Replacement Tires for Dunlap SP Sport 9000's...????

[NSXY]

Yo Primers,

I have had many years of excellent service from Dunlap SP Sport 9000's that I must now replace. These were perfect tires for my type of spirited mountain road driving in dry conditions only (not track, not straight-line commuting). I got >20K miles/front and >10K miles/rear. The sizes were 225/45 ZR16 front and 255/40 ZR17 rear (using factory alignment specs).

I know that these sizes may be impossible to find in 2014, so I'll settle for smaller tires. But, I want replacement tires with qualities that best match the old Dunlap SP Sport 9000's, including long tread wear, excellent grip, and stiff side walls. If there are any olde Primers out there who have owned and driven Dunlap SP Sport 9000's and succeeded in replacing them with equal or better tires, please let me know what you bought and why.

Thanks mucho.

NSXY

 

[nsxtasy]

Wow, I remember using the SP9000 almost twenty years ago on my Integra. It was barely okay at that time, and doesn't even come close to the quality of today's ultra high performance tires, let alone the supersticky extreme performance tires. Heck, I remember wanting to get rid of them after only a few years, they were so mediocre even then. You're going to be SHOCKED at how much better today's tires are than the SP9000.

Also, you really shouldn't get the 225/45-16 fronts, which probably rub - they do with most tires. Stick to 205/45-16 or 215/45-16 front, and 245/40-17 or 255/40-17 rear.

Basically, there are two best types of tires available for your NSX with 16"/17" wheels:

(1) "Extreme performance summer" tires offer the absolute best traction and grip you can get in a street tire. Downsides are that they tend to be rather expensive and don't last anywhere near as long as the next group. The best choices in this group are:

BFGoodrich g-Force Rival: 215/45-16 $133, 245/40-17 $159, 255/40-17 $209
Bridgestone Potenza RE-11: 205/45-16 $158, 255/40-17 $187
Hankook Ventus R-S3 (Version 2): 205/45-16 $120, 245/40-17 $153, 255/40-17 $155
Toyo Proxes R1R: 205/45-16 $161, 245/40-17 $178, 255/40-17 $213
Kumho Ecsta XS: 215/45-16 $119, 245/40-17 $181, 255/40-17 $173
Falken Azenis RT-615K: 215/45-16 $127, 255/40-17 $169

(2) "Ultra high performance summer" tires have substantially less grip than the previous group, while advantages include longer treadlife (maybe not as long as those crappy SP9000, but relatively longer) and a lower purchase price. (Unfortunately, there are no "maximum performance summer" tires - a higher performance category - available in the sizes you need.) Here are the best ultra high performance summer tires available:

Bridgestone Potenza RE010*: 215/45-16 $253, 245/40-17 $270
BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2: 205/45-16 $79, 245/40-17 $113, 255/40-17 $115
Bridgestone Potenza RE760 Sport: 205/45-16 $97, 245/40-17 $136, 255/40-17 $139

I've put these in order within each group, so I would recommend the first one listed as top choice, then the second one, etc. Of course, if price is a factor, you can decide whether to trade off price vs quality. Also, prices shown are from the Tire Rack (except the Falken, which is from Vulcan Tire) and do not include shipping (around $15/tire) but there is no sales tax on these purchases in most states.

Summary:

If you want the very best grip in a street tire, get the BFGoodrich g-Force Rival in 215/45-16 front and either 245/40-17 or 255/40-17 rear.

If you want to save money by buying a less expensive tire that lasts longer and still grips well, get the BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2 in 205/45-16 front and either 245/40-17 or 255/40-17 rear.

Either of these is much, much, MUCH better than the Dunlop SP9000 (but may not last as long).

*The Bridgestone Potenza RE010 was an OEM tire with which some NSXs were equipped from the factory.

 

[docjohn]

lol I was gonna tell him the 9000 sucked from the get go on an nsx...I think any tire is better.....

 

[jmarksnsx]

Wow, I remember using the SP9000 almost twenty years ago on my Integra. It was barely okay at that time, and doesn't even come close to the quality of today's ultra high performance tires, let alone the supersticky extreme performance tires. Heck, I remember wanting to get rid of them after only a few years, they were so mediocre even then. You're going to be SHOCKED at how much better today's tires are than the SP9000.

Also, you really shouldn't get the 225/45-16 fronts, which probably rub - they do with most tires. Stick to 205/45-16 or 215/45-16 front, and 245/40-17 or 255/40-17 rear.

Basically, there are two best types of tires available for your NSX with 16"/17" wheels:

(1) "Extreme performance summer" tires offer the absolute best traction and grip you can get in a street tire. Downsides are that they tend to be rather expensive and don't last anywhere near as long as the next group. The best choices in this group are:

BFGoodrich g-Force Rival: 215/45-16 $133, 245/40-17 $159, 255/40-17 $209
Bridgestone Potenza RE-11: 205/45-16 $158, 255/40-17 $187
Hankook Ventus R-S3 (Version 2): 205/45-16 $120, 245/40-17 $153, 255/40-17 $155
Toyo Proxes R1R: 205/45-16 $161, 245/40-17 $178, 255/40-17 $213
Kumho Ecsta XS: 215/45-16 $119, 245/40-17 $181, 255/40-17 $173
Falken Azenis RT-615K: 215/45-16 $127, 255/40-17 $169

(2) "Ultra high performance summer" tires have substantially less grip than the previous group, while advantages include longer treadlife (maybe not as long as those crappy SP9000, but relatively longer) and a lower purchase price. (Unfortunately, there are no "maximum performance summer" tires - a higher performance category - available in the sizes you need.) Here are the best ultra high performance summer tires available:

Bridgestone Potenza RE010*: 215/45-16 $253, 245/40-17 $270
BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2: 205/45-16 $79, 245/40-17 $113, 255/40-17 $115
Bridgestone Potenza RE760 Sport: 205/45-16 $97, 245/40-17 $136, 255/40-17 $139

I've put these in order within each group, so I would recommend the first one listed as top choice, then the second one, etc. Of course, if price is a factor, you can decide whether to trade off price vs quality. Also, prices shown are from the Tire Rack (except the Falken, which is from Vulcan Tire) and do not include shipping (around $15/tire) but there is no sales tax on these purchases in most states.

Summary:

If you want the very best grip in a street tire, get the BFGoodrich g-Force Rival in 215/45-16 front and either 245/40-17 or 255/40-17 rear.

If you want to save money by buying a less expensive tire that lasts longer and still grips well, get the BFGoodrich g-Force Sport COMP-2 in 205/45-16 front and either 245/40-17 or 255/40-17 rear.

Either of these is much, much, MUCH better than the Dunlop SP9000 (but may not last as long).

*The Bridgestone Potenza RE010 was an OEM tire with which some NSXs were equipped from the factory.

Good info. Anyone here running BFG Rivals yet?

 

[nsxtasy]

lol I was gonna tell him the 9000 sucked from the get go on an nsx...I think any tire is better.....

I was trying to think of the right word to describe them. I think you nailed it. :biggrin:

Good info. Anyone here running BFG Rivals yet?

I should note, I haven't driven/ridden on the Rivals yet. But they beat the Dunlop Direzza ZII and Yoko AD08R overall in Tire Rack's side-by-side comparison test, which is pretty darn awesome and good enough for me. I'd buy them myself, for sure, if I needed tires now and they came in the sizes I needed.