deadcop

iTrader: (3)

People who used this tires before,please help:

After days of research I narrowed the search for the new tires to the 3 following options:

1. Potenza S03
2.Michelin PS2
3.BFG KWD (old thread)

S03 and PS2 are almost the same price ($1036 vs $1038 for PS2) while BFG KDW is a little bit cheaper ($914 for a 245/40/18 and 275/40/18 combo).

All tires have positive reviews on tirerack.com but I want to know 350z owners words.
Please post your experience. I particulary interested in wet traction, thread wear and noise.

Thanks

JAkub

350ZREDLINE

iTrader: (2)

I have the BFG KDW NT and love them. Great performance (especially in rain) and good price. Not sure on tread life yet. Noise is average. When you first get them they are loud but they quiet down over time.

But wet traction is insanely good. Much much much better than the factory tires.

Robert_K

iTrader: (25)

BFG KDW NT!!! Trust me you'll love them. Here is my post about them: https://my350z.com/forum/wheels-and-tires/158456-ordered-bfg-kdw-nt.html

Mike Wazowski

iTrader: (113)

You live in DC. I would actually get the Pilot Sport A/S over the other 3

SpeedRcr

iTrader: (5)

I've tried the pilot sport ps2,pilot a/s, so3's, and now I'm on my second set of KDW's...I love these tires...these will last longer then the pilots and how much depends on how you drive them but I got a solid 25k miles on my rear tires driving hard on them...you can't go wrong with these...kdw's are a little louder then the pilots but the car isnt quiet to begin with so a little extra noise is nothing you are going to notice

Bubble

iTrader: (50)

Bfg Kdw

deadcop

iTrader: (3)

I love the new pattern BUT:

they don't make it in 275/40/18 .I can get 275/35/18 and expect fishy VDC (this is what Jason told me) or get 275/45/18.

Or I can just get the old pattern or mix then -FRONT (new thread) REAR (old one)

What you guys think? Thanks for the input!

Robert_K

iTrader: (25)

I wouldn't mix the patterns. I always feel that you never mix tires. Just my $.02

deadcop

iTrader: (3)

I'll just get the old version then

Nexx

iTrader: (41)

KDW-2's are just too pimp, both performance and in the looks department

Z BOY

iTrader: (41)

my bfg are much louder than my so3 were.

MovingViolation

I LOVE my KDW-2's! It rains alot where I live and the wet performance of these tires has been great. I've gone through some rather large puddles at high speeds with no problems. Oh ya...the dry traction is great too. Plus they are the cheapest of all the tires on your list

636Racer

iTrader: (1)

What about Falken GR-Beta FK451 or Azenis RT615? The FK451's are offered in 245/40/18 and 275/40/18 and they're priced far cheaper than those you listed. Less than $720 2nd day shipped to Hawaii all the way from Florida. Shipping will be MUCH cheaper on the mainland. The staggered ratio is a bit high though (IMO) according to miata tire.net at 3.7%. I dont have a Z though the G35 225/45/18 and 245/45/18 staggered ratio is 2.7%. I had FK451 235/40/18 and 255/45/18 and the staggered ratio is 6.4% and it setoff the VDC and ABS controller. I upsized the front to a 245/45/18 bring the ratio down to 1.3% and the VDC and ABS never set off. I just figured that I had to be under the stock 2.7% ratio to not setoff the VDC and ABS. Now I'm using RT615 245/40/18 and 255/40/18...I wish I went with the 275/35/18. with the 255 rear the ratio is 1.2%, with the 275/35/18 the ratio drops to a 0.5%, closet to 0% difference. In the rain, the FK451 had more of an advantage over the RT615, it's reversed on dry pavement...as biased as I am toward aggressive gripping tires...the FK451 makes for a better all around street tire.

