Fluid Flight

My 03 needs new shoes! I do not race my car, but "push" the performance. I want a tire with a great contact patch, will last a moderate (not extra long lasting and not a slick).

Research seems to bear out the Michelin PS's.

Any thoughts gentlemen?

AFVETTE

You can never go wrong with a Michelin, however is cost is a factor then you have many good choices. The problem is for every tire someone recommends, others will recommend something else. I had the Michelin's on my 99 and loved them, I just installed the new Firestone Wide Ovals and feel they are a very close match for several hundred less.



Its up to you and your needs.

Good luck

Tom

Fluid Flight

Those firestones are beautiful . Thanks so much. They look very similar to the Michelin's. What is the exact info on those firestone's, if you don't mind and where did you purchase them.
Thanks again.

98Pacecar

I just put Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3's on my Mini Cooper S and I REALLY like those tires. After I put them on I read a Car and Driver test where they were ranked first. They are really quiet, stick like glue and do very well in the rain. I would recommend looking at tirerack.com and see if any of your local tire companies will match tirerack's prices. You can also look at every tire made for your car and read reviews there. It's a nice resource.

e-hodges

Still love the GY Eagle FL SC's......Hot, cold, dry or wet

skeet

To me the Firestone 295x35x18 Wide Ovals look about as wide as 275's. The Goodyears SC in 295 are about an 1" wider.
I also measured my 275x40x17 BFG Comp T/A's on my 88 Vette compared to the Bridgestone RE 750 in the same size and the BFG's are 3/4" wider. Obviously, different companies have different thread widths given the same listed size.

zo6vetteman2003

My Nitto 555RII's have excellent grip and are very good in the rain. The tire is a soft compound the same compound they use in their drag radials. Treadwear is equal to the Goodyear F1's.
http://www.nittotire.com/tires_555r2.asp

Z06-Goose

Isn't the first number the width of the tires in millimeters? In this case 295mm. So the question is, how can two tires measuring 295mm width be wider than the other?
I know you saw the discrepancy yourself, I just think it's a misrepresentation of the facts. If one is an inch shorter than the other, then it can not measure 295mm.
Maybe I'm being too analytical, or be missing something.

AFVETTE

Looks are deceiving. I placed 8X11" sheets of printer paper under the GY F1's just prior to removal and rolled the car onto them. I let the car sit for about 30 minutes and rolled the car off. I had four REAL foot prints or ACTUAL CONTACT AREA. I did the same with the FSWO as folks were making the same unfounded claims w/o any proof.

The foot prints we identical as best as I could measure, near the outer edges the image was faint so I had to use my eyes and judge just where to stop my measurements.

This happened years ago when folks were saying the same thing about the Michelin Pilot Sports A/S ZP run flats. So I came up with this little test. Of course the ACTUAL contact area is also based on the width and number of channels in the tire and the Michelins and FS have much wider channels for rain and snow channeling so I would guess the PHYSICAL CONTACT area of these tires is probably LESS than the GY F1's. So you may give up a tad in absolute DRY grip for increased wet grip. But the tires are NOT narrower than the GY F1's

This isn't very scientific, but to say they "LOOK" narrower is more opinion than fact. There is no PERFECT tire, they all comprimise something. Sometimes cost and tread wear carry as much value to buyers as absolute grip which folks like me will never exceed or approach since I don't STREET race. If I tracked my car I'd have dedicated RACE tires mounted on wheels just for that purpose. My Z is a daily driver and for me the FSWO are VASTLY superior to the GY F1's more times than the GY F1 are better than the FSWO.


Tom

fxdl

for my z i'm sticking with the f1 supercars. just put a set of f1 gs-d3's on my 98 mustang cobra. we really like them and they look very cool.
just speaking for myself, i wouldn't buy anything from the french. like michelins or their effing wine

Geneus

Touche'....

SMFCPACFP

I replaced mine with the OEM's which served me well for 34,000 plus miles.

qball

FYI, the last set of Goodyear F1 GS-D3's I bought for my 911 were made in Germany, they are a great tire. Right now Goodyear doesn't make them in Z06 sizes so the Firestones are on my list

3 Z06ZR1

But be aware two different brand same size can and dovary in width
Had 275 f-1's and mounted 275 Yokohama's and the Yokohoma's were indeed a full 1"wider.

Fluid Flight

that's two votes so far for the firestones! thanks!

Fluid Flight

pardon my ignorance, but what tire is an OEM?

Fluid Flight

thank you very much!!!!

Z06-Goose

Original Equipment Manufacture (ing) Or Original Equipped Manufacture.

Dreamspeed

If you like driving really fast around turns get the Nitto's 555IIR's. Nite and day difference Really. The first time you try to light them up you'll be like oh s*@%! Yes they do stick and for the price, buy two sets!

AU N EGL

In threory the two tires are identical. In reality it is how the manufcature measures the tire. Not all manufactures measure the same. or some manufacutres know that certain racing technical rules only allow for a certain size tire, so the make the tire a bit wider and put the smaller number on.

I have three different brands of 18x335/30 tires.

Brand X 18x335/30 has a contact patch of 13 1/16"
Brand Y 18x335/30 has a contact patch of 13 9/16"
Brand Z 18x335/30 has a contact patch of 13 5/16"

Plus the side walls. Some tires side walls are straight and some are curved.

That is also why when you buy a different brand of tire to check THAT tires requirnments for rims. Some manufactures require wider rims then other manufactures even for the so called same tires sizes.

i.e. 2 + 2 does not always = 4 some times it is 4 1/16 new math