selling the car soon, or when you NEED tires but have no money at all. Available in 14" sizes.
Note: All-seasons are junk. The Kumho ASX isn't a bad tire, but it's still nothing compared to an SPT/Winterforce combo. And remember - when you use tires for half the year, they last twice as long. Now, if you live where you rarely get snow, but when you do you NEED to drive in it, I guess the ASX might work. I certainly wouldn't screw around with any other "all-season". But a final word - if at all possible, get different tires for winter and summer. It's not much more (if any) money, and you get an incredible boost in performance all year long.
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