Need tire advice

[rrhea]

I talked to a guy from TireRack today and asked him which tires he thought I should replace my OEMs with (something with more life than the OEMs). The back OEMs on my '03 are pretty much bald after only 5000 miles... and I don't even ball that much... actually hardly at all.

He says that no matter what I put on the car, the tread rating on the tire won't matter, as the NSX will eat the back tires in about 5k miles or so, no matter what.

Is this really true? How could Kuhmo 220 tread rated tires wear out just as fast as OEM Potenza 140 tread rated ones?

Before I buy I'd love to hear from the experienced and wise ones on this matter.

Also, what tires would you guys suggest for my '03... OEMs, or another brand? (stock 17" rims, 215/40s & 255/40s Y rated, of course)

Thanks!

Ryan

 

[nsxtasy]

He says that no matter what I put on the car, the tread rating on the tire won't matter, as the NSX will eat the back tires in about 5k miles or so, no matter what.

Is this really true?

I think some tires will last longer than others.

How could Kuhmo 220 tread rated tires wear out just as fast as OEM Potenza 140 tread rated ones?

Treadwear ratings are only valid when comparing tires for a single manufacturer, not between manufacturers. A Bridgestone tire with a 220 treadwear rating should last approximately 57 percent longer than a Bridgestone tire with a 140 treadwear rating, but you can't make the same statement for a Kumho tire vs a Bridgestone tire.

what tires would you guys suggest for my '03... OEMs, or another brand? (stock 17" rims, 215/40s & 255/40s Y rated, of course)

Well, the OEM tires provide a great cornering "feel", compared with almost any other tire. But another tire might last longer.

What I would suggest is this. Typically, the front tires last 2-3 times as long as the rear tires. Is this your first set of rear tires? (Sounds like it is.) Remember - it's a bad idea to use different tires on the front vs those on the rears. Do your front tires still have plenty of tread? If so, then I would suggest getting another pair of the OEM tires (Bridgestone RE040 255/40-17) for the rear (remember to tell them to order one left tire and one right tire). This way, you only have to buy two tires now. Once the new rear tires wear out, the front ones will probably be ready for replacement. So at that time, you will need to buy a set of four tires, and that would be the time to consider trying a different tire (front and rear) to see what kind of results you get. At that point, I might suggest trying the Bridgestone Potenza S-03; it will then be interesting to see if your treadlife is different for those tires, with their 220 treadwear rating, vs the same brand OEM tire with their 140.

 

[hlweyl]

I have the Bridgestone Potenza RE750's and so far the rear tires have lasted 12000 miles and are about 50% worn.

The alignment is set to 2mm on the rear toe. You are going to sacrifice the handling when going to non-oem tires and alignment setting and that's not for everyone, but works for me.

The previous post makes a good point about mismatched tires, it is better to stick with the same tire on all 4 corners.

 

[nsxtasy]

The treadwear rating on the RE750 is 340. You can compare that with the S-03 (220) and the RE040 (140). However, the performance of the RE750 is nowhere near the level of the S-03 or RE040. I wouldn't get them for my daily driver, let alone my NSX. But whether that trade-off is worth making for you depends on your priorities.

 

[rrhea]

Thanks for all the advice guys! I appreciate it.

I think for now I'll stick with OEM until my fronts wear down, then I may change to a different tire.

Thanks again!

Ryan