tire recommendations

[bsapoznik]

Hi, Im looking to buy rims for my car and I want to get tires as well, im looking on getting 225/40/18 and all season tires... now which one do you guys recommend, I don't need them to be really expensive but also don't want some cheap tires as well...

thanks

[leeharvey418]

I've got to ask - being in Miami, why would you want all-seasons? Even if you do occasionally travel north, I'd just keep your OE wheels with all-season tires on them for those times, and get good summer-only rubber for the big wheels in South Florida.

[bsapoznik]

well I've been reading about the both of them and all they say is that the summer tires wears quickly and they are more expensive... and summer tires are cheaper and they last longer and offer a more comfortable ride...

so I'm not trying to change tires every 10,000 more or less... also here in Miami is either sunny as hell or rainy like the worlds is coming to an end

[leeharvey418]

Well, there are problems with most generalizations.

Yes, summer-only tires do tend to be made of softer, stickier compounds that give a lower wear rating.  That doesn't necessarily mean that they'll wear out faster, but considering that most people who buy them tend to cluster at the 'spirited' end of the driving spectrum, they'll wear faster due to driving habits.  As long as you pay attention to the UTQG treadwear rating, and make sure you don't expect good wear out of a particular tire just because it's rated best among the stickiest street tires on the market, you can find several options for not a lot of money.  You have to be aware of what you're buying, and adjust your expectations accordingly.

Despite the fact that summer tires can't be used in snow, that doesn't translate to a weakness in the wet.  Most good summer-only tires are better in wet conditions than all-seasons.  You're asking the tire to do fewer things, so what it can still do, it does better.

I'm sure you'll get more input from others, but here's my two cents on the topic of good summer-only rubber- I looked at tires that are available from TireRack in 225/40-18 for under $160 each, and ignored the Extreme Performance category, since it doesn't sound like that's what you're looking for:

Bridgestone Potenza RE760 - $143
Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval - $142
Hankook Ventus V12 evo K110 - $114
General Exclaim UHP - $100
Yokohama S.drive - $126
Sumitomo HTR Z III - $107
BFG g-Force Sport - $131
Kumho Ecsta SPT - $107

Happy hunting.

[bsapoznik]

yeah, I've been asking people around to see what is the best, just to let you know this is my first time buying tires so, im researching and asking people, and all the people that I asked told me to get summer only....

also from the list that you just gave me... do you recommend any of them?

[john_in_the_lbc]

the sumitomo tires are a great value imo.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/...irePageLocQty=

[leeharvey418]

Any of the ones I listed should be good for you. They're all from reputable brands, and I don't think there's anybody on here who could reasonably fault you for going with any of them. Like John said- the Sumitomos are very highly regarded by TireRack, and they're almost the cheapest on that list. They're not as highly rated by the people who have submitted reviews, so you have to decide which is more important- the expert opinions or the voice of the people. A lot of people on this forum have had really good experiences with the Kumhos too... you just have to figure out what's important to you in making the decision and run with it.

[bsapoznik]

looking at the reviews and test I'm between Bridgestone Potenza RE760 Sport and Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval

I was thinking on doing the Michelin Pilot Exalto Pe2 but they are toooo pricey

[leeharvey418]

Between those two, I'd probably go with the Firestones, since they're two pounds lighter per tire. Their only big drawback is that they're directional, so you can't do a side to side rotation if you're into that sort of thing.