New tires

[nigel]

OK, it's time for new tires and seems Tire Rack hasn't any Goodyear F1 GS-D3's.
Does anyone know where to get some or what's a good replacement with a like tread pattern?

They have Potenza 010's for $260 each but i'd rather have the Goodyear F1s.

The wheels are 16 / 17's on my '92.

Cheers
nigel

 

[jwmelvin]

What size wheels?

 

[nsxtasy]

Here's the problem. Now that the F1 GS-D3 is no longer available, there really isn't a tire out there that comes in 16"/17" sizes (205/45-16 or 215/45-16 front, 245/40-17 or 255/40-17 rear) that offers the combination of performance, price, and treadlife that the F1 GS-D3 does.

Here are your options:

a. You can get the RE010. Great performance, but more expensive and won't last as long as the F1 GS-D3.

b. You can get one of the "extreme performance" tires (Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 with 205/45 fronts, Hankook Ventus R-S3 (Version 2) with 205/45 fronts, Toyo Proxes R1R with 205/45 fronts, Kumho Ecsta XS with 215/45 fronts, or Falken Azenis RT-615K with 215/45 fronts). They will grip even better than the F1 GS-D3 on dry pavement, but not quite as well on wet (particularly the XS), and they won't last anywhere near as many miles as the F1 GS-D3.

c. You can get one of the "ultra high performance" tires (the best of which are the BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2 and Bridgestone Potenza RE760 Sport, both with 205/45 fronts), but they are a significant step down in performance from the F1 GS-D3 on both wet and dry pavement.

Those are your choices.

 

[nigel]

nsxtasy;

Thanks for responding.
I've looked all over and the RE 010 seems to be the best replacement so far but the price is much more.
As there don't seem to be any alternative that may be what I have to do.
I don't drive in the wet so i'm thinking of the RE 11 but I think i'd like them to last a little longer and not be so expensive though I don't take it out much i'm not 'gonna weasel out on quality.
I'm kind of hoping someone might have a new set of F1's stashed away that aren't to old they'd like to get rid of.

Cheers
nigel

 

[jwmelvin]

I had 6-year-old tires on my car when I got it last fall. OEM RE010. They seemed fine but not the gripiest at an autocross. The car was new to me so what did I know. In advance of my first track experience at NSXPO, I replaced them with AD08 R (in a 17/17 pair on new wheels). The difference was not subtle and the grip seems much higher.

I have had eight track days and a few thousand miles on the Yokohamas and they are still going strong. Perhaps not too many more track days left on them but I've been very happy. I used winter tires during the winter but will note that the AD08 R is much better in cold weather (approaching freezing) than the old RE010 that I had.

I've been trying to figure out if I will run my 17/17 as street and track tires as I do now or will instead put my 16/17 OEM wheels into the summer rotation to have separate street and track setups. I am hesitant to go with less than the extreme performance tires just so I have two options for the track and because I'm concerned that I will miss them on the street, notwithstanding that nearly all my driving is daily commuting.

Anyhow, just wanted to share my albeit limited experience with a couple of tires you are considering. I will say that for the 16/17 size, I was excited about getting a set of Direzza ZII but they appear to be gone now in the front size (225/45, which I know is a bit big) so my current thinking was to try out the Hankook R-S3 v2. Or maybe the Ecsta XS if I can give up rain performance (they apparently suck in the rain). For a step down in dry performance, I would probably try the Direzza DZ102.

 

[PghMiller]

I just got BF Goodrich GForce Sport Comp2 205/45/16 and 245/40/17 with mount/balance, road hazard protection, and alignment for $630 (that's with tax and everything)... is that a decent price?

Also, when they do the alignment, should I request that they use a different year's specs, or stick with my 96 specs? I've seen you guys on here talking about that. I am not lowered, 100%OEM, 96 NSXT, no tracking, daily "spirited" driving. (I may eventually get springs to lower slightly)

 

[nsxtasy]

I just got BF Goodrich GForce Sport Comp2 205/45/16 and 245/40/17 with mount/balance, road hazard protection, and alignment for $630 (that's with tax and everything)... is that a decent price?

