Why do so many people on this form think Bridgestone S-03's are so great? What about Bridgestone S-02's? How come I don't hear anything on them. They cost about the same amount and I think the S-02's look cooler. I know when it comes to tires it shoudn't be about looks but, what makes the S-03's better then the S-02's. Also what's wrong with the Bridgestones that come with the Z? I think they cost more then the S-03's and S-02's. Can either one of these tires be that much BETTER then stock? Oh, one more thing. How about Pirelli P ZERO Rosso Asimmetrico? Dose no one like these? They go for about the same money as the S-03's and S-02's. I'm pretty sure these come stock on Ferraris.

 

So, you're going to get better tires first, then S-03's?

 

The RE040s kinda suck compared to the SO-3s (trust me, Ive had both on my car). The REO40s arnt bad, its a popular OEM performance tire probably because its not that complicated for Bridgestone to make alot of. The SO-3s has alot more "tire technology" in them.

Just because a tire comes stock on a ferrari doesnt mean its the best. I think the Enzo has our beloved RE040s stock.

 

i've had both s03's and toyo t1's and i'll take the toyo's anyday over the s03's. the s03's are heavy as sin compared to most other tires which is one factor i do not like. they don't do all that well in the rain compared to the t1's from my experience, and the t1's are usually cheaper.

 

Thanks VQracer for literally breaking down my post and giving me all your info. So, the S-03's replaced the S-02's that's interesting. I'm suprised they go for the same amount if not a little cheaper.
2k3silver350z
When you say the S-03's are heavy how much heavier are they then the Toyo T-1's? Most people here like them too.

 

every manufacturer ususally lists all the weights of the tires on their websites or product brochures. this was a major factor for me when i was building up my crx. the toyo's were about 3lbs lighter and when it comes down to it that's a lot. the weights will of course vary depending on tire size.

 

Well, I just did some research.
Toyo T-1
225/40/18 = 22lbs
245/40/18 = 24lbs

Bridgestone S-03
225/40/18 = 25lbs
245/40/18 = 28lbs

I just used this tire size as an example. As you can see the S-03's are heavier. Not sure if tire weight really makes a difference.

 

actually T1S's are more money, just ask my pocket book.

 

I've had the S0-2s and S0-3s on my Type R, and I actually preferred the S0-2s to the S0-3s. However, I switched to the Nittos 555T Extreme Tires and I felt those tires provided a better grip than both Bridgestone Tires.

 

well my local distributor can get both tires (so3's and t1's) and i can get the toyo's cheaper than the bridgestones through him. i guess his cost is less on the toyo's.

 

think about it this way. the lighter the rims the faster your car will accelerate. this has been proven time and time again. but what gets mounted to your rims? you have to take the total combined weight and that's how much unsprung weight you have. the more you have the slower your car will be.

 

Tire selection really depends on where you reside.

I have had the S-02 pole positions and S03 pole positions on my CL-S. I liked the S-02 better for dry weather.

The S-03 were not a sticky but in wet weather I was very happy with them.

This was when I lived in SF Bay Area. I lived in Daly City where it's always foggy and the roads are damp.

I swear by the S-03. But now that I've moved back to LA. I think I can use a dry weather tire year round. I'll probably look into the Toyo T1-S or even nittos 555 extreme even though they don't do so well with the freeways down here.. known for getting stuck in the groves of the freeways.

 

The S-03 is basically a wet weather version of the S-02, with improved grip in the rain and less tendency to hydroplane. They aren't as grippy at the limit in the dry as S-02's, but they make up for it's wet out. That's not to say that the S-02 is bad, you just have to be more careful. I recommend the S-02, because being rear-drive, you're not going to want to screw around much in wet weather much anyways.

 

That's exactly right, and the tires are on the outside edge of the spinning area. The further out from the center, the harder it is to turn the mass, so the more mass towards the edge, the higher the polar moment of inertia. Not to get complicated, but basically, the less mass on the edge of the spinning wheel, the easier that wheel will spin (it takes less effort from the engine and drivetrain to spin it, effectively freeing horsepower). Now, you may lose the benefit of lighter tires if you also increse the rim size, because the edge of the wheel has more mass if larger. Stock rims with stock sized wheels that are lighter weight will see some benefit, however, it may be miniscule when we talk 3-4 lbs. per wheel. Still, I'd personally go for lighter no matter what. lol