The Goodyears must go! (& some help?)

[major error]

Thanks to this wonderful extended winter, I've decided to accelerate my plans to replace the stock RS-As (great dry, adequate wet, and worthless in winter...)

I've learned that now I really do need a dedicated winter tire, so next time I'm going to spring for a set of Blizzaks on the stock wheels.
As for warm-weather driving, next spring I should have the money, so I'll be getting another set of wheels--I'm leaning heavily on the Sportmax 961 18x7.5 (42mm offset)

The blue rings are a big selling point...

This is my first time buying in the performance tire market, so what I put on is still up in the air (scratch)
225/40-18 seems to be the most likely choice since they come in only .1% slow compared to stock. The extra width should provide some protection against curbing too.
The dilemma is in the brand. In browsing a slew of site hawking tires & wheels, I've come across a number of names with which I have no familiarity. Unlike Tire Rack, these other sites don't track customer opinion....and I don't like buying blind like that. Right now, I'm considering Kumho ECSTA ASX; I'd like input on any others I should look at... (at/below $100/tire)

 

[tsunami]

is the asx a pure summer tire?? i thought there mx was the performance offer by kumho?? i am runnin the mx and have been happy enough... great traction, decent wear, great price, and the road noise for a perfomance tire isn't any louder then most though it isn't in the catagory of quiet either.

 

[major error]

is the asx a pure summer tire?? i thought there mx was the performance offer by kumho?? i am runnin the mx and have been happy enough... great traction, decent wear, great price, and the road noise for a perfomance tire isn't any louder then most though it isn't in the catagory of quiet either.

The ASX is listed as an Ultra High Performance All-weather compared to the MX's Extreme Performance Summer...
The MX's would be nice, but with that tread pattern, I'd have some concerns with wet traction. Current prices would put them at the absolute extreme of what I'd consider (currently $108)

As the time to buy gets closer I may be more flexible, but right now I'm looking at spending no more than $1500 on everything (incl TPMS sensors)

 

[major error]

...While I'm still thinking of it, what about the calipers and rotors? Blue or black?

 

[dcomiskey]

The ASX is listed as an Ultra High Performance All-weather compared to the MX's Extreme Performance Summer...
The MX's would be nice, but with that tread pattern, I'd have some concerns with wet traction. Current prices would put them at the absolute extreme of what I'd consider (currently $108)

As the time to buy gets closer I may be more flexible, but right now I'm looking at spending no more than $1500 on everything (incl TPMS sensors)

might want to save up more $. If 108 is your max, you're limiting yourself to bargain perf tires.

 

[tsunami]

The ASX is listed as an Ultra High Performance All-weather compared to the MX's Extreme Performance Summer...
The MX's would be nice, but with that tread pattern, I'd have some concerns with wet traction. Current prices would put them at the absolute extreme of what I'd consider (currently $108)

As the time to buy gets closer I may be more flexible, but right now I'm looking at spending no more than $1500 on everything (incl TPMS sensors)

that tread pattern has been great in the rain... why would you need an all weather?? you are going to have dedicated snow tires.

 

[tsunami]

on the note of only 100 for tires

when spending all that money at once and buying new wheels and tires some of us just don't want to rush out and put it on the CC or have that kind of cash laying around so we buy the wheels we want but get some not so nice tires.. the mx aren't bad mind you... but that is where you may need to save some money and get something like a kumho or a sumitomo or something along those lines where they aren't bad tires but they deffinatly aren't the cream of the crop

 

[major error]

might want to save up more $. If 108 is your max, you're limiting yourself to bargain perf tires.

I wish it were really as simple as just saving more, but a budget is a budget. I have a certain amount available, and having to purchase multiple items spreads the funds thin. Also, take into account the fact that I'll be dropping around $800 on dedicated snow tires--given how much white-knuckle driving I've been doing because of the crappy GYs, it's one cost I can't skimp on. The roads here can be unforgiving to the unprepared. Then there's the one-time cost for rims & TPMS modules...

Part-time school is a major drain on my finances, and the tuition reimbursement payment that will be buying all this is, for the most part, a yearly occurrence. Right now, bargain tires are the best I can do--provided nothing changes, next time around I'll be able to consider better...

 

[major error]

that tread pattern has been great in the rain... why would you need an all weather?? you are going to have dedicated snow tires.

This is why:

This is my first time buying in the performance tire market, so what I put on is still up in the air

When I had my Ranger, all I did was plunk in the size, sort by price, and grab the best all-weather tire I could get under $100.
I did the same thing in this instance, but forgot to deselect everything besides summer tires...

[Thus far the only tires I have experience with are Dunlop GT Qualifier S, Dunlop Radial Rover A/T, Firestone Wilderness A/T and Firestone Indy 500 in 225/70-14]

 

[dcomiskey]

I wish it were really as simple as just saving more, but a budget is a budget. I have a certain amount available, and having to purchase multiple items spreads the funds thin. Also, take into account the fact that I'll be dropping around $800 on dedicated snow tires--given how much white-knuckle driving I've been doing because of the crappy GYs, it's one cost I can't skimp on. The roads here can be unforgiving to the unprepared. Then there's the one-time cost for rims & TPMS modules...

Part-time school is a major drain on my finances, and the tuition reimbursement payment that will be buying all this is, for the most part, a yearly occurrence. Right now, bargain tires are the best I can do--provided nothing changes, next time around I'll be able to consider better...

This is by no means a criticism, but have you thought that maybe you just can't afford new rims and should save your money? It sounds like you don't have much in the bank and have some hefty bills and are just starting out in life. It continually boggles my mind to see younger guys blowing every penny they have in their pocket on stuff like rims for their cars. (blah) As my dad always says, just a thought.

 

[major error]

I've given it plenty of thought....and still thinking about it.

This is me being fairly optimistic on the prospects that not much will change financially between now and next year; the numbers I've cited are based on that and what percentage I feel comfortable committing (MS Money is great for projections like this.)

I haven't committed to anything, and if need be, I can shelve the plans....but for the time being, It doesn't hurt to be informed.

 

[-pixy-]

Buying nice rims and sub-par tires for a daily driver is just dumb.

safety > appearance

I had the Kumho ECSTA ASX tires, they were great for the first 2500 miles, and quickly became dangerous in wet conditions after that. You don't want to loose traction in the rain and have one of those stunning rims take on a curb.

 

[meinp5]

...While I'm still thinking of it, what about the calipers and rotors? Blue or black?

Silver would look good.

 

[goldwing2000]

Ecsta MX-220 treadwear
Ecsta ASX-420 treadwear
Both rated as "Ultra High Performance" with AA traction

I've had Kumho ASX on my 3 for almost 40,000 miles now. The tread is down to like 3/32 (they need replaced!) and they still perform better (dry and wet) than the Badyear RSA did when new.
We're having rain/slush/freezing rain right now and I just put probably 60 miles down without so much as a second of hydroplaning or wheelspin.

For the money, it's the best there is, as far as I'm concerned. Hell, it's better than some tires costing twice as much. I'm definitely getting another set as replacements.
Unless something comes along in the same price range with a significantly higher treadwear number and still has AA traction, I'll probably keep ASXs on mine until I drive it to the junk yard.

 

[major error]

All opinions noted
More are welcome...

As for why I seem so anxious about this? Here's the story:

I was content to just live with the poor performance of the RS-As until they were expended. The 20-odd inches of snow that we got over the last weekend changed all that. The road crews were caught completely off-guard (it had been 80!) so the city streets were complete crap. There was a 4-mile stretch where there was nothing but ice, and 20mph was pushing it.
As I'm approaching a T-intersection (incidentally a transition area for 2 suburbs,) the light goes yellow while I'm 3 car-lengths away (no one ahead of me.) Stop, or try to turn?
...So I rolled through still going no faster than 20--no braking, no acceleration, but still in 3rd....and only managed to make half the left turn before understeer kicked in. The passenger front tire basically broadsided and rode up the rising slope of the curb on the far side of someone's driveway apron.....moments later, a tire grips and I'm headed in the right direction again...

I came away from this obviously rattled, with a nickel-sized flap chewed into the sidewall and scuff-marks on the wheels. Had I straightened the wheel, there would've been an unfortunate meeting with mailboxes on steel posts and a utility pole....