You can look up web prices for the tires easily enough; you probably won't pay sales tax but you'll pay around $15/tire shipping. You can look up web prices for road hazard, mounting/balancing is typically $15-25/tire if you're not buying the tires there, and alignment is typically $100-150.

Also, when they do the alignment, should I request that they use a different year's specs, or stick with my 96 specs?

I'd stick with the stock specs. Which are now the same for all years. (They made a change in 1993 but made it retroactive to previous years.)

 

[nigel]

I changed my alignment specs to the upgraded style after I got my car and they seem to be fine.
I'm wanting to replace them because the F1's are at least 10 years old and I don't want to take any chances at speed.

Cheers
nigel

 

[Yinzer]

For a step down in dry performance, I would probably try the Direzza DZ102.

Have you or anyone here tried those specific tires? Currently they're the lowest cost tires available in 15/16's at Tire Rack. I'm trying to seek real-world feedback for wear/life, handling, noise, etc. for "lower cost tires" like these ultra high performance tires vs. the next step up extreme performance summer tires in another thread (click here). At ~1/2 the cost between the two tire classes, to me there is a compelling question of whether one (who doesn't have a bottomless checkbook) would be better off in the big picture by considering ultra high performance tires, putting some of the saved $$ towards driving instruction, and then maybe stepping up to the added benefits of extreme perf tires later.

To try to avoid getting two parallel threads going and not bum anyone out:

I'm hoping any followups to my post here in this thread are in regards only to whether anyone's tried the Direzza DZ102, since they were mentioned here. I'm interested in anyone's real-world impressions.
I'd appreciate followups to my post in the other thread to be at the other thread.

Thanks!!!

 

[nsxtasy]

The Dunlop Direzza DZ102 is brand new on the market, so not a lot of folks have bought or driven on them yet. Heck, the Tire Rack hasn't even had a chance to test it yet, either. It replaces the Dunlop Direzza DZ101, which was an okay "ultra high performance" tire. I suspect Dunlop decided to replace it because the DZ101 couldn't compete all that well on performance compared with the best in that class (e.g. Bridgestone RE760 Sport). While I haven't driven the DZ102, the other tires in that category (with the exception of the OEM RE010) are a huge step down in performance from the extreme performance tires; their advantages lie in the value part of the equation, with better purchase price and treadlife. Which is the best for you depends on your priorities.

Personally, I find it a bit odd to pay a lot of money for a sports car with very high performance capabilities, only to reduce those capabilities in order to save a few dollars on tires. But it's your car and if that makes sense for your needs, by all means do whatever makes the most sense to you. (And then there are folks who have two sets of tires, lower-performance tires for street use and supersticky tires to swap on for the racetrack, which is another approach that may make sense.)

 

[shawn110975]

Well searching for 16/17 for a customer he had to have Potezza they are all gone, I found 4 one tire in different states total cost for the tires 1300. takes 10 days to get them.. and the DOT stamp is gonna be a few year old not new so take that into consideration.

they don't sell the best tire anymore BF Goodrich KDW's in the 16/17 size so I am f-ked and am now getting forced to buy OEM 17/17 O5 rims at a whopping 6K I am not liking it at all.
I will not try any other tires I am sold on BF I tried almost all of them non stuck to dry/wet like the KDWs no one can tell me different, and going cheapo so I can drive my NSx is stupid.

good tire mean you will avoid problems cheapo tire your dead. the rubber is the only thing saving your life so Kia tires in not gonna cut it.

sorry for the rant but pony up get the best you can find and drive.

 

[Yinzer]

Personally, I find it a bit odd to pay a lot of money for a sports car with very high performance capabilities, only to reduce those capabilities in order to save a few dollars on tires.

Ha ha I knew I was going to hear more of that while possibly tarnishing my "rep" as an owner, lol... I just wanted to hear some hands-on input in the name of science. Does spending 50% less on the next class down bring 10% or 90% reduction in everyday non-track dry weather handling and 50% or 100% increase in treadwear, yadda yadda... However I think I'm going to hear only from those with high-perf preferences, and that's OK. I bet if I had more track experience I'd be laughing at my questions here. Totally fine.

