Tire suggestions

[daonly1around]

Ok, I've been looking at the idea of a separate wheel and tire package for the winter for my speed, but i've been thinking, the winter's here aren't bad at all, maybe 1 or 2 snows a year that usually are less than 4 inches. And the road i live on is always one of the first to be scrapped, as are the roads to where i work.

Also i don't push the car to it's limits so i don't need the ultra high performance tires.

So i'm thinking that i should get a good net of all seasons, Nothing too expensive, but something that won't wear out in less than 20000 miles either.

So i'm now looking at grand touring all season tires, anyone have suggestions?

 

[strytnyne]

bfgoodrich gforce supersport all seasons
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=BFGoodrich&tireModel=g-Force+Super+Sport+A/S

 

[daonly1around]

and what size should i go with, because their aren't many available at the 215 45 stock size. i know a 225 will fit, but what profile should i go with? 225 40 or 225 45?

 

[strytnyne]

think either would be fine.

 

[RelliMS3]

if you are going to be spending about the same money on either the winters or all seasons and you are only using them during the winter then it makes sense to buy the winter tires. even if there is no ice or snow on the ground they will perform better because their rubber was designed to be used in the cold.

 

[daonly1around]

i was thinking of just replacing the stock tires with all seasons when these run out. and just use one tire all year around, becuase our winter are not that bad at all

 

[ericm]

I did that just recently- I got 215/45 Goodyear Eagle GTs on 8" wide OZ Ultralegerras.

I did not want to get a smaller diameter tire since the car is undergeared as it is. But I have seen too many posts from people who put 225/45s on and had the taller tires rub the inner fender lining. Some have had the stock tires rub. Car and Driver's long term test car ate a fender liner on stock tires. I drive bumpy roads quickly and bottom my suspension all too freqently. Larger diameter tires are probably not a good thing for me.

The Eagle GTs got 2nd in Tire Racks' test of Ultra high performance A/S tires, and the 215/45 size is almost the same actual size as the stock tires (according to tire rack's data).

I've had one and a half tanks of gas through the car since I switched. The first thing I noticed was that the very responsive almost twitchy feel that the car normally has is muted. I'd gotten used to that and grown to like it. Now it's like a normal car. The new tires did not have as much cornering traction but they seem to have worn in a bit. Maybe I was feeling some mold release still on the tires? Or the tires simply have more "feel" when being pushed in a corner than the old ones, which never gave me even a hint of wanting to let go. Now the new tires are much closer in performance to stock ones (which were about 2/3 gone in 10k miles!)

The Eagles are quieter and ride better than the stock tires. They're better in the wet. When it snows (we get a few inches on the road a couple times a year) they should be way better than the stock tires. I have gingerly tip-toed on summer tires through the few snows we get here, but that was getting tiresome.

Overall I'm ok with the Eagles. The one big drawback is that my gas mileage has gone way down... like 18.5 instead of 22 (calculated- the mpg meter said I got 23 on that 18.5 tank). I've only had one full tank so I am not positive I didn't short fill it or have something else going on.

I'll be bummed if these tires do cut mileage. But they'd have to cut it by quite a bit to make up for the price difference vs the Bridgestones- the Eagles are almost $100 cheaper per tire. And they are rated to last longer as well.

 

[strytnyne]

lol i think the mileage drop has more to do with the colder weather and not tires

 

[daonly1around]

so i'm thinking, of putting either winter or all seasons on my stock rims, and keep my stock rubber for new wheels in the summer....