whatudrivin

Firstly I want to start off letting everyone know that I haven't done any research in this area. This is just a question that popped into my mind walking through my work's parking lot today.

Do tire companies cater more towards the look of the tire more than the performance?

I keep seeing all these different designs and patters on tires and I wonder if they are actually as functional as they look.

Ok pros.... Edumacate me

brutus

Just realize the when you have wide grooves patterns it means LESS rubber touches the road. Rubber is what grips the road. If you drive in the wet or snow or mud then tread is useful but only at the expense of wear, dry traction and road noise which is a big problem for many egressive high performance tires. They are M and S rated and do make a lot of noise especially as they wear.
I am convinced that it is the looks which sell tires and the tire companies know it.

whatudrivin

That's kinda why I was posting this, because I think the same thing about tire companies. I know the basics on tire ratings and all that but was just curious if I was the only one thinking this way.

h011yw00d

I'm on FIRE, baby!

Speedtoys

IMHO, the ones