New Tire Suggestions

[Bizzenn]

I put Falken ziex912 tires on and they are they rock. They also cost far less than the competition.

[~tc~]

What about that time you want to go up to Big Bear? Or drive somewhere on vacation?

Summer tires are great on sports cars that you can leave parked while you drive your other car with *dingdingding* ALL season tires. The fact that all seasons also usually have better tread wear should be considered also.

Frankly, on the Kizashi with the Continental DWS, the tires are not what limits my ability to take corners faster - traffic, cops, or bravery cut in first.

[SamirD]

Leaning towards a plus zero fitment in either a Potenza RE760 (UHP summer) or a Toyo Proxes 4 Plus (UHP All season) for my driving taste. I personally like the summer performance but want the all season treadwear.

I've found tirerack guys to push you into tires that are better for their bottom line rather than being the 'best' for your application. They were also wrong about the Kizashi's TPMS system even after talking to them numerous times.

If you want good tire wear, those Potenza 760s aren't going to cut it. They are some SERIOUS summer tires, with tremendous grip, stiff sidewall, and a grippy compound that wears out like a pencil eraser in math class. I've never gotten more than about 15-20k out of any of Bridgestone's softer compound tires, but they have always been the ultimate in grip and handling.

Thanks for the replies so far. I will call tirerack.com for advice. When recently buying tires for my wife's Odyssey, reading reviews from people who had mini vans was frustrating. On a given tire, some hated them and said they were the worst tire that they ever had and some loved them saying the best tire they ever had. Very frustrating.

The key I've found to their reviews is to look at the application and tire size and see if it's the exact same as yours. If it isn't, there can be dramatic differences in tire construction between various sizes that will contribute to the tire characteristics (good and bad).

I would never buy summer only tires for a daily driver. Tires generally last a long time, and you never know when you may have to move. I ended up with "3 season" tires on the Impala in Colorado ... It was worthless in the winter.

Two words--winter set!

[bootymac]

Yeah, tire needs will depend on a lot of factors. I used to get by with just summer tires but I've switched to all seasons for the flexibility in winter. Our winters aren't crazy enough to warrant dedicated snow tires IMO

[ra990]

I just got a new set of Goodyear Eagle Sport All Seasons and it is like driving a different car. My original Dunlops had developed uneven wear and were causing pulsation. The car seems quicker, smoother, and less noisy. I haven't had a chance to try them out in rain or snow, but initial impressions are great.

[KuroNekko]

What about that time you want to go up to Big Bear? Or drive somewhere on vacation?

Summer tires are great on sports cars that you can leave parked while you drive your other car with *dingdingding* ALL season tires. The fact that all seasons also usually have better tread wear should be considered also.

Frankly, on the Kizashi with the Continental DWS, the tires are not what limits my ability to take corners faster - traffic, cops, or bravery cut in first.

Funny you should bring up Big Bear. The "mountain" I keep talking about was just across the ridge from Big Bear. I used to live on the San Bernardino Mountains in Lake Arrowhead which is about 30 mins away from Big Bear via Highway 18.
While I still know some folks who live up there, my family's house was burned down in a wild fire nearly 10 years ago. Since then, I don't really go up there as frequently as I used to. Also, my brother drives the 2002 Legacy listed in my prior cars. I have access to an AWD vehicle with All Seasons if I needed it.

I'm just eager to try Summer tires now that I can get away with it. In the past, snow was a reality so Summers were off the table.

I've heard the Continental DWS are excellent All Seasons. They are usually rated as among the best you can get.
I've had Bridgestone Pontenza RE950 on the Impreza which I thought were awesome.
I also liked the Sumitomo HTR A/S P01 I had on the Mazda3.

[Woodie]

I put Falken ziex912 tires on and they are they rock. They also cost far less than the competition.

Exactly what I was thinking, 245/45-18 zx-612's I've had Falkens on my last three cars and have been very happy with them. UTQG 360AA for $117 each and an 8.1 rating on DiscountTireDirect.

[SamirD]

If you want good tire wear, those Potenza 760s aren't going to cut it. They are some SERIOUS summer tires, with tremendous grip, stiff sidewall, and a grippy compound that wears out like a pencil eraser in math class. I've never gotten more than about 15-20k out of any of Bridgestone's softer compound tires, but they have always been the ultimate in grip and handling.

So I'm going to find out exactly how good these are--just bought a set from Ray Suzuki (Chevrolet) since the mounting was included as part of warranty service on the wheels.

Frankly, on the Kizashi with the Continental DWS, the tires are not what limits my ability to take corners faster - traffic, cops, or bravery cut in first.

These were also recommended, but I don't know anything about Continentals outside of the SportConti line. Plus, they were more than the Bridgestones.

I've had Bridgestone Pontenza RE950 on the Impreza which I thought were awesome.

I absolutely LOVE the re950s in 205/60/15 on the Altima. I actually could pull 20mph more cornering speed over the stock Goodyear Eagle GAs. There's an RE960 available in Kizashi's 18" size, but they were harder than the 760 and I don't really need an 'all-season-esque' tire in MKE's summers. This was a big factor in me choosing the 760s--I always wanted to try Bridgestone's ultimate 'budget' performance tire. Plus, it came with 4 free Suzuki oil changes.

[KuroNekko]

Keep us posted on those RE760s. They are decently priced as an Ultra High Performance Summer tire and have good ratings on tirerack.com.
I'm aiming to get a set of Summer tires once my OEM Dunlops are done (which may be soon due to the alignment issue).

[~tc~]

I had some Bridgestones on the Impala, and they weren't anything special - good or bad. I also had some Nitto 450's, but the best were the Kumho ASX. I think the Conti DWS are better than any of those - quieter, as good dry grip, better wet grip.