I just checked in at Cerritos Nissan to see if they'd work on my tires, but looks like the answer is no, since I'm over 30,000 miles. So, I'll be in the market for new tires pretty soon (especially since my rear tires are pretty dang worn). I don't track my car, and I don't usually drive too aggressively (although I like to get on it once in a while), so I won't need really high performance tires. What would you guys recommend? The stock tires are way too expensive for me, and don't last nearly long enough, it seems.

 

I picked up a set of Toyo T1 Rs from edgeracing. Price was around $850 delivered.

Also checK:

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/survey...ay.jsp?type=MP

Don't go to cheap, long....we want to keep ya around!

 

You got the stock 17 inch rims like I do, right? If so, Tire Rack has about 12 or so tires you can choose from, at a MUCH cheaper price than $850!?! HOLY CRAP that's way too much to pay for tires (unless you get four of the most expensive, which are never the best). Anyway, I just bought the tire with the best reviews of the ones available, and they turned out to be the Avon M500 Ultra High Performance Tires for 136 a piece. The stock Potenzas are crap. I do mad research before I buy expensive items.

-Dave

 

****** A... $850? $212 per tire? No thank you that is way too pricey. Unless you are going to use those tires for tracking the car it's not worth it. I would recommend you shop around if you just want a tire for getting around. I have used the Falken Azenis ST115 which is a GREAT tire for the money. I currently have Toyo Proxes and they are already wearing out with about 10k miles on em. The stockers lasted me close to 12k, the azenis 15k, and these Toyos will probably last around 13k. Seeing as how I am replacing tires so often I am considering going with either kumho, yokohama, or falken and having a nice set of R-Compound tires on my stock wheels for track days.

 

Just checked out tires on Tirerack. Sets of S 03s, pilot sports, & P Zero sell for the same range as the Toyo T1 Rs.........$850 to $904.

But the Avon M550s, which have good ratings on Tirerack, sell for $550.

Personally, I'll spend the extra money on the assumption that you get what you pay for.

But I would be curious to know what knowledgeable car guys say about the Avons relative to the higher priced tires.

 

Bump. Still hoping to get more queries. I've lasted about 34,000 miles so far on the stock rears and the fronts haven't been changed since the first TSB at 10,000-12,000 miles or so. So, yeah, I make tires last.

 

You've got 34,000 miles on the rear OEM tires, long? And 22,000 on the 2nd set of fronts?

That's great. Sure counters alot of the negative posting on the Z eating tires.

 

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires....=Direzza+DZ101

These are a new model: Dunlop Direzza DZ101

You'd have to be a guinea pig, but the pricing is very low right now. Sorry I've got a G, so I'm not sure if the sizing is right for your model.

 

I'll sell my tires....and rims...prefer both since will have no use for them...brand spanking new off my 2005 base model, have less then 4K miles, check out my sig!!!! I'm just looking for an excuse to get some rims and tires!!! I would have to get rims and tires first before I could sell you mine, but if the price is right, how could I say no!! Give me an offer!! Any suggestions!?!? Never tracked, burned out once!!! IN a parking lot just for fun, racing my friend!!!! Live in LB, purchased my Z from Cerritos Nissan, so it would be easy to pick up!!

 

Here's my tire experience:

OEM = ~ 16,000 front and 22,000 rear - fronts wore much faster than rear, there used to be pics on this site but maybe they are gone now

Set #2 = Yok AVS ES100 front and Hankook Ventus K104 rear, Yoks were better tire, but also a bit more expensive, went to 245/40-18 in front and 245/45-18 in rear. Needed to reduce rear tire pressure to 32-33 PSI and increase front pressure to 39-40 PSI to keep wear even across tire face.

Set #3 = Falken Azenis ST115, very nice, have about 18,000 miles on them now. Similar pressures as the Yok/Hankook combo. Rears wearing faster than fronts again, expecially the one that I ran @ 35 PSI for too long. Hope to make them last thru summer (one nice thing about no rain in CA is that I can run "slicks" for a few months without worry).

Overall, I think the Falken combo is my favorite with respect to value. The AVS ES 100 I think are slightly better, but are more expensive. I may try them again depending on price and availability. We'll see.

Currently have ~62,000 miles, so am averaging slightly over 20,000 miles per set, and this is with some track days mixed in. Wear is even on all tires, so no alignment worries.

-D'oh!

 

Bump. I'm curious to know what knowlegeable guys on here think of the Avons relative to the more expensive tires (see my post above).

 

Doesn't seem like it's $850 anymore. Did you get it at a promotional price?

 

I think I am going with Kumho this time around.

Their Ecsta SPT is fairly priced at $109 for a 255/45WR17 size. They are W Speed Rated so they are fine for high speed runs, and Kumho has been the official tire of NASA for a few years. The way I see it, why spend so much money on a tire if you are going to wear them out driving to work. :/ I'll get a nice set of R-compounds later on, once I get my 2nd set of aftermarket wheels !

 

I almost got the Kumhos, but after reading the posts on tirerack about them, I decided to go with the Avons. No one had anything bad to say about the Avons. I am interested to hear what your results are.

 

After seeing this positive praise from an AW11 (1st Gen MR2) owner I was pretty much sold:

"Running 205/45/16s on my MR2. My setup is a fully street tuned suspension setup, (Tokico Illuminas/ 350lbs spring front / 450 lbs spring in rear / cusco strut tower bar in front) but can go autox in a heartbeat. Prior to adding Cusco adjustable camber mounts the car understeered with the Kuhmos... once I added the mounts, same tire, zero understeer, and only -.4 degrees camber settings in front... theres two schools of thought... one is based on the tire doing all the work, the other is tuning your suspension to do all the work. Whats the difference? Suspension tuning takes longer, but allows you to use a less expensive tire and make the car more responsive and fun. The other way forces you to use a more rigid tire to make up for the soft setup your untuned ride has... the end result is understeer and/or a harsher ride. If your tires outperform your suspension, time to upgrade your suspension... and learn to use the whole tire. (you ll have to go to race school for that.) Overall this tire surprises me. When you use the whole tire its unbeatable. When you play with tire pressures it responds. Im going to try other tires to compare, but this one will always keep me coming back. Rain? Anything short of El Nino isnt really anything... Im always going faster in the rain because of them! Good times..."

Basically, with this tire and suspension adjustment he can keep from spinning out. Which in an MR2 is a freakin miracle ! Haha, but yeah these are just one of the options I am looking into. Are your AVONs installed? If so I want details, inexpensive rubber that performs is exactly what I am looking for.

 

I had 2 sets of the stock tires. I then bought the Yokohama ES100s that were really good and I ran them completely bald for about 30K miles. I just bought a set of the Avon Tech 500 tires asince they are all season and cheaper and have had them for a week. They are quiet but the sidewalls are very soft and the handling is the worst of any tire I have owned on any car. I'm afraid to drive hard with the Avon tires and am considering returning them.