Dont be afraid to go with a 275/35. My old competition tire combo was 235/4018 and 255/35/18 (1.5% ratio) and the VDC and ABS was totally fine with a slightly shorter rear tire height. Under Jason@Peformance suggestion, I am going wth FN01R-C 17x10 +25 in front and 17x10 +12 in back for competiton, and my tires are going to be NT01 245/45/17 and 275/40/17 (0.1% ratio) as my new roadrace setup.

SpeedRcr

iTrader: (5)

as long as the front tires and the rear tires are within .5 inch of eachother the vdc has no problems

Z1 Performance

iTrader: (564)

the falkne 451 are a good tire but no where near the grip levels that the other provide

the 615 is a very grippy tire, though dont expect more than 10k out of a set. It also is going to look goofy in the back with a 35 series unless your car is super super low

636 racer - you are fitting a 245 on the front with a 10 inch wheel? why on earth would you do this?

I've got S03 on my car...they provide great grip levels and are quiet but way too stiff for my tastes. At the time PS2 were another $200, which is why I did not do them. If I had to do it again, I'd be all over the PS2 as its the best all around tire in the class, followed by the Goodyear F1

636Racer

iTrader: (1)

I have yet to experience driving or riding in a G35 or 350Z with KD, KDW, or S03. But I'd gather that just by looking at the treadwear rating between the KDW (300?) and the FK451 (280), that the FK451 is grippy. But numbers dont tell the story, so I'd have to take a ride in someones car with KDW to get the physical aspect of those tires. Looking at the tread pattern between the two, I'd say that the KDW has a better/bigger tread block footprint - could make me conclude otherwise.

I chose the RT615 based on it's peformance, and I dont drive all to aggressive on the street though I do at random spurts. I have them mounted for piece of mind for when I do want to get on the backroads. And as for mounting a 245 on a 10" rim..well it's for the front tires. I test fitted a set of 17x10 +35 with 1/4" (6.35mm) spacer totalling +28.65, it had 245/40 mounted and the clearance behind the tire was tight. much like this picture from SCC Magazine's Project 350Z:


Their rim and tire combo is 18x9 +42 w/12mm spacer making their ideal rim offset at +30 and 275/40 BFG KD tires. Thats pretty tight and here's a picture of the tire rubbing against the control arm at full lock.


And under the suggestion of Jason@performance, I would have to stretch the tire. I thought about going with a 255/40 but that would square out the 10" width and I was unsure and I was not willing to dump money to test fit new tires for clearance, nor did I know anyone with a 17x10 +25 w/255/40 tires up front, who knows? 255/40 might've cleared.

Triple8Sol

iTrader: (218)

Go with the BFG KDW2...

Z1 Performance

iTrader: (564)

You do realize that comparing treadwear from brand to brand is completely useless right? There is no standard for treadwear. The figures are relative within a brand only, not across brands. IE, you can compare treadwear AMONG Advans, but from Advan to Michelin

a 245 tire on a 10 inch wheel is just ridiculous IMHO - but to each his own. You would be far better off fitting it to a 9 inch wheel with a proper offset than mickey-mousing around with spacers and stretching that tire onto that wheel....and talk about stretched

636Racer

iTrader: (1)

Didnt I point that out earlier, being that it's more than just numbers?

245 ridiculous? I've seen 235 mounted on the same rim width - that must be ludicris to you? I wont be using a spacer with the +25 offset and it would give a little more clearance behind the rim vs a +35 fitment with a 1/4" spacer - I wasnt mickey-mousing as you say...I went to fit rims on to help make my conclusions and, took the advice of some reputable people on this forum. stretching tires arent too bad of a deal since it preloads the tire's sidewall for better steering feedback - or so it seems. aside from that, there's the aesthetics...I didnt like how the shallow offset of the 9" rim looked vs the 10" rim and it''s aggressive spokes. Like you wrote - to each his own.

anyway...this isnt about your interest in my choices, it's about the thread starter's.
Just for the record of those three options, I'd go with the S03 if money wasnt too much of an object, but if I were on the budget, then the KDWs or my recomendation, the FK451.