Phokaioglaukos

Wheels: 6 J x 16 and 8 J x 16
Tires: 205/55ZR16 and 225/50ZR16
Use: spirited street and modest track use in temperate climate (never below freezing); frequent light rain; 1989 Sport Coupe is stock

Suggestions? Looking at Tire Rack the Continental ExtremeContact Sport tires look good. Car and Driver said in a 2017 review that the Contis beat the Michelin Pilot Sport 4 S hugely in the wet but lagged in the dry (HERE). Of course the Michelins don't come in the sizes I need.... Also according to Tire Rack, there are just 4 N-rated tyres available in the correct sizes: BRIDGESTONE POTENZA S-02 (N3), PIRELLI P ZERO ROSSO (N5), MICHELIN PILOT EXALTO PE2 (N0), PIRELLI P ZERO TROFEO R (N0). I'm inclined to go with the Contis anyway because they have a better review for my use case--MUCH better ratings for wet driving.

Spyerx

I ran the Michelin PE2 on my former 89. I felt they were quite good and period right for a stock car, but never tracked them, but did enjoy in the canyons often. The car didn't get driven much in wet (SoCal)

wildcat077

Forget about the Continentals if you're going to drive your car on the track ( dry situations ) ... i used them as rain tires on my 89 911 when i was doing DE's .
The shoulders are too soft and i really scared myself a few times when i was too lazy to remove them on occasion when the track dried up.

On the other hand , they are a good everyday tire which i now use since the 911 is back to street only use.
I really liked the Dunlop Dirrezzas as well as the Nitto NT-01's in the years i was doing PCA DE's with my car.

Cheers
Phil

996AE

Michelins PS4 on my 1988

Ive tried all the different brands and for a street car Mich is always simply the best, period

For track lots of different choices but for street.....

Big Dav

Bridgestone Potenza Adrenaline RE003 are the popular performance choice in Australia in those sizes. Fantastic in the wet as well.

For some reason in the USA they're called Firestone Firehawk Indy 500. Same tyres though as Firestone and Bridgestone are one and the same company.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...RatingsReviews

AG81

Bridgestone S04 Pole Position...... The stiffest side wall I have ever encountered...... If you are not going to track your car, stay away.

wildcat077

I run the Potenza S04's on my daily driver Subaru Impreza , great tire so far ... since last Summer and nothing to complain about !

Cheers
Phil

josephvman

Are you running 16" Fuchs with the stock tire size? I didn't think they made PS4's in that size. I love PS4's and put a set on my daily GTI right after I bought the car, which is probably the cheapest and best upgrade you can do to that car. I'm getting ready to put a set on my GT3, the Cup 2's are great but they're done in 4k and they're ungodly loud on the street.

Buckyten

Yokohama A052 absolutely love them check them out

Honkity Hank

I have the MIchelin Exalto PE2. I like them, but frankly I am not pushing them on the street. For what it is worth I have always had a good experience with Michelin's, over 40 odd years of buying tires for all sorts of vehicles. Just my experience. Last set of Pirelli's were for my X-1/9 back in the early 80's and they were good.

theiceman

Good timely thread as my 12 year old khumo tires on 16" by 7" fuchs have to go , but as usual we cant seem to agree on anything.. or .. it looks like we have lots of choice.. if you factor in cost does it weigh the decision in any favor ?

I will likely stay away from tire rack as i cant get them over the border cost effectively and i cant check manu date until i land them and its too late.

im typically a bridgestone guy but im open minded to anything ...

lots of stories on the Audi forums of the contis literally blowing out, not sure what that is about.

Pavegeno928

Been using the PE2s on stock 16s for about 13 years and like them for wet/dry all around. Driven them very hard on mountain roads with no issues. No track time.

Ctopher

My recommendation for spirited driving and some track with no freezing weather are Bridgestone RE71Rs. They have amazing summer grip, super response and feedback and have great warm wet grip. They have stiff sidewalls that give you amazing feel, especially over S04s.

My daily Civic Si has had S04s for years and my 2000 S2000 and 87 Carrera run the same size RE71Rs. For a car that is a fun car, usually just nice weather, I don’t understand stepping down to lesser tires for what I assume is a non-daily driver.


CTopher

theiceman

Well i just pulled the trigger on some Firehawk Indy 500s so we will see how they are.
They get here next week.

Phokaioglaukos

Great to have so much information based on personal experience here. As a recent arrival in the EU I was amazed to find that the tires sold in the US market are not all sold in the EU market. It did not occur to me that it would not be an world market. Of course US emissions and safety rules are different to some degree, but tires? In any event, I found a shop that has ordered a set of MICHELIN PILOT EXALTO PE2 (N0) for me. Curious that Michelin makes those tires in only two sizes here--the sizes that fit my car. Clearly they are tires made for the car! In any event, with a choice of one for sporty tires they are the ones. Live and learn.