What tiress are you using?

[David Cheresh]

I am interested in getting some new tires for my FF MK4. Looking for the best handling tires for dry warm weather. Any suggestions

[GoDadGo]

I've got Nitto 555's on my Daily Driver (3rd Set) so I put them on my MK-4 too.
They work well in dry weather, but be advised that they are a bit lacking when things get wet.
Baby GoDad has COOPER ZEON RS3-A's, which are a great when the road get's slippery.

https://youtu.be/svZX2BMSDEs

[steno]

I've put Nitto 555 g2 all the way around 245's on the front and 315's on the tail end. I typically do mostly touring, however an autocross sneaks in there from time to time. I really like them overall! With close to 50,000 miles of smiles on my car, I'm pretty familiar with how it feels and handles. The Nitto tires are much better overall than the BFG kdw's that I had before. Good luck with your search!

[Gumball]

Avon CR6ZZ - awesome grip and tons of character as they have a vintage tread. Race tire, though, with a 50 treadwear rating - they do tend to wear really well, though, as I have 8,000 miles on mine with plenty of tread life remaining.

[mach'er]

I can't answer what the best handling tire in dry warm weather is; however, I can tell you that I had significant difficulty finding availability of 17" tires in the common sizes for these cars. You didn't say what size wheel you're running.

I ended up buying Nitto NT555 G2 tires. Front: 245/45ZR17, Rear: 315/35ZR17.

I went with these primarily based on my "wants" of a streetable tire, and the widest meats I could fit for the 17" x 10.5" wheels in the rear. These, and Nitto NT05's were essentially all I could find, as far as a matched set (same brand and model tire front and rear) with something wider than a 275 in the rear. The Nitto NT05s were 255 for the front (if I recall correctly), but I leaned to the 555s based on it being a bit more "street" I guess. Don't get me wrong, I think both of these are good tires. However, it is not like I had a lot of other options.

I purchased the NT555 G2's last week, but haven't even actually received my kit yet - so can't comment on their performance characteristics.

But, if my recent experiences are not unique, you might be constrained more by what is currently available in the marketplace than by anything else. But, I guess that all depends on what your wants are, and what your wheel size is...

[wareaglescott]

Falken Azenis

[David Cheresh]

I am buying 255/35/18 front and 315/30/18 rear. I am considering Toyo R888R which is the new and improved version of the R888. I live in San Diego so I dont worry about wet or cold.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Take a realistic and honest look at what you intend to do and ask yourself how hard core you really are? After wearing out 2 sets of Kumho XS (around 8K miles on each) I'm now running on Nitto NT-01s which are an R compound like the 888. If all I was doing was street use with an occassional "just for giggles" autocross or track day I'd use something else like the 555. You will never approach their limits on the street unless you're doing something really dumb! I will do well to see 5,000 miles from this set.

Jeff

[2FAST4U]

Goodyear Billboards

[BEAR-AvHistory]

NITTO 555R 245/40/17 * 555R 315/35/17 Auto-X & street. Try to keep out of rain & above 40*F

[42Bfast]

I struggling with the tire choices myself. (Still configuring my kit.) If I go with the 17"...10.5" wheels on the rears, as everyone has noted, tire choices can be counted on one hand.

However if I go with 9" all around, there are 20+ choices of high performance tires.

I like the look of the meaty offset rears, but the other side of my brain wants the functional benefits of wide selection.

Car will be Coyote with IRS, used mostly for touring and cruising with a few auto cross events a year, slight possibility of track time.

Thoughts on going same size all around?

Hope I'm not hi-jacking the thread but haven't seen this discussed and it seemed a natural extension of the "which tire" question.

[CraigS]

No real problem running same size all 4 but man, only 255s or 275s to accelerate with?? Why do you need 20 choices? You only need one set. I look for 315/35x17s, get the list of what is available and go from there. Don't forget that, if you are careful trimming the edges of the front fender, and install a couple of rack limiters, 275/40s work fine on the front on the typical 9 inch wheel w/ 6 in back space. Right now I have Mickey Thompson street comps on the back. Better than HTRZs but not by much. Right now Nitto seems to have what we need. 555, 555G2, 555R, NT05, NT01 all come in 315 and most of them have 255 and 275 also.

[BEAR-AvHistory]

I struggling with the tire choices myself. (Still configuring my kit.) If I go with the 17"...10.5" wheels on the rears, as everyone has noted, tire choices can be counted on one hand.

However if I go with 9" all around, there are 20+ choices of high performance tires.

I like the look of the meaty offset rears, but the other side of my brain wants the functional benefits of wide selection.

Car will be Coyote with IRS, used mostly for touring and cruising with a few auto cross events a year, slight possibility of track time.

Thoughts on going same size all around?

Hope I'm not hi-jacking the thread but haven't seen this discussed and it seemed a natural extension of the "which tire" question.

