good tires for great handling - please advise

[phillyb]

i want my car to handle really well...
would an 18 or 17 inch wheel work better?
what are some good tire recommendations for tires that won't brake the bank?

please recommend offsets along with tire sizes as well...i'm a n00b at this

 

[CnoTataymo]

Either size is good. For a sticky street tire, most of them won't last long but they'll do the job. Falken Azenis are always a good bang for the buck.

 

[MikeHTally]

Tire technology is much improved, but good grip=soft rubber=short life. I am amazed that the Goodyear Alenzas on my 300C have astonishing grip and "700" treadwear rating. Pirelli P-Zeros have a "400" rating and supposedly equal grip to the Bridgestones the Speed comes with. When my baby needs new shoes (three years or so), I'll be doin' my homework. I'll probably get new wheels before then. Want my painted calipers to show better.

Stock offset is +53 or so, I believe.

 

[turbo23]

If you want a amazing street tire you want these http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Dunlop&tireModel=Direzza+Sport+Z1+Star+Spec low tread rating, well similar to our stockers, but totally destroys our tires!

 

[phillyb]

thank you so far.
stock offset is 52mm...

so, if understand correctly, the more performance driven the tire (grip and all that) the shorter the life???

is there a trade off? is there something out there that will give me good handling and grip without me having to replace them every 15000 miles?

 

[MikeHTally]

Whoops, I missed, sorry. Goodyear Assurance Triple-Treds on the 300. It's the Ram with Bridgestone Alenzas.

 

[whitey4311]

I am using the new Toyo Proxes T1R and they are supposed to last longer and I love every thing about them. Once broken in they grip better then the Potenzas but they do lack that very edgy feel and are a bit more plush. You cant feel it in turns so much but on the freeway if you go yank on the wheel left and right the car will feel more spongy.

I would buy them again and after 2k miles there is minimal amount of wear on them so I anticipate passing the 23k miles the Potenzas got me.

 

[jville]

Go with nitto neo-gens, great wet and dry traction and they last. Excellent pricing too.

 

[Ghost Rider]

I am using the new Toyo Proxes T1R and they are supposed to last longer and I love every thing about them. Once broken in they grip better then the Potenzas but they do lack that very edgy feel and are a bit more plush. You cant feel it in turns so much but on the freeway if you go yank on the wheel left and right the car will feel more spongy.

I would buy them again and after 2k miles there is minimal amount of wear on them so I anticipate passing the 23k miles the Potenzas got me.

Damn! 23k miles?? Do you even drive hard at all?

 

[ElSpeedDiablo]

If you want a amazing street tire you want these http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Dunlop&tireModel=Direzza+Sport+Z1+Star+Spec low tread rating, well similar to our stockers, but totally destroys our tires!

They don't make these in in our sizes. I'm actualy looking for a new set of tires, I saw this thread and decided to see wuh up. I don't realy know much about tires so

 

[bnoon]

I really like the look of the Goodyear Eagle F1 all seasons. Great traction wet/dry, and have a snow rating (for my midwest winter). In the 235/40/18 size, it would be a nice improvement over stock, and they have a much higher 420 treadwear rating. Rated 4th overall in the Ultra High Performance All-Season category, with "road noise" being the only major complaint on tirerack. I've got them in my wish list for this coming winter... if I decide to keep the stock 18" rims for winter tire vs selling for 16's.

They don't make these in in our sizes. I'm actualy looking for a new set of tires, I saw this thread and decided to see wuh up. I don't realy know much about tires so

Correct, you'd want to go with a 235/40/18 or 245/40/18. I don't know of anyone that wouldn't want to upsize to get some more traction... That would just be silly.

 

[CWPspeed3]

If you dont want to go as wide 225/40/18 is always an option. Wouldnt you get rubbing with a 245?

 

[shane02pro5]

BFG G-Force KDW's best I've driven on so far!

 

[bnoon]

Wouldnt you get rubbing with a 245?

Depends on your offset, you may need to roll the fenders. 255's even fit on Cobb's MS3!!!

 

[ElSpeedDiablo]

Well if I got these Dunlop and I wanted to keep my stock rims, seeing as how they don't have my size, and what is the widest I can get on my stock rims without rubbing. Thanks to anyone who helps!!!!

 

[camrycev6]

I am just so jealous of you guys that don't have to worry about getting winter tires. (Or in my case, I am just going to buy some all-season performance tires now that they have some decent ones.)

 

[MikeHTally]

Damn! 23k miles?? Do you even drive hard at all?

LOL! I expect to get that from my tires as well. Frankly, I 'bout dropped my teeth when I saw that treadwear rating! It wouldn't have affected my purchase, but it still was a shock. The rating for the Goodyears on my 300C is 700, and it has amazing grip! The Bridgestones on my Ram are rated at 600 and have very good grip as well.

No, not many tire-smoking starts for me. I get a better kick from some neat curves than straight-line acceleration. Plus, I rotate my tires often.

As I said, tire technology has come a long way. Great grip and way better treadlife. From what I've read about the Pirelli P-Zeroes, they have better grip than the Potenzas and a treadwear rating of 400, over three times the rating of the Potenzas.

As I also said, I probably have three years before having to buy new tires and I'll have new wheels before then.

 

[whitey4311]

LOL! I expect to get that from my tires as well. Frankly, I 'bout dropped my teeth when I saw that treadwear rating! It wouldn't have affected my purchase, but it still was a shock. The rating for the Goodyears on my 300C is 700, and it has amazing grip! The Bridgestones on my Ram are rated at 600 and have very good grip as well.

No, not many tire-smoking starts for me. I get a better kick from some neat curves than straight-line acceleration. Plus, I rotate my tires often.

As I said, tire technology has come a long way. Great grip and way better treadlife. From what I've read about the Pirelli P-Zeroes, they have better grip than the Potenzas and a treadwear rating of 400, over three times the rating of the Potenzas.

As I also said, I probably have three years before having to buy new tires and I'll have new wheels before then.

I rotate tires every 2k miles and dont launch off the line. Same as you I nail it from time to time from a roll or take some turns fast but not often.

If you want stock size tires I still think the Toyo's are your best choice. I really like these tires and they show minimal wear after 2k miles. My Potenzas looked half gone at 5k miles and were down to the harder 2nd layer of rubber which yielded longer life but not so great performance. When new the Potenzas were great but that doesnt last very long since that 1st layer is super soft.

PS Ms3007=Ghostrider at 23k the tires were down to the steel on the inner edges.

 

[bnoon]

Well if I got these Dunlop and I wanted to keep my stock rims, seeing as how they don't have my size, and what is the widest I can get on my stock rims without rubbing. Thanks to anyone who helps!!!!

235/40/18 would rock on the stock rims. Size difference is .82% shorter, so you'd need to go 60.4 MPH to actually be moving 60 MPH, which is totally fine.

 

[happy and angry]

The measured rim width on 235/40R18s is about 8.5 inches, and the rim width range for that size is 8" - 9.5".

Stock rims are 7" wide. You are going to be squeezing a tire too wide for the rim, and will be way outside manufacturer spec for tire fitment.

I've said this before, and I will say it again. Check the manufacturers recommendations for tire size. Some 225/40R18s will fit on 7" wide rims, but a better size is 225/45R18, as all tires of this size I've seen have 7" wide rims fall into its rim width range.