Summer & winter tires

[imflipside]

I've read a lot here about what tires to buy - it all seems to boil down to how you use the car (street vs track), your budget, expectations and personal preference.

My car is a daily driver that doesn't see the track. I wanted sticky tires that were quiet while running, as good in the rain as on dry roads and quiet when pushed to their cornering limits. I ended up selecting Bridgestone Potenza RE11 for my 15" and 16" JDM rims. I like the staggered look and the tires have fantastic grip. Their performance while wet is unlike anything I've ever experienced.

For the Winter I choose Dunlop Wintersport M3 on 15" and 16" OEM rims. They're really great in the snow (for those of use who use their car all year 'round like I do).

I highly recommend them both.

For what it's worth.:smile:

 

[NSX2398]

Ah .. another crazy Canadian who isn't afraid to get out in the snow! Congrats. I've had good luck with Michelin Arctic Alpins over 10 years and about 25-30k+ miles of winter driving. But last year I put on a set of Continental Extreme Contact DWS as my summer tires and then drove 1500 miles through 3 ice/snow storms on the way to NSXPO in Oct; then punished them on the track for 2 days; then 1500 miles home. I was amazed at how well they did.

 

[Mtl-Ndo]

So you guys are actually driving your NSX's in the snow.
Wow. Can you post a pic or too.
I may just put them um in my garage.
thanks

 

[imflipside]

Pics? Sure, but you'll have to wait several months until I can take some, it's pretty hot around here now!:smile: Until then, NSX2398's profile pic shows his NSX in the snow...

I get strange reactions from people when they hear I drive in the winter. First, they mention ground clearance. Well, my car isn't lowered so ground clearance is stock, 4", a Honda CRX I used to drive had 4.5" of clearance and I could drive it anywhere. Winter driving has more to do with your tires and technique than how much ground clearance you have. If it snows more than 4" at once I stay off the roads until the plows are done doing their thing anyway. NSX traction control also works great in snow, something my CRX didn't have. Sure, there's salt on the roads during Winter, but according to my NSX tech, several people who've driven their NSX for years in the snow aren't having corrosion problems - Honda built the car right. Needs a lot of washes through the winter though...

It all comes down to this; did you buy your NSX to look at, or drive? Life is short, I drive.:biggrin: I admire those people who can keep their cars in the garage and only drive when it's sunny, but I just can't do it, I'm not into delayed gratification...

 

[Tony Montoya]

I'd drive my third NSX in the winter. Maybe. Good choice on the RE-11s. I don't even need tires but I might order those to replace the not so great tires on my spare set of rims.

 

[imflipside]

An interesting thing about the Re-11's...

Great tires, they're quiet, grip like mad on the dry and have wonderful traction in the rain, but when I first get on the highway I feel some vibration in the steering until they warm up, then it goes away. I've never experienced that before. I'm told the ultra-soft compound either gets a flat spot from sitting overnight (?!) which has to be worked out (?) or the radial plies in the tire need to get warm before the tire flexes properly.

Anybody else ever have these problems with with Re-11's?