How are those Dunlop ZIIs? I'm interested in them as well.
How are those Dunlop ZIIs? I'm interested in them as well.
LOL! The ZII has only been on the market for about a year!Tire tech is always improving, and I believe ZII's are an aging formula. Newer tires out perform AND outlast. Can anyone chime in on the latest and greatest from the rubber world?
LOL! The ZII has only been on the market for about a year!
I'm not sure which sizes you're looking at, or which g-Force tire you're referring to (BFG makes a lot of different tires in that line). The ZII will give MUCH better performance than the KDW2 or any Sumitomo tire. Depending on sizes, there may be a better tire but only if you're willing to trade off performance for value (purchase price and/or treadlife).I'm in the market too.
Not much choice at this size.
The z2 or the gforce or kdw2. The sumitomo are about half the price.
What about tire noise?I'm not sure which sizes you're looking at, or which g-Force tire you're referring to (BFG makes a lot of different tires in that line). The ZII will give MUCH better performance than the KDW2 or any Sumitomo tire. Depending on sizes, there may be a better tire but only if you're willing to trade off performance for value (purchase price and/or treadlife).
If that's a factor, you may be better off with one of the max performance tires. What sizes are your wheels?What about tire noise?
If that's a factor, you may be better off with one of the max performance tires. What sizes are your wheels?
Then you'd probably be very happy with the Kumho Ecsta LE Sport. It's a maximum performance tire, so it will last longer and be quieter than the extreme performance tires like the ZII. It's also a lot less expensive (Tire Rack $100 for the front, and $180 for the 265/35-18, which I would recommend for the rear rather than 275/35).Same as the OP. 215/40/17 and 275/35/18 but i could run the 265/35/18.
This is a street car only. So I am looking for decent performance, but not track levels.
Another choice in that category is the Pirelli P Zero Nero GT. It's brand new, so I don't know much about it.
Then you'd probably be very happy with the Kumho Ecsta LE Sport. It's a maximum performance tire, so it will last longer and be quieter than the extreme performance tires like the ZII. It's also a lot less expensive (Tire Rack $100 for the front, and $180 for the 265/35-18, which I would recommend for the rear rather than 275/35).
Another choice in that category is the Pirelli P Zero Nero GT. It's brand new, so I don't know much about it. It's even cheaper in front ($85) but right now they only have 255/35-18 for the rear ($186), not 265/35 or 275/35.
Discount tire has a Kumho Ecsta ASX. Is that any good?
Basically correct, when applied to an NSX.No, all-season tires = yuck.
Basically correct, when applied to an NSX.
All-season tires are designed to be a compromise. In moderate to warm temperatures, they don't grip anywhere near as well as summer tires, even mediocre summer tires. In snow and extreme cold, they grip better. They also last a lot longer (more miles) than summer tires. That compromise works well for your everyday family car. Not for a high-performance sports car (unless you're only using them in winter, and swapping to summer tires the rest of the year).
Not for a high-performance sports car (unless you're only using them in winter, and swapping to summer tires the rest of the year).
I think it's okay to mix tires of a different make/model, as long as their performance is similar. For example, I wouldn't hesitate to mix four extreme performance tires from different manufacturers, but I would not mix extreme performance tires with all-season tires. Granted, that's an extreme example, but it illustrates the point. The problem with mixing tires which perform differently is that it can induce oversteer (tendency for the rear to swing out) or understeer (tendency for the car to go straight ahead when trying to turn) when some tires on the car can grip better than others.I only need the rears as the fronts are still in great shape. I am still thinking of getting all 4, that way I have the fronts with a matching pattern when it is time to replace them. I realize running different tires is not ideal, but for street driving I can't see it being a huge problem.
As general advice for those in the snow belt, I wholeheartedly agree with you. However, it really depends on the climate and what conditions you're driving in. And you need to think of tires as falling across a spectrum of capabilities. More specifically, there are different kinds of winter tires; the two major kinds, in the Tire Rack's terminology, are "studless ice and snow" tires and "performance winter / snow" tires. The studless variety give the best grip on ice and snow, while the performance variety still do okay on ice and snow and give better handling when there's no ice and snow on the ground. Those who must drive their vehicle in the worst winter weather are generally better off with the studless variety; those whose climate is more mild and/or who have another vehicle to use in bad winter weather are often better off with the performance variety. Keep going along that spectrum, and if someone lives in a location where winters are rather mild so it doesn't snow all that often but it's still a possibility - think North Carolina or Oklahoma - they might prefer to keep driving their NSX in winter by swapping on all-seasons, which will handle better than winter tires, but with the knowledge that if the rare severe winter storm hits, the all-seasons might not be able to deal with it.If you're doing that, you should use winter tires. All-season tires also suck in the winter, compared to winter tires. The only roles for all-season tires are (1) for combined winter and summer use if you cannot afford two sets of tires and (2) for longer-wearing tires on a nonperformance car.
What tires do you have in front?
Assuming you mean the Eagle F1 GSD3, that was a maximum performance summer tire. If I were you, I would replace the rears with the Kumho Ecsta LE Sport in 265/35-18, which is another maximum performance summer tire with similar performance, and use that combination. When the fronts eventually wear out, you can get the LE Sport in 215/40-17, and you'll have four matching tires after that.Goodyear Eagle F1. Doesn't look like they made what I have anymore.
Yes, gsd3. Would you buy the fronts now or just the rears? I have no idea how long they will be around.Assuming you mean the Eagle F1 GSD3, that was a maximum performance summer tire. If I were you, I would replace the rears with the Kumho Ecsta LE Sport in 265/35-18, which is another maximum performance summer tire with similar performance, and use that combination. When the fronts eventually wear out, you can get the LE Sport in 215/40-17, and you'll have four matching tires after that.
If it were my car, I would just buy a pair of the Kumho Ecsta LE Sport for the rear right now, and see how it goes with that combo. If you find that you're not that thrilled with the way they handle when mixed with the GSD3 - either because of aging (as NSXonwheels suggests above, although five years isn't that old as tires go), or just because of the mix - you could always buy a pair of fronts if that's the way you feel about it. And if you're happy with that combo, you can put off buying fronts until the ones you have actually wear out.Yes, gsd3. Would you buy the fronts now or just the rears? I have no idea how long they will be around.