Think even untuned an out of the crate COYOTE will eat 255/275 street tires for lunch on acceleration. 315 can break lose very easily if you are the slightest bit heavy footed with a launch or shift. In the case of your engine choice staggered is more than just a cool look its very functional.

[hom-ade]

I've got the nitto 555s. I cannot give good feedback on them as there's only 4 miles on the car from go carting around the neighborhood.

[42Bfast]

Strong and valid arguments (BEAR and Craig) for the gain in contact patch and acceleration potential with the 315's.

My concern stems around the much discussed lack of wet traction from the Nitto's. I'm in the southeast, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, mostly. I intend to put a fair amount of miles on the car, running back roads, mountain highways, and some interstate. I'm sure to hit rain, heavy rain at times. Heavy rain, curvy mountain roads, and low wet traction tires doesn't sound like a good ending.

The availability of more choices to find the best dry and wet performers was my line of thinking. However, my mindset is probably significantly flawed as my frame of reference is years of carving curves in a Miata. (Not much under that hood that poses a threat to the rear tires)

Hum, different beast, different demands, needs different thinking.

Thanks for the insight. It's a little difficult to make some of these choices without a good frame of reference.

[Bobby Doug]

Wet roads, light weight car, and wide tire = Poor traction. I have an 03 Mach 1 with Toyo T1Rs, 295s on the back and 265s in the front. When the road has been wet I slow down. Last year on the HRPT I had to slow down to 45-50 mph a few times in the rain and this was going straight. Our cobras are\will be much worse at 2200 lbs. Poor traction in the wet is something we all will have to deal with. Buy tires for the dry and use common sense when it is wet.

[GoDadGo]

I wonder if anybody on this forum has run the Nitto Motivo All Season Radials on a F/5 or anything that is maintained in their respective car corrals.

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...%2FPerformance

They do have a broad selection for an All Season Radial.

[CraigS]

I would try them in a heartbeat. Wish I had seen them 3 months ago. We got Continental Extreme Contact DWS 1.5 yrs ago for my wife's Mustang GT Perf Package and they have been exceptional in all conditions. They are the same All Season Ultra High Perf category as the Motivos.

[Duke]

Avon CR6ZZ for street, Hoosier R7's for track.

[Jeff Kleiner]

I wonder if anybody on this forum has run the Nitto Motivo All Season Radials on a F/5 or anything that is maintained in their respective car corrals.

http://www.discounttiredirect.com/di...%2FPerformance

They do have a broad selection for an All Season Radial.

A 560 treadwear with 60,000 mile warranty---holy crap! People talk about BFGoodrich Radial T/A being "bricks" but based on specs alone these would likely fit that description also.

RE: Conti DWS; excellent, excellent tire for a daily driver that gets driven enthusiastically. I've used and recommended them...but that's not applicable to the FFR.

Jeff

[GoDadGo]

A 560 treadwear with 60,000 mile warranty---holy crap! People talk about BFGoodrich Radial T/A being "bricks" but based on specs alone these would likely fit that description also.

RE: Conti DWS; excellent, excellent tire for a daily driver that gets driven enthusiastically. I've used and recommended them...but that's not applicable to the FFR.

Jeff

Unless You Are Ralph Button Out For A Sunday Drive!

[Plebeian]

I run Khumo XS in the front and NT05R's 315/17's in the rear. The NTO5R's in the rear offer the best compromise for me in straight line traction running around 600 RWHP, and decent handling in the twisties. Neither of these tires are great for cold or wet weather, but I avoid driving in those conditions. Cheers.

[David Cheresh]

Has anyone tried the new Toyo R888R? They are supposed to be an improvement over the R888 that they have been selling for years as a track/street tire. I think they have been on the market for less than a year.

[BEAR-AvHistory]

Strong and valid arguments (BEAR and Craig) for the gain in contact patch and acceleration potential with the 315's.

My concern stems around the much discussed lack of wet traction from the Nitto's. I'm in the southeast, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, and Florida, mostly. I intend to put a fair amount of miles on the car, running back roads, mountain highways, and some interstate. I'm sure to hit rain, heavy rain at times. Heavy rain, curvy mountain roads, and low wet traction tires doesn't sound like a good ending.

The availability of more choices to find the best dry and wet performers was my line of thinking. However, my mindset is probably significantly flawed as my frame of reference is years of carving curves in a Miata. (Not much under that hood that poses a threat to the rear tires)

Hum, different beast, different demands, needs different thinking.

Thanks for the insight. It's a little difficult to make some of these choices without a good frame of reference.

I drive my car 365/366. Only limitations Rain: you need to drive carefully with no sudden inputs. Car has no top so I am only in the rain if a weather report screws up. 5 times in 2.5 years.

Temperature: the tires are 100 tread ware & subject to getting slippery under 40*F, found that out on an Oh!! S**T moment with a 1/2 shift & a bit to much throttle. Live is NC so sub 40 days per year are not all that many.