I'd like your opinions guys. I need new tires for a set of GM Y2K's I recenly bought. I really like the looks of the tread paterns of the GoodYear F1 GS-D3, Yokohama AVS Sport, & Sumitomo HTR Z11. The GoodYear clearly have the highest rating on TireRacks web-site, but they're almost twice the $$$ than the Sumitomo. Are they really worth twice the cost? Will the Sumitomo ware out in half the miles of the GoodYears or Yokohama's? Please cast your vote on which you would buy.
Thanks,
Richard
I just got a set of the Kumho ASX's installed for about $720. They're supposed to last a little longer than the 712's which is also a very good tire. The Kumho MX's are supposed to handle better than either the 712 or the ASX.
As for the choices you actually posted I would stay away from Goodyear. I've never really had good experiences with them.
I've always had good luck with B.F. Goodrich tires. I have bought them for several years, and have never got a bad set or individual tires. Just bought a set of G-Force KDW's for the Corvette to use this Summer.
i like my GS-D3's but i remember paying closer to $800 for the set, unmounted, from Tire Rack. absolutely great for daily driving, acceptable at the autocrosses.
i like my GS-D3's but i remember paying closer to $800 for the set, unmounted, from Tire Rack. absolutely great for daily driving, acceptable at the autocrosses.
How long ago did you buy yours? Maybe I should shop them around a bit.
How long ago did you buy yours? Maybe I should shop them around a bit.
i bought mine summer of 2003. this was also when they had a $75 rebate (or was it $50??) - and the rebate check actually came, imagine that. maybe that's what i remember - an $800 final cost with the rebate....
i looked for my old receipt and could not find it - but i sure don't remember paying more than $900 even with shipping and without the rebate. checking Tire Rack now i see they got the 275/40/17 for $203 a pop.
when i shopped around, the local tire shops were able to match the final mounted price, which was not surprising since i planned to pay $25/wheel for mounting at a race shop i know and trust. so, at the same price, the decision was a no-brainer - went with Tire Rack + mount at shop i trust.
I got the Sumi HTRZ-II from Tire Rack. I'm not a GY fan even though the GS-D3 is getting good ratings. The HTRZ-II will not wear out twice as fast as the GS-D3. That is not what the price is about.
The HTRZ-II are my daily driver tires. They're good in the rain and the dry and it is probably a tossup between those and the Kumho 712s in that price range. I've autox'd on them for fun runs and they are not the tire for that activity. Although they aren't terrible either.
The GS-D3 seems to be replacing the Firestone Firehawk SZ50 as the latest and greatest rain/dry tire. I had the SZ50s and they were great.
The Michelins are nice tires but a little pricey in my book.
I've also run the Kumho MX for street and autox. Not a bad trade off at the price. Now I just use R compounds for autox so I have 2 sets of tires dedicated for the intended use.
What is your budget and what do you expect to use the car for?
The GS-D3 seems to be replacing the Firestone Firehawk SZ50 as the latest and greatest rain/dry tire. I had the SZ50s and they were great.
well, since you brought it up I thought I would let you know about a new upcoming tire which is the replacement for the SZ50 EP .... note: the Runflat version of the SZ50 EP will NOT BE DISCONTINUED like the non-runflat version
Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval w/UNI-T
The Firehawk Wide Oval w/UNI-T is Firestone's Ultra High Performance Summer tire for today's driving enthusiasts in much the same way the original Wide Oval, the industry¹s first low profile, bias-ply performance tire, helped revolutionize high-performance passenger tires in the late 1960s. Today's Firehawk Wide Oval radial tires were developed for high performance sports cars, coupes and sedans, and are designed to provide world-class handling, performance and durability on wet and dry roads. The Firehawk Wide Oval is not intended to be driven in snow.
Firestone's Ultimate Network of Intelligent Tire Technology (UNI-T) features three core elements: CO€CS, a Computer Optimized Component System which allows design and manufacturing processes to work more cooperatively, leading to a more efficient tire that doesn't significantly sacrifice one area of performance for improvements in another; O-Bead, a more round structure that minimizes overlapped joints in the bead area for improved ride; and L.L. Carbon (Long Link Carbon) which helps the rubber compound resist microscopic tread tearing related to wear.
On the outside, the Firehawk Wide Oval features high performance silica-enhanced L.L. Carbon tread rubber compound molded into an independent-block, directional tread design to blend responsive handling along with wet and dry traction, while circumferential and lateral grooves team up to provide hydroplaning resistance. On the inside, the Firehawk Wide Oval features twin steel belts reinforced with spirally wrapped nylon ply to provide strength, stability and high-speed capability.
Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval tires feature black sidewall styling with subtle black letters reversed out of a stylized sidewall. Firehawk Wide Oval tires are W-speed rated in 60-, 55-, 50-, 45-, 40- and 35-series sizes for 16-, 17-, 18- and 20-inch wheel diameters.
Luke, thanks for the heads up. how do you think the Wide Oval stacks up against the GY GS-D3? as much as i like mine, i'm forming an opinion that the sacrifice of dry performance for the wet is too much for my tastes. i find this especially the case with lateral stick - although i like the fact the D3 breaks very gently and predictably.
looking strictly at the tread, it looks like the Firestones will provide better dry performance.
btw, when i see the UNI-T feature name on the Bridgestone/Firestone tires, it reminds me of their Japanese trademark for that technology - "Donuts"! (glad someone was awake in their marketing department.)
Luke, thanks for the heads up. how do you think the Wide Oval stacks up against the GY GS-D3? as much as i like mine, i'm forming an opinion that the sacrifice of dry performance for the wet is too much for my tastes. i find this especially the case with lateral stick - although i like the fact the D3 breaks very gently and predictably.
looking strictly at the tread, it looks like the Firestones will provide better dry performance.
btw, when i see the UNI-T feature name on the Bridgestone/Firestone tires, it reminds me of their Japanese trademark for that technology - "Donuts"! (glad someone was awake in their marketing department.)
no info on the performance yet .... the technology has proven itself in other tires though .... it should be very good
well, since you brought it up I thought I would let you know about a new upcoming tire which is the replacement for the SZ50 EP .... note: the Runflat version of the SZ50 EP will NOT BE DISCONTINUED like the non-runflat version
Firestone Firehawk Wide Oval w/UNI-T
SNIP ...
Thanks Luke. I noticed them last week. They use all the same technology bits they used in the SZ50. However this new Firestone looks to me to be nothing more than a rebranded Bridgestone Potenza RE750. In fact if you put the pictures together. The only thing different is the sidewall markings.
It's not the same tread pattern as the SZ50.
I should expect the feedback on them to be the same as the RE750.
Btw, Say Hi to Vance for me. I'll be calling him in the next month or so for a set of V710s. I want to try them this season for autox. You guys do a great job!
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maybe that's what i remember - an $800 final cost with the rebate....
