Re: TIRES!! Best Bang for the Buck??

[Khan Klatt <kmk@pacificrim.net>]

At 4:39 PM -0800 3/18/99, Sniffner@aol.com wrote:
>Time to replace the 15"ers on my GLX.  What 15" tires are the best bang for
>the buck (handling, response, looks, low profile, wear, etc)

Here are a bunch of posts that came in the past regarding this subject:

Me:
>X-From_: owner-jettaglx@igtc.com  Sun Jan 24 20:12:29 1999
>Mime-Version: 1.0
>X-Sender: kmk@mail.pacificrim.net
>Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1999 20:08:03 -0800
>To: jettaglx@igtc.com
>From: Khan Klatt <kmk@pacificrim.net>
>Subject: TIRES (Good News & Bad News) - OPINIONS WANTED!
>Sender: owner-jettaglx@igtc.com
>Precedence: bulk
>Reply-To: jettaglx@igtc.com
>
>
>The bad news is that my rear drivers Eagle GA is flat, flat, flat with a
>nice big nail in it. If the GA can't get repaired, I've been preparing to
>buy a new set of tires (205/50/R15's). And here is the table I built:
>
>(hopefully this will look right in your mail client, it's nicely formatted
>in mine)
>
>[Pricing is relative, and primarily obtained from tirerack.com]
>
>Maker		Product		TW	Temp	Trac	Speed	Price
>-----------	---------------	-------	-------	-------	-----	-----
>BF Goodrich	Comp T/A ZR	200	A	A	ZR	$110
>BF Goodrich	Euro T/A RF	350	A	A	HR	$77
>Bridgestone	Potenza RE71	140	A	A	ZR	$81
>Continental	Sport Con. CV90	200	A	A	VR	$91
>Dunlop		SP Sport 8000	200	A	A	ZR	$90
>Dunlop		SP Sport D40 M2	200	A	A	ZR	$88
>Dunlop		SP Sport 4000AS	300	A	A	ZR	$90
>Dunlop		D60 A2 JLB	320	A	A	HR	$81
>Pirelli		PZero Sys. Asim	140	A	A	ZR	$114
>Pirelli		P700Z		140	A	A	VR	$68
>Sumitomo	HTR Z		160	A	A	ZR	$78
>Sumitomo	HTR 50H		220	A	A	HR	$56
>Toyo		Proxes Z1	360	A	A	ZR
>Toyo		Proxes T1	200	A	A	VR
>Yokohama	A509		160	A	A	VR	$92
>Goodyear	Eagle GA	280	A	B	HR
>
>[THIS DATA COULD BE INCORRECT!]
>
>Here are my points:
>
>The best overall performance tires are the PZero Asimmetricos, but at a
>hefty price. Living in the NW, rain is an issue, and these perform fairly
>well.
>
>Next are the Proxes T1's, but they don't do so well in the rain, which is
>why I list the Z1's. Pricing is ???.
>
>The next ones are the Dunlop SP 8000's, at a fairly approachable price.
>
>Finally, the bargain of all of them is the Pirelli P700Z's, at a bargain
>price of under $70, they stand to offer the best bang for the buck.
>
>
>I want to maximize treadwear, get as close to Z as possible (but V & H are
>acceptable, as I rarely if ever exceed 120mph), and get decent rain
>performance.  Once those conditions are met, I want the best performing
>tire there is out of the remaining selection.
>
>My questions, should you choose to answer them are:
>
>	1. Should I consider expanding my selection beyond the PZero's,
>P700Z's,
>	Proxes Z1's, and SP 8000's, based on my criteria?
>
>	2. If not, which of the four should I buy to meet my criteria?
>
>	3. Which ones should I exclude, and why from the ones I've selected?
>

Talitmon:
>I have been thinking along the same lines to
>purchase some new tires in the future.  My
>choices for the same tire size would be:
>1) Dunlop SP8000
>2) Toyo Proxes T1
>3) Pirelli Zero
>
>The reason I plan to purchase these is based on
>information I have read in various auto magazines
>over time about wet and dry performance.  The
>Toyo decision is based on first hand experience
>from people who have had them on their auto's.
>Treadwear is not the best for these tires, but
>overall performance I would pick the Dunlop
>SP8000 based on bang for buck ratio, and
>fairly recent tire technology, I myself want a
>that is great in the summer, and when it rains
>in the winter for it to be able to handle it. (I've
>had the D40M2's on a previous car and I
>felt very confident in wet and dry (they were
>245's).............Later
>
>Talat
>97 GLX
>Blk/Blk

Pete Loron:
>I've got Yokohama AVS Intermediates on my '97 and they rock. Great in the
>rain, and awesome in the dry. I've got 11,000 miles, 3 autocrosses, and
>several track days on them and the tread is holding up well. A little
>spendy, though...I paid $130 each. I've heard the Dunlop 8000 is a pretty
>similar tire, not quite as grippy, but a bit better tread life, and it's
>cheaper.
>
>-Pete