Need some opinions
 

I bought a set of practically brand new 2013 gunmetal pu wheels with oem tires. The guy I got them from hardly used them before he pulled them off and sold them to me for a deal :bigok:.

I've never driven on the stock tires. My car came with Kuhmo Ecsta SPT Summer tires, which are good not great. From what everyone has said the OEMs are complete garbage. So what should I do? Should I just keep the stockers or sell them and buy what I really want, Michelin Pilot Super Sport. I could I guess take my Kuhmo's off and put them on my new wheels but they already have 17000 miles on them so they'll need replacing in 15000 miles or so.

The stockers seems to have sticky ass tires based on their rating but everyone hates them so I need opinions from people who have owned them.

Also, what do you think I could get for a set of almost new Dunlop's? The super sports will cost me $1000 so I want to make a dent in the cost with the sale of these tires and my current silver pu wheels and kuhmo tires.

I just recently bought some Super Sports, it's a a great tire. They have a ton of grip and the steering response is really sharp as well.

Compared to the Nitto NT-05 I was running before there's also a lot more straight line traction, I have basically no wheel spin even in the wet (stock motor).

The only real criticism I have is that they're not ideal if your going to do any auto-x. I did three runs on a pretty tight auto-x course , albeit in 95 degree weather, and I had a little bit of chunking on one of the rain channels in the front.

They're definitely worth the premium though.

a great number of people in dfw area run neogens

Michelin Pilot Super Sport is the way to go man... The Dunlop lasted me 18K until I put the Michelin because In my research those came out to be the best tires... they come on the Ferrari so I figured I couldn't go wront and yes indeed by the time I traded my car with 40K in they were just about half way to its life so yeah Michelin Pilot Super Sport is the fuken man lol

oh and let me add that they look freakin awesome on the car, gives it a half inch drop appearance imo ;)

The Dunlops aren't terrible, but they are budget performance tires with a premium price. I'm just going to wear mine out (looks like they might make 10-12k miles total) and then get the PSS in 235/40/18.

I have about 11k on my stock dunlops and they have been wearing quickly, maybe only 3-5k left. Even with proper rotation and light driving.. They grip really well but they are just so fuckin loud and stiff.

I'm also going with either the PSS or Nitto 555's in a 235 40 18 setup.

I just got BF Goodrich g-force sport comp2s. Ran about $600 for a set of 4 and all I can say is wow... Why didn't I do this sooner? More lateral and horizontal grip, better ride, and higher treadwear. Yes please! Check them out on tirerack and watch their test video.

I would go with a well reviewed all season (and I will probably get groaned, but that is my opinion based on some experience with a few sets of tires).

As long as you aren't going to track the car (assuming no road racing or autocross) all seasons provide really good road traction, somewhat comfortable ride and less road noise.

I have had Nitto Neogens, Toyo Proxes 4 plus, and Falken ziex 912's and all were head and shoulders above the summer tires that came with the cars.

I have about 23k on my stockers, with maybe 1 (6k) rotation left. I don't typically nail it until I get out of 1st and 2nd, so my tires have lasted me much longer than most seem to say theirs last. When its warm out, I stick 3rd if the road is decent. I can also get pretty aggressive with 2nd and stick well, as long as I roll on to the throttle and not stomp it. If I stomp it, all hell breaks loose. When its cold, 50 or less, traction is non existent in gears 1-3 for the most part. 3rd maybe if I roll into it.

To be honest, I hated them in the winter because they were like ice, but they're a summer tire. I don't mind them now that its been warm, but they're terrible in the rain IMO. They hydroplane very easily, even at relatively low speeds.

If you got a good deal on them and they're in great shape, just ride them out til they need to be replaced. No point on spending a lot of money for new tires if you have good ones. They're not hateful tires, except when it rains. I wouldn't buy them again to replace my stock ones though.

please show me your car with the gunmetal wheels... I was planning on painting mine the same color, or gloss black.. they might help me decide!

Use and abuse them then buy some Conti DW, I bought a set in May and I couldn't be happier with them.
If you don't have a winter setup then go with Finkle's suggestion and get a good all season tire.

I was looking at these. They look very promising.:scratchchin:

This is what I'm going to do.

I get the wheels and tires today. It's not worth taking the tires off. I'm going to beat the shit out of them (hopefully in about a year) and buy either Bfgoodrich Sport comp 2, Continental Extreme Contact DW's or Bridgestone Potenza S-04.

I'm going to forgot about the super sports it's not really worth 400 extra dollars when I have three other highly rated summer tires with the same capabilities.

I'm leaning towards the Continentals since they weigh less than all the other tires (4 pounds less per tire than the Potenza's :shocked:).

I really don't need to worry about winter in Los Angeles and we hardly see rain or cold weather, so I'm all about the summer tires.

fail on my part for not looking where you are from haha, yeah man I love my Continentals so far, just waiting at this point to see how long they will last me to form my final opinion but they are not noisy and grip very well. Also I just autocross'd in the rain yesterday morning and they did exceptionally well in the rain.

No worries. I heard these were great all around tires. How many miles do you have on them and how are they wearing?

Don't worry brownie I'll post them. I don't know about painting them yourself it always looks like shit. Do it once do it right, get them powder coated and be done with it.

I got them put on in May I have about 6k miles on them as I will be doing my second oil change shortly and will be rotating my tires then but so far they still look really good, @exentix; even said they looked nice and meaty when we were doing my RSB at the Nator PA install day Saturday.

@rfinkle2; falken 912s are up there with neogens? Currently running falken 452s, falken 912s that awesome!?

Not quite the grip of the neogens, but definitely a decent all season.

Well the reason they weigh less is that they have really soft side walls. The Bridgestone's are the better tire. Outside of OEM spec tires, you get what you pay for.

FYI, The bridgestones have a pretty soft sidewall as well. Not as soft, but not as hard as the bf goodrich and definitely not as hard as the stock dunlops.

Just because they're light doesn't mean they're weak. The Super sport's also weigh a couple pounds less than the Bridgestones. Doesn't mean they're an inferior tire.

Thought I would tease a photo of my new wheels and tires. I'll post more when my car is clean.

I hate the Dunlop tires in my PU - you just as well fill them with concrete, the ride would be the same. They handle ok I guess, but I am now running them at 30 psi just to keep them from tearing the car all to pieces. I put the Potenza SO4's on my Gen won they were great.

When I (finally !!!!) wear these Dunlops out I may go with an all season tire because I sometimes go to the Texas hill country in the winter to see my Dad. I got caught there in Feb one year when it rained then the temps dropped to just above freezing and I had to drive home. At the time I was in my 330ci with Potenza RE750s and that was a real bastard; you'd thought they had oiled the road overnite. Never again.

So since I use my PU as a DD and I have to take it everywhere, anytime of the year, AS tires for me. At least Continental and Michelin make some really good AS tires.

Now if I was tracking the car, way different story.

jerk!
ha ha
And when I said paint, i meant professional finished at a shop.
I've heard that powder coating wheels could make them softer. ...
but beleive me, I'd be leaving it to professionals.

I just hate that the new models came out with the color I was going to get my wheels done.
less unique now... That is why I migth be leaning towards glass black.

Here you go. I made a new thread with the wheels installed.

http://www.mazdaspeedforums.org/foru...wheels-153409/