Tires for the FRS

Normally, after the new tires wear out, I have opted for the Azenis 615 as replacement tires for the fleet. That time is upon me once again, but before I call up Vulcan tire for a set of tires, thought to ask if a new contender is in the market.

The Azenis have been affordable and seem to have decent street manners for my 6,000 mile a year lifestyle. As I don't track them, they seem to last three or four years and that is acceptable.

The Azenis have been around for a long time, and for all I know outdated technology. Any new contenders that I should consider?

-Bridgestone RE71R
-BFG rival S
-new hankook RS4

Are the top autox tires, and better than the azenis. Although the azenis just came out in a new compound I don't know much about. For a step down in performance but a step up in daily-ability I've heard good things from the Michelin pilot super sport and Continental extremecontact DWS. Also the Bridgestone potenza RE-11A

In reply to Run_Away:

You're thinking of the Conti DW (or whatever its new replacement is called). The DWS is an all season.

I always thought the Rivals were a lot more $$$ than the rest of the crop?

Off to tire rack to see.

NOHOME wrote: I always thought the Rivals were a lot more $$$ than the rest of the crop? Off to tire rack to see.

Nah, about the same, at least in the sizes I looked at.

Toyo T1 sport, 240 tread wear, in a 45 series they have a decent ride. Mine are in their third year of use with as many track days. They were recommended by Tire Rack for my needs, DD, road trip, track tire. Also relatively cheap.

The only issue is sizing, of four retailers that sell Toyo only one could get that tire in the size that I wanted. Not because they couldn't they just refused. I think mine came from the Tread Depot.

In reply to rslifkin:

You're right, my bad.

NOHOME, check out PMCtire too since you're north of the border.

I just put the new Firestone Firehawk Indy 500's on my BRZ, and I'm really liking them. They are quiet on the street, grip really well for a 340tw tire, and seem to put up with a fair amount of punishment (1 tracknight and 2 auto-x weekends so far). The last auto-x I finished behind the guys running the latest "200tw" street tires, but ahead of everyone else.

Also, they are super cheap (like $86/tire cheap in BRZ/FRS size), and there is now a $60 rebate available on top of that!

The new Conti. Andy Hollis has raved about it and I trust his opinion.

What FR-S tire would you recommend for someone with no intention of tracking or autocross?

I have been extremely happy with the Sumitomo HTR Z III I put on the Crown Vic. Good wear, decent autocross, decent highway. Not to mention pretty cheap at less than $100 a tire.

rslifkin wrote: In reply to Run_Away: You're thinking of the Conti DW (or whatever its new replacement is called). The DWS is an all season.

I read somewhere recently (I know, if you can't provide the source...) that the DWS is all new and is better than the DW at this point because the DW has not been redesigned yet.

That being said we have the previous generation DWS tires on the 350z and the E36 and DW tires on the FR-S. Put the DWS's on the 350z because it's SWMBO car and I didn't want me or her to worry about her driving to work in the winter. Put them on the E36 because they were on closeout at Tire Rack as the new DWS's were about the be cut loose. For street use I can't tell the difference and these are the best street tires I've ever had, especially for wet weather. Have no track or auto-x experience with either formulation.

secretariata wrote:

rslifkin wrote: In reply to Run_Away: You're thinking of the Conti DW (or whatever its new replacement is called). The DWS is an all season.

I read somewhere recently (I know, if you can't provide the source...) that the DWS is all new and is better than the DW at this point because the DW has not been redesigned yet. That being said we have the previous generation DWS tires on the 350z and the E36 and DW tires on the FR-S. Put the DWS's on the 350z because it's SWMBO car and I didn't want me or her to worry about her driving to work in the winter. Put them on the E36 because they were on closeout at Tire Rack as the new DWS's were about the be cut loose. For street use I can't tell the difference and these are the best street tires I've ever had, especially for wet weather. Have no track or auto-x experience with either formulation.

The ExtremeContact DW has been redesigned...ExtremeContact Sport is the new DW.

Sport

DW

DWS 06

I'm running 205/45-17 DW's on 17x7.5 Enkei Fujins with my FR-S and will be trying out the Sports next. Agree that the DW's have been the best daily driver tire I've ever had. Phenominal in the wet, awesome in the dry, and one of the lightest tires in existance (lighter unspung mass = better ride quality)...WAYYYYY better than stock in every area except sidewall responsiveness (is a softer sidewall than the Michelins), but the stability it gives over the darty Michelins more than makes up for it... FR-S loves being pushed hard on the DW's once you learn the particulars of how they love to corner, it's much quicker (speed wise) and more planted than with the Michelins.

I hear the tires off a Prius fit.