I just realised that it's middle of February and new autox season not so far now!

I need a new tires again and I have to make that difficult choise again. I'd love to have dedicated R compaund tires, but I often drive more than 100 miles one way to the autoxes, often with passenger, and I can't fit 4 wheels into my car, so I can't have R.

So I need some good performance tires. I had Toyos last year and rear tires traction wasn't so good long before I went through the tread....

What were your favorite performance tires in 2004?

 

Azenis RT615, I hear they are fast.

 

I used Kuhmo MX's and loved them.

 

Nobody seems to have them? Did you see them selling online?

 

How many miles were you able to put on them, and what kind of driving.

My toyos where great first 4 or 5k miles, and 5 or 6 autxes... but then rear ones became terrible, loosing traction easily... like the second half of the compaund was totally different

 

vulcantire.com has the Azenis. I've got to say this though for a max performance tire the old azenis rt 215 would run circles around the kumhos. And the new rt615's ones are apparently a good bit faster than that.

Part of the problem with the kumhos is they have a really smooshy sidewall and alot of tread squirm making them slow around the track and even more slow for auto-x given the fast transitions.

Though any of these choices will be a good bit faster than the Toyos.

 

Yup, I'm looking at the Azenis RT-615 as well.

I like the 255/40/18 size - should go nice with my Rays 8.5" set.

Until they're available, I'll roast a set of Kumho MXs. I agree with the soft sidewalls - one of the reasons why i wanted 8.5" all round was to strenghten the shoulders.

I've read the MXs were better than the old Azenis in the heat but suffered in the cold. Either way, in timed comparisons, the difference between the two wasn't that large and weather conditions typically made the decision.

 

I had a set of MX's and personally I not fond of them. I had better traction with the stock tires.

 

How long did you run them for?

They're quite slippery for the first 500km and get much better with wear (centre groove gets wider).

Shaved examples are popular with the StreetTouring classes.

 

I put about 6-7k on them and 3 autocrosses. I was seeing alot of cars in the st classes run them and several I spoke to said they were very happy with the tire and praised the grip level. So i tried them and ran STU class, needless to say I went and bought another set of hoosiers quickly. The kumho were loud as well. I am running the Avon street tire now and I would say these offer a better level of grip. But only use them on the street and have dedicated race tires and wheels.

 

I'm using Nitto 555R2 (their roadrace compound) in 275/40-17 all around. I got them heat cycled before I got them from discount tire and they haven't heat hardened yet. I've used them at three autocrosses and two trackdays and I've driven to every one of the events (anywhere from 100 to three hundred miles one way). They still have about 2/32's tread left. They're technically R-compounds (treadwear rating of 100) but I've been very happy with the wear rate. I ust rotate them everytime I use them (same size all around and ignore the tread pattern when swapping left to right. I'm very happy and I'll definently buy another set.

 

Those falkens looks interesting....

http://www.vulcantire.com/azenis_rt615_t.htm

 

I'm almost positive that will be the auto-x street tire to have in 05 ethier that or the hankook Z212.

 

It looks mean... But who knows what it's going to be in action? They don't even ship it yet.

Also as a street tire, how it's going perform in rain?

 

I know a couple people that have driven the rt615's I'm just going on the asumtion that Azenis wouldn't replace their fastest street tire the rt215 with an inferior product. Both the Azenis and the hankooks I probably wouldn't want to drive alot in the rain but I don't think they would be aweful just cant go nuts in standing water.

 

werd.. this was one of the main reasons i went w/ the t1s

 

I have run the Azenis is the rain, and was suprised how well they did. I only lost 3 seconds on VIR South.

 

3 secs on wet vs dry course?

 

Yes, on a 1.65 mile course.