Tire Selection for Stock 94 Wheels

[Sylvan]

Hi guys, I'm thinking of making my first tire purchase since I bought the car a few months ago, and I'm not too thrilled with the selection of tires in OE 215/45-16 and 245/40-17. The car currently has Sumitomo HTR-ZII and they are not very impressive. I mostly do street driving with some occasional autocross and I'd like to do an HPDE once in awhile if I can find the time.

So I've browsed the online tire sites and Tire Rack has a set of Kumho Ecsta XS in OE size and they are quite cheap (< $500 for a set).

I was wondering if anyone had experience with those tires and if they would fit the bill, otherwise I'm looking at other brands like the Dunlop Direzza star spec, and they have other sizes available. I priced a set of 225/50-16 and 265/40-17 for a little over $600 and the diameter ratios are pretty close so I think it should be OK for the TCS.

Other brands could be considered too but again the sizes would be a little off (most likely a little wider and/or taller than the OE size). Money is a factor so I don't want to spend $200+ per tire. Which is why the Kumho looks attractive, and also the Dunlops are pretty affordable. Is it a significantly better tire than the Kumho?

If anyone has some good advice on stock wheel tire selection (brands, sizes, etc) that would be really helpful. I also don't want to rub on anything, and I am on stock suspension and no wheel spacers.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Sylvan]

Another size I've looked into on the Star Specs is 205/50-16 front and 255/40-17 rear. The diameters are fairly close to stock, the only thing I'm concerned about with this setup is that I would be increasing understeer. Would 205/50-16 front and 245/40-17 rear be the better choice for balanced cornering?

 

[NSXT]

You'll want to stay with front diameters less than 24", otherwise they will most likely rub the fender liners.

 

[docjohn]

225/45/16 rubs on lowered cars,I'm not sure about stock ride height.Stick with oem size or 205...I'll be trying the dunlop z1's next.

 

[MJK]

215/45/16 & 255/40/17 RT-615ks are another option.

I have them. They are good on the street, and I have heard they are a favorite at autocross. I don't like them for HPDEs and will not be repurchasing for that reason.

I may try the star specs next, or go back to bridgestone.

 

[Sylvan]

215/45/16 & 255/40/17 RT-615ks are another option.

I have them. They are good on the street, and I have heard they are a favorite at autocross. I don't like them for HPDEs and will not be repurchasing for that reason.

I may try the star specs next, or go back to bridgestone.

I used to have RT-615s on my MR2. I liked them well enough, but they seem a little pricey so I was hoping for something a little cheaper, so I was looking at other options.

 

[nsxtasy]

Don't get oversized tires. Stick with 205/45-16 or 215/45-16 in front, and 245/40-17 or 255/40-17 in the rear.

If you want the best, stickiest street tires you can get, I recommend one of these combinations:

Kumho Ecsta XS 215/45-16 and 255/40-17
Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 205/45-16 and 245/40-17
Toyo Proxes R1R 205/45-16 and 245/40-17
Falken Azenis RT-615K 215/45-16 and 255/40-17

These tires offer the maximum traction you can get. They're fairly expensive and they won't last as long as most other street tires.

If you want a little longer treadlife and a somewhat lower price, I recommend:

Continental ExtremeContact DW 205/45-16 and 245/40-17

The Continental still has excellent performance; it's just not quite as sticky as the previous group. And it's around $500 for a set of four at the Tire Rack. If you're not taking your car on a racetrack, it will probably be a great choice for you.

 

[Stevon]

Purchased the Yokohama Advan AD08s and boy are they sticky! I went through the same aggravating search for tires over a month. Conclusion; This car was designed around the original custom tires from the ground up as the ultimate street machine. If you do not buy original spec tires or better you'll defeat the entire purpose of the NSX. Unless you drive drifting or all out racing use only, YOU MUST BUY THE CORRECT TIRES! Don't cheap out and buy an "economical" solution only to loose control of your car at a critical point, thus ending the cars existance prematurely! Had to shell out 900 bucks for 17/18 setup but man, this car is wild with good struts and rubber! The alingment was also a necessity and well worth the cost. Dunlop Direzza star spec or Yoko AD08s get my vote, have fun

Stephen

Hi guys, I'm thinking of making my first tire purchase since I bought the car a few months ago, and I'm not too thrilled with the selection of tires in OE 215/45-16 and 245/40-17. The car currently has Sumitomo HTR-ZII and they are not very impressive. I mostly do street driving with some occasional autocross and I'd like to do an HPDE once in awhile if I can find the time.

So I've browsed the online tire sites and Tire Rack has a set of Kumho Ecsta XS in OE size and they are quite cheap (< $500 for a set).

I was wondering if anyone had experience with those tires and if they would fit the bill, otherwise I'm looking at other brands like the Dunlop Direzza star spec, and they have other sizes available. I priced a set of 225/50-16 and 265/40-17 for a little over $600 and the diameter ratios are pretty close so I think it should be OK for the TCS.

Other brands could be considered too but again the sizes would be a little off (most likely a little wider and/or taller than the OE size). Money is a factor so I don't want to spend $200+ per tire. Which is why the Kumho looks attractive, and also the Dunlops are pretty affordable. Is it a significantly better tire than the Kumho?

If anyone has some good advice on stock wheel tire selection (brands, sizes, etc) that would be really helpful. I also don't want to rub on anything, and I am on stock suspension and no wheel spacers.

Thanks for the input.

 

[Stevon]

Was seriously thinking of buying the Conti ExtremeContact DW but did'nt because A)They are not original spec and B) The grooving of the tire. Live in San Diego where 70% of the roads are groove cut concrete which tend to track and grab the wheel out of your hand if your not paying attention. Owner reviews of this tire said that this was a problem with ExtremeContact DWs on their cars.

Stephen

Don't get oversized tires. Stick with 205/45-16 or 215/45-16 in front, and 245/40-17 or 255/40-17 in the rear.

If you want the best, stickiest street tires you can get, I recommend one of these combinations:

Kumho Ecsta XS 215/45-16 and 255/40-17
Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 205/45-16 and 245/40-17
Toyo Proxes R1R 205/45-16 and 245/40-17
Falken Azenis RT-615K 215/45-16 and 255/40-17

These tires offer the maximum traction you can get. They're fairly expensive and they won't last as long as most other street tires.

If you want a little longer treadlife and a somewhat lower price, I recommend:

Continental ExtremeContact DW 205/45-16 and 245/40-17

The Continental still has excellent performance; it's just not quite as sticky as the previous group. And it's around $500 for a set of four at the Tire Rack. If you're not taking your car on a racetrack, it will probably be a great choice for you.

 

[Sylvan]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I will likely go with the Kumho Ecsta XS since:
1) I want the stickiest street tire (my MR2 is on Toyo R888 mostly for driving to/from local autocrosses and I love the grip).
2) This is not my daily driver so I won't be wasting mileage commuting to work
3) They are about $60 cheaper than the Continentals at Tire Rack
4) They are in stock (vs. the Conti 205 which is on backorder)

Can't wait to feel some grip! :smile: