Tires for my stock '92 NSX

[BryanZublin]

I'm looking for tire recommendations for my stock 1992 NSX. My last set of tires were Bridgestone Potenza S03 in stock sizes (205/50-15 & 225/50-16) which lasted 15K miles under street driving conditions. I was happy with the S03's performance and now I am looking for a replacement with a better tread life / price ratio. Low tire noise would be a plus. This is my daliy driver and I am not currently tracking it.

 

[Big_D]

I bought Kuhmos Ecsta XS but havent put them on yet. $450 with shipping at Tire Rack.

Specs from tire rack:

Kumho Ecsta XS (Extreme Performance Summer)

Front: 205/50R15
Serv. Desc: 86WLoad Index 86 = 1168lbs (530kg) per tire
Speed Rating "W" = 168mph (270kph)
UTQG: Treadwear: 180
Traction: AA
Temperature: A
180 AA A Price: $88.00 (each)

Rear: 225/50R16
Serv. Desc: 92WLoad Index 92 = 1389lbs (630kg) per tire
Speed Rating "W" = 168mph (270kph)
UTQG: Treadwear: 180
Traction: AA
Temperature: A
180 AA A Price: $156.00 (each


I heard other owners also like these tires



Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 (Extreme Performance Summer)

Front: 205/50R15
Serv. Desc: 86VLoad Index 86 = 1168lbs (530kg) per tire
Speed Rating "V" = 149mph (240kph)
UTQG: Treadwear: 180
Traction: A
Temperature: A
180 A APrice: $120.00 (each)

Rear: 225/50R16
Serv. Desc: 92VLoad Index 92 = 1389lbs (630kg) per tire
Speed Rating "V" = 149mph (240kph)
UTQG: Treadwear: 180
Traction: A
Temperature: A
180 A APrice: $156.00 (each)


Dunlop Direzza DZ101 (Ultra High Performance Summer)

Front: 205/50R15
Serv. Desc: 86VLoad Index 86 = 1168lbs (530kg) per tire
Speed Rating "V" = 149mph (240kph)
UTQG: Treadwear: 300
Traction: A
Temperature: A
300 A APrice: $65.00 (each)

Rear: 225/50R16
Serv. Desc: 92VLoad Index 92 = 1389lbs (630kg) per tire
Speed Rating "V" = 149mph (240kph)
UTQG: Treadwear: 300
Traction: A
Temperature: A
300 A APrice: $86.00 (each)

Yokos Advans Neova AD08 (Extreme Performance Summer)

Front: 205/50R15
Serv. Desc: 86VLoad Index 86 = 1168lbs (530kg) per tire
Speed Rating "V" = 149mph (240kph)
UTQG: Treadwear: 180
Traction: AA
Temperature: A
180 AA APrice: $118.00

Rear: 225/50R16
Serv. Desc: 92VLoad Index 92 = 1389lbs (630kg) per tire
Speed Rating "V" = 149mph (240kph)
UTQG: Treadwear: 300
Traction: A
Temperature: A
300 A APrice: $86.00 (each)

 

[Osiris_x11]

hmmm...

I was happy with the S03's performance and now I am looking for a replacement with a better tread life / price ratio. Low tire noise would be a plus. This is my daliy driver and I am not currently tracking it.

The Bridgestone Potenza RE50A Pole Position is the modern-day equivalent of the now-discontinued Bridgestone Potenza S-03. The general niche` of the aforementioned tires is "max' performance summer tires", and they offer OEM/stock like performance/handling and similar tread-wear/tread-life.

I personally recommend the Bridgestone Potenza RE050A Pole Position, based on personal experience. Or at least stick w/ a recommended max' performance summer tires for an NSX-application.

There are less expensive, ("ultra") high-performance tires which will offer more tread-life, but at the expense of having mediocre performance/handling. For a daily-driver in a generally dry-climate & primarily street-driving/touring, such a tire choice may make economical sense...

Such offerings include:

- Yokohama S.drive (a newer/better performing analog of the AVS ES100)

- Dunlop Direzza DZ101

- Kumho Ecsta SPT

- BF Goodrich g-Force T/A KDW (or BFGoodrich g-Force T/A KDW-2)


Easy way to (broadly) categorize tires specific/relevant for NSX-applications:

Extreme Performance Summer Tires
* excellent dry-grip, avg' wet-grip, below avg' tread-life, below avg' refinement/comfort

Max' Performance Summer Tires
* great dry-grip, good wet-grip, avg' tread-life, avg' refinement/comfort

Ultra High-Performance Summer Tires
* good dry-grip, great wet-grip, above avg' tread-life, above avg' refinement/comfort

Kumho Ecsta XS (Extreme Performance Summer)

Bridgestone Potenza RE-11 (Extreme Performance Summer)

Yokos Advans Neova AD08 (Extreme Performance Summer)

These tires will offer significantly shorter tread-life & less refinement than the now-discontinued Bridgestone Potenza S-03's, which are priorities for the O.P.

Dunlop Direzza DZ101 (Ultra High Performance Summer)

This tire is below the max' performance summer tire realm that the now-discontinued Bridgestone Potenza S-03 was a part of, in terms of performance/handling. . .


FWIW, my next set of tires will likely be either the Kumho Ecsta XS (like Big_D) or Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec of which other NSX'ers have been pleased w/. . .