Which tire? Star Spec, AD08 R, Ecsta LE, or s.Drive?

[cccoltsicehockey]

Would love if the ExtremeContact Sport would come in 215/40/17. I would definitely be in for a set for my car. Almost picked up those falkens since they are on clearance with the new compound out now but can't justify new tires yet when the ones that came on the car are still plenty good right now.

 

[BAVARIA]

FWIW I went from OEM Bridgestone RE010s on my /94 to the Conti Extreme Contact Sport about 1 year ago. I'm in the suburbs of the Motor City and our roads are so bad that I felt I needed something with a bit more compliance. While the Continental tires made the car infinitely more livable/comfortable than the stiff as a hockey puck sidewalls of the RE010s this clearly came at the expense of the handling. I don't push the car all that hard but the "confidence" and "fun" factors have markedly decreased. A bit hard to explain but I'll try. The RE010s had more stick and I never felt that I was approaching the limit (again, I don't push it too hard on public streets) -- very confidence inspiring. Not so much with the Contis -- the steering just doesn't talk to me the same way it did with the RE010s and the limit is perceptibly lower than on the RE010s. The car is just not as much fun anymore and doesn't handle as its maker intended which really is this car's raison d'etre. I'm not a knocking the Contis -- they serve their purpose -- better ride but somewhat degraded handling.

Now I wish I had bought an extra set of RE010s when they were available. Wonder if these can be sourced from Japan -- call/email to Marc Perez in order tomorrow.

Fortunately I have a minty set of 02+ wheels squirreled away and I suppose I can buy a set more performance oriented tires and then swap wheels as necessary. Of course this is going to lead to all manner of other trouble -- floor jack, torque wrench, other tools needed to do wheel swap...........LOL. However, I'll then presumably have the best of both worlds.


Best,
Jeff

 

[Onsoku]

Interesting take on the Conti ECS. My favorite tire is the Dunlop SSIII. Based on that, I think the Conti ECS hooks up well from a dig, and handles transitions at about 8/10's of the SSIII, without the drone and jarring ride.

 

[SoloNSX]

At the risk of getting a bunch of PM's for something I have not decided upon yet... We can make a bulk order of RE71R's from Japan. They have our front tire sizes in the 17s. 215 and 235 I believe... I can't remember if it's both or one of them, nor which one. I haven't thought much about it yet because i'm pretty happy with the Maxxis VR-1's but I can inquire for you both if you'd like.

A 235 RE71r would be sooo much win. If I could I’d do a bulk order just for myself. Why can’t we have all the nice things here..

 

[neuronbob]

Would love if the ExtremeContact Sport would come in 215/40/17. I would definitely be in for a set for my car. Almost picked up those falkens since they are on clearance with the new compound out now but can't justify new tires yet when the ones that came on the car are still plenty good right now.

I'm ordering these for my CTS-V wagon. 9/10 of PS4 function with that application, for $400 less. I'll deal with the slightly softer sidewall compared to PS4s.

I'd love to have these in NSX-friendly sizes, but [MENTION=16531]stuntman[/MENTION] (Billy) has tried over the last year-18 months, and not enough interest from NSX owners for it. In the meantime, I just replaced my rear Pirellis just before NSXPO, and the inner part of my fronts are now worn out in typical NSX style, so it's time for fronts. These Pirellis are currently best bang for the buck, for the way I use my NSX (long distance drives and 1-2 times a year track work).

 

[Mac Attack]

I can run a 215/45/17 up front (no ABS or TCS), so I've considered the Azenis RT615K+, the RE71R, the Pilot Sport Cup 2, and the Continental ECS.

For my needs (balancing wet/dry performance, noise levels, and price), I think I'm going with the Continental ECS. Those fronts will add roughly 0.4" to the radius over a 215/40/17, and I think the thicker sidewall will look better.

Now to wait for their $100 off rebate....

 

[neuronbob]

Now to wait for their $100 off rebate....

I'm doing the same. There was a rebate in November, but the timing was off for me, unfortunately. Next time....

 

[mwagner10702]

Since this thread was started three year ago Dunlop released their Direzza ZIII tire. The tread pattern is very similar to the RE-71R, however not sure how rubber compounds compares. I can tell you this is a very sticky tire when brought to temp. I have a set on my 1990 E30 M3 and on the track they offer near R-comp levels of grip. Probably better than the AD08R I have on my NSX.

I don't have any feedback with respect to street performance, although they are slightly noisy (noticed driving to / from the track). I would expect similar wet weather performance to the RE-71R or AD08R - which is to say I would avoid driving them in very wet conditions.

Depending on your suspension setup a 215/45 is going to rub the liners in front under compression. My 215/40 AD08R rub my liners under certain conditions on the street. I can dial-in more rebound (along with a bit more compression) on my 2-way MCS dampers for the track to mitigate the rubbing, but too much rebound on the street makes for an uncomfortable ride.

The ZIII comes in 215/40R17 which IMO would be a better fit than a 215/45R17, but everyone has their preferred sizing that works for their driving style.

 

[cccoltsicehockey]

That is really worrisome with your statement about the new Ziii in the wet. The old zii was said to be not really that bad in the wet and better than the AD08R. I am getting ready to get either some AD08R or ZIII in the next month or so for a new set of wheels but I need a tire that can handle wet if caught out in the wet on long mountain run trips. Had been hoping the ZIII would improve the wet performance and not go backwards in wet performance. If it indeed does maybe I need to find a remaining set of ZII*

 

[v-tecpwr]

I got caught in a rain storm on the way back from nsxpo with the ZIII's on. They were fine in the rain. I had Z1's before and they seem to drive the same in the rain. The ZIII's are noticeably louder when driving over tar strips and the white lines painted on the road. I thought something was broken on the car before I figured out that it was just tire noise.

 

[BAVARIA]

Since this thread was started three year ago Dunlop released their Direzza ZIII tire. The tread pattern is very similar to the RE-71R, however not sure how rubber compounds compares. I can tell you this is a very sticky tire when brought to temp. I have a set on my 1990 E30 M3 and on the track they offer near R-comp levels of grip. Probably better than the AD08R I have on my NSX.

I don't have any feedback with respect to street performance, although they are slightly noisy (noticed driving to / from the track). I would expect similar wet weather performance to the RE-71R or AD08R - which is to say I would avoid driving them in very wet conditions.

Depending on your suspension setup a 215/45 is going to rub the liners in front under compression. My 215/40 AD08R rub my liners under certain conditions on the street. I can dial-in more rebound (along with a bit more compression) on my 2-way MCS dampers for the track to mitigate the rubbing, but too much rebound on the street makes for an uncomfortable ride.

The ZIII comes in 215/40R17 which IMO would be a better fit than a 215/45R17, but everyone has their preferred sizing that works for their driving style.

Mark, you and I have the same car but you have a few goodies on yours that I don't! Mine -- /94 Formula Red, stock except for HIDs and header to muffler system from a 2004 NSX. Curious if you ever ran the OEM Bridgestone RE010s on your car and if so how the AD08Rs compare. I have a set of 17/17 2002+ wheels that I'm going to put to use soon -- will run either Direzza ZIII or the AD08R -- trying to decide which. I'm hoping that Tire Rack will test the ZIIIs soon. Thanks.

Best,
Jeff

 

[mwagner10702]

Curious if you ever ran the OEM Bridgestone RE010s on your car and if so how the AD08Rs compare.

Never ran the RE010 so I can't offer an opinion on those. The AD08R is a great track tire and does well on the street. Once they wear out I may switch to the ZIII.

 

[BAVARIA]

Never ran the RE010 so I can't offer an opinion on those. The AD08R is a great track tire and does well on the street. Once they wear out I may switch to the ZIII.

Thanks Mark.

 

[cccoltsicehockey]

I got caught in a rain storm on the way back from nsxpo with the ZIII's on. They were fine in the rain. I had Z1's before and they seem to drive the same in the rain. The ZIII's are noticeably louder when driving over tar strips and the white lines painted on the road. I thought something was broken on the car before I figured out that it was just tire noise.

Good to hear. My STMPO exhaust is extremely load so I can't imagine I will hear the tires over it unless they are insanely noisey for tires.

 

[v-tecpwr]

Good to hear. My STMPO exhaust is extremely load so I can't imagine I will hear the tires over it unless they are insanely noisey for tires.

I would hope not either. They are way louder than the Z1's which is really annoying.

 

[BAVARIA]

The volume from the ZIIIs is rather disappointing. I'll wait for the Tire Rack test before I decide which direction to go.

 

[Onsoku]

The volume from the ZIIIs is rather disappointing. I'll wait for the Tire Rack test before I decide which direction to go.

https://grassrootsmotorsports.com/articles/summer-tire-test-bfg-rival-vs-bridgestone-re-71r-v/

 

[cccoltsicehockey]

Is the AD08R now considered an inferior/outdated tire compared to those because I see it left out in most of the tests? Not to mention at least right now in the tire market they are about $150-200 more per set than the ZIII.

 

[SoloNSX]

Is the AD08R now considered an inferior/outdated tire compared to those because I see it left out in most of the tests? Not to mention at least right now in the tire market they are about $150-200 more per set than the ZIII.

Yes. AD08’s are a bit old and just don’t compete with others. Esp at their price point. They have always been way too expensive for what they offer. Even when they originally came out, they were not at the top and far too expensive.

 

[tucsonsx]

FWIW I went from OEM Bridgestone RE010s on my /94 to the Conti Extreme Contact Sport about 1 year ago. I'm in the suburbs of the Motor City and our roads are so bad that I felt I needed something with a bit more compliance. While the Continental tires made the car infinitely more livable/comfortable than the stiff as a hockey puck sidewalls of the RE010s this clearly came at the expense of the handling. I don't push the car all that hard but the "confidence" and "fun" factors have markedly decreased. A bit hard to explain but I'll try. The RE010s had more stick and I never felt that I was approaching the limit (again, I don't push it too hard on public streets) -- very confidence inspiring. Not so much with the Contis -- the steering just doesn't talk to me the same way it did with the RE010s and the limit is perceptibly lower than on the RE010s. The car is just not as much fun anymore and doesn't handle as its maker intended which really is this car's raison d'etre. I'm not a knocking the Contis -- they serve their purpose -- better ride but somewhat degraded handling.

Now I wish I had bought an extra set of RE010s when they were available. Wonder if these can be sourced from Japan -- call/email to Marc Perez in order tomorrow.

Fortunately I have a minty set of 02+ wheels squirreled away and I suppose I can buy a set more performance oriented tires and then swap wheels as necessary. Of course this is going to lead to all manner of other trouble -- floor jack, torque wrench, other tools needed to do wheel swap...........LOL. However, I'll then presumably have the best of both worlds.


Best,
Jeff

The thing that really separated the OEM tires from the rest was that they were designed for the car - the belts had a bias toward toe-in which in combination with the slight toe-out of the front suspension meant that the all the slack was taken out of the suspension. That is why the steering feels so responsive and turn in is instant. The NSX was the first car that I know of that had the tires as an integral part of the suspension design from the very beginning and it is a real shame that they are no longer available.

 

[mwagner10702]

. . . . and it is a real shame that they are no longer available.

Just add those tires to the growing list of parts that are no longer available for our cars. Sigh . . . :frown:

 

[BAVARIA]

Thanks Onsoku that was an interesting read. Tucson yes I recall that both the Bridgestone and the Yokohama OEM tires were designed for the NSX. Kicking myself that when these were readily available I didn't pick up an extra set or two, despite the price. I'm going to make some inquiries in next few days to see if the RE010s can be sourced direct from Bridgestone Japan. Chances are likely not but worth a call.

Best,
Jeff

 

[furinax]

Now that it's below freezing out (7F where I'm at) what are the repercussions of leaving my AD08Rs out in the cold? I'm not driving the car, but the storage notes on Tire Rack have me concerned.

 

[robbiedawg]

I got concerned with the issue of driving summer tires in cold weather last winter when we had an unprecedented week in which it didn't get above freezing. I had known that these tires have reduced traction below about 40 degrees, but the issue that was raised was that they might actually crack when you drive them in very cold weather. When I first heard about this, I thought great, something else to worry about.
In researching it, I found a memo GM had put out which said don't drive or move summer tires below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. It also says if tires have been subjected to temperatures of 20 or less, they should be warmed up to at least 40 degrees for 24 hours-
http://cccorvette.org/tech/TireCracking_GM_13-03-10-001A.pdf

I suspect this is very conservative advice, because they don't want to have to replace any tires at their expense. I use my summer Yokohama S.drives all year round here, because it doesn't get cold enough often enough to justify the expense of winter tires. This has included frequent use in temperatures in the thirties, and occasional use in temperatures in the 20s, and I have never had any cracking.

I started this thread about the issue on here--
http://www.nsxprime.com/forum/showthread.php/204678-Can-Cold-Temps-Damage-Crack-Summer-Tires-in-Dry-Conditions

docjohn helpfully reported driving on summer tires in the teens and the twenties with no cracking.

 

[Shaun Ray]

I was finally able to test drive the new Falkens tonight. I love these tires!

I'll be getting the first set of 17/18 OEM wheels (with offset) from SOS later this summer. SOS correctly recommends tire size 215/40 for the front and 255/35 for the rear. I'm not thrilled with the limited choices for this wheel combo, but Yokohama and Falken provide a 265/35R18 for the rear. I've heard good things about the Falken's.

My question is, would going from 255/35 to 265/35 be enough to cause and TCS indicator light trouble? I've searched Prime a little bit on this specific size but on this thread there was a couple of guys that have had actual experience with the Falken tires, so I thought I'd just ask. I'm pretty sure it's all good to go from 255/35 to 265/35, but always appreciate some other opinions when stepping outside the lane.

One last note: I plan to put some Eibach lowering springs on the car that would lower it approx. 1.2". The car is an 04 NSX currently with the 17/17 OEM wheels.

Any thoughts to share?