(And then there are folks who have two sets of tires, lower-performance tires for street use and supersticky tires to swap on for the racetrack, which is another approach that may make sense.)

Ding ding ding, pick a prize from the top row! You helped me connect the dots in my head. This is why a paid membership to Prime pays for itself over and over. It's too bad I didn't buy tires last fall. I hadn't gone into it but my ongoing house construction project is going over budget due to a few surprise city requirements and will require some five figure out-of-pocket spends this summer. So I'm just way over-scrutinizing all non-house spends at the moment (and eating out a lot less this spring). I have so many spare 15/16 wheels that it's a compelling idea to "skimp" for now for DD type tires and pick up a $500 set later. Save the $300's for those 1300 mile round-trips to Detroit where I get to turn the steering wheel only once at Toledo and extend the life of both sets. This makes sense now in pretend-land in my head. After a season or two of more hands-on time, perhaps I'd "get it" and shake my head back at this thread one day.

What's really sobering is even $600 a set pales in comparison to what those face with trendy 19"-20" wheels on their family vehicles. Sets @Tire Rack for my mom's Murano start at $800. Porsche Cayman S 19's are well over $1000/set. Loving those 15/16's even more.

good tire mean you will avoid problems cheapo tire your dead. the rubber is the only thing saving your life so Kia tires in not gonna cut it.
sorry for the rant but pony up get the best you can find and drive.

No rant, no problems. Was just trying to understand if $300's are truly "Kia tires" or not. Oh well enough talk, I'm good! I might just buck up for extreme perf's since technically that's even more economical over the next 2-3 years than buying 2 sets. If I'm running into spendy problems from the city of Pittsburgh building department, I'll just eat out even less this summer.

 

[nsxtasy]

Well searching for 16/17 for a customer he had to have Potezza they are all gone, I found 4 one tire in different states total cost for the tires 1300. takes 10 days to get them.. and the DOT stamp is gonna be a few year old not new so take that into consideration.

If you're referring to the OEM tires (Bridgestone Potenza RE010), here's their current status at the Tire Rack:

• Front Left: In Stock, Can be delivered on Tue, 05/27, $248
• Front Right: Fewer than 8, Special Order Available, Can be delivered on Tue, 05/27, $247
• Rear Left: Fewer than 5, Additional Due 05/30/14, Can be delivered on Tue, 05/27, $263
• Rear Right: Fewer than 8, Additional Due 05/30/14, Can be delivered on Tue, 05/27, $264

 

[kookoo4nsx]

I bought a set of ZII's last year. I don't track so no opinion there but after about 2k miles they appear to look nearly new. They stick like glue on the street.
I also had my car alignment done at the same time which also might have helped.

 

[FF Drifter]

Just ordered a pair of Direzza DZ102 (will be replacing my Yokohama s.Drive rears, which I already liked less than the previous Kumho Ecsta SPT). Since my car is a daily driver (56 miles every weekday, typically more on weekends) throughout the summer, the theoretical 460 treadwear rating should be nice. Also this will supposedly be better in the rain than both the DZ101 and my current s.Drive. Will post an update on these tires in a few months.

 

[vivanshah]

Just ordered a pair of Direzza DZ102 (will be replacing my Yokohama s.Drive rears, which I already liked less than the previous Kumho Ecsta SPT). Since my car is a daily driver (56 miles every weekday, typically more on weekends) throughout the summer, the theoretical 460 treadwear rating should be nice. Also this will supposedly be better in the rain than both the DZ101 and my current s.Drive. Will post an update on these tires in a few months.

hey ff drifter, what are your impressions of the DZ102 so far?

 

[FF Drifter]

I actually answered this exact question via PM last week, like so:

I am much happier with the Dunlop DZ102 (vs. the Yokohama S.drives) at least as far as rear tires go. I am not sure if they have them in the 215/40/17 tire size however so I might not be able to get them for my front tires when I will be looking for a set next Spring. Just based on the performance of the rear tires (both dry and wet), I have a good impression of the Dunlop DZ102 although I think they are wearing down faster than the Yokohama s.Drives. We'll see how they hold up over the next few months before I switch to winter tires.

