What kind of tires should I buy

mywhite89

mywhite89

Registered User
I want to get a set of tires for both my stock rims and for my 17" cobra rims

For the stock rims I want the smoothest ride possible and something that grips decently as well.

For the cobra's I want the best road gripping street tire possible.

I called a tire place, but I hate dealing with those people for some reason. Their main concern is getting the best tire for my money. My concern is getting the best tire period. They think people worry so much about money that they use that as their main selling point. Plus I don't think they have a lot of direct experience in selling many performance oriented tires.

Chris
 
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I have the Firestone Firehawk Wide Ovals. I really like them. They grip really well and are very quiet for a high performance summer tire.
 
Goodyear F1's are the hot ticket from what I hear these days. I've always liked BFG KDW's but they are clearly a 'value for the dollar' purchase. The most expensive tires aren't always the best and in the case of the SC, wheel alignment, suspension components condition, and driving habits play a big role. If you like burning the tires a lot there is little point in getting anything expensive. Unless you get drag radials they will all spin off easily with 400+ftlbs torque.

For stock sized tires Bridgestone RE750 or Michelin Pilot Sport would be my choices. Of course it also depends on what you want the tires to do for you. Me, since the stock tires are narrow anyway, I'd want no less than V speed rated and something that wears well.
 
Tirerack.com has ratings & user feedback that is most helpfull. I have bought tires using this as a resource. I plan to get goodyear ResponsEdge rated 10. (for the stock wheels)
 
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I recommend the Goodyear F1GSD3. It's pricey, but it's a phenomenal tire, especially in the rain. And it even comes in 255/45ZR17.
 
for 16" i'd say 255/50 Summitomo HTR ZII's they are pretty cheap and look cool, plus they grip good and area a good cheap performance tire. I don't know what width cobras you have so I can't say what size there.
 
I've got 17x7's. Right now I am running some 245/45/17's which are a good fit to stock height which is what I am after.
 
XR7 Dave said:
No, those are not stock height. 255/45/17's are almost stock height.
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really? New info for me. Mine must be a little shorter then, not much though. That might explain why my speedo read 80 but I was only going 76mph on the dyno at precision.
 
245/45/17 is a mustang tire size, they are shorter than our stock tires and throw off your speedometer, I've ran that tire size before my car was lowered, lots of fender gap!
 
For the stock wheels look into some Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Position's. I put a set of these on my 94 SC over the summer and I believe these tires are great. Quiet, smooth riding, and very sticky for an Ultra High Performance All-Season radial tire as advertised at Tire Rack. A UTQG rating of 400 AA A is also a plus.:)
 
Hey check out this site. It does a tire height comaparison between different tire sizes.

http://www.miata.net/garage/tirecalcold.html

I compared the stock 225/60/16 to the ones we have mentioned.

According to the height diameter on this website, 255's are still too short, in fact a 265, or a 275 would be better selection. Thats a cool website. Looks like I need a wider cobra rim to support a tire like that.
 
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255/45 is really as close as you're going to get. A 275/40 is about the same diameter as a 245/45, so it's still way too short.
 
Jimmy 2Coupes said:
For the stock wheels look into some Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS Pole Position's. I put a set of these on my 94 SC over the summer and I believe these tires are great. Quiet, smooth riding, and very sticky for an Ultra High Performance All-Season radial tire as advertised at Tire Rack. A UTQG rating of 400 AA A is also a plus.:)
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I have a set of these on my GS 400. These are a fabulous tire and I love them. My GS has an open differential and they seldom let loose.

If wasn't for the fact I needed all-seasons, I like the Firestone Firehawk Wide Ovals better. They are quieter, stickier, better handling and cheaper.
 
I'm curious about what tires are good. Reading the F.A.S.T. rules, those guys can't run slicks etc, and those old cars are pretty much stuck on using Bias ply stock tires from that era, but those guys are dipping into the 10's in the 1/4 :eek:.

Why can't we get stock like tires, which are actually wider than what they have access to, doing the same thing????

I am baffled... I know bias ply's are softer and have more sidewall flex, but I'm sure buying a cheap T rated tire will give us the same benefit but it don't work according to the experts... meanwhile everyone claims you can only barely break into the 13's using stock sized tires, and thats only with a huge horse shoe up your arse????

Whats up wit dat? Those guys are making way more HP and Torque.
 
Bridgestone RE750s or Firestone Wide Ovals would be my choice for a great stock tire replacement. They handle great rain or shine and aren't too loud. They can last you an easy 20k or more if you aren't doing burnouts all the time.
 
For a performance tire, the speed rating also indicates how well balanced they are. There's something about going to the top of any manufacturer's line. Performance tires are softer and don't wear as long but some brands are better than others.

For myself, on the wet coast, a tire that's good in the rain is essential. Agreed, the Goodyear F1 is special but so is the price. Riken Raptor Z's and Falken 452's seem good for the bucks. Kuhmo's were recomended by a friend but don't come the size I want.
 
I will recommend Michelin Pilot Sport. I had them in my SC...they were very good tires all the way.
 
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