 

[nsxtasy]

The Tire Rack tested them side by side with three other tires in their "ultra high performance summer tire" category; click here to view the test. Their conclusion about the DZ102: "An Ultra High Performance Summer option that doesn't stand out from the crowd".

Again, though, the ultra high performance summer tire category appeals primarily to those with inexpensive, sporty cars, who are more concerned about their tires being inexpensive than getting ones that offer top-notch grip and handling. They will degrade the handling of an NSX, compared to the higher-grip categories (extreme performance summer tires and maximum performance summer tires). Granted, some people care about value as well, and the extreme performance summer tires tend to be more expensive and not last as many miles. But there are maximum performance summer tires which will last as long as the ultra high performance tires and in many cases are roughly the same price as well. It's best to look at all tires available in the best NSX sizes for your wheels, and decide based on what's available and your own preference for the trade-off between performance and value. But if a maximum performance tire offers better performance and similar value and it's available in the sizes you need, it's probably a better choice than an ultra-high-performance tire.

 

[Yinzer]

I debated the same question this summer and I was the one PM'ing FF Drifter about his DZ102's a few weeks ago, ha ha.

IMHO, the NSX can be considered an "ultra high performance summer" car when compared to more expensive & more hyper-performing "extreme performance summer" cars...I could pay more $$$ for a more extreme performance car but I very happily don't need to with the NSX, so why not consider that similar cost/benefit trade-off with tires.... Ultimately though, since my NSX is not a DD, and after catching up with Ken a little bit (Ken when are you coming back out to PGH and go to a Pirates game?), I went with extreme performance summer Dunlop ZII's. I want to try something close to "the best" and see how well they perform & last. Not that much more expensive and should last at least 3 years with my driving style/frequency. I was going to go with the more expensive ZII star specs after chatting with Ken but decided to take advantage of a $100 savings with a $50 rebate that was available last month.

FWIW!

 

[vivanshah]

Using them on the fat 5s ?

I have the z1 star specs on my Si and I love them, which is why I'm itching to try the z2 ss

 

[Yinzer]

Using them on the fat 5s ?

No, they're going on the fat 5's slightly more petite and fairer-skinned cousin from Japan!

Z2 SS - looks like you got your answer! Not to divert this thread but are your travel plans all set for this weekend???

 

[OLDMNSX]

The first tires I put on my NSX was a set of Bridgestone Potenza RE 010s. I liked them when the road temps were above about 45 - 50 degrees, nice and sticky for spirited street driving. I DIDN'T like the mileage I got. I HAD to replace the rears at 11000 miles and I NEVER did a tire spinning launch!

I replaced the RE 010s with Continental Extreme Contact DW. TOTAL price from Tire Rack (2 ea 205/45R16 and 2ea 245/40R17) shipped was $604. I have put 4K miles on them. The are NOT as sticky as the 010s, but very manageable. You DO have to drive the corners a little more conservative with the Conties until you get used to them. They will slide a little if you push them in the corners as a warning that they are getting ready to let go.

 

[nsxtasy]

I replaced the RE 010s with Continental Extreme Contact DW. TOTAL price from Tire Rack (2 ea 205/45R16 and 2ea 245/40R17) shipped was $604. I have put 4K miles on them. The are NOT as sticky as the 010s, but very manageable. You DO have to drive the corners a little more conservative with the Conties until you get used to them. They will slide a little if you push them in the corners as a warning that they are getting ready to let go.

Unfortunately, the Continental ExtremeContact DW is no longer available in 205/45-16.

 

[OLDMNSX]

Unfortunately, the Continental ExtremeContact DW is no longer available in 205/45-16.

What is WRONG with these people! They don't make the size we need and then discontinue making a close substitute! I think I'm going to write President Obama and get him to make a "CHANGE".....

 

[RC51NSX]

BFGoodrich g-Force Rival in stock sizes for $608 at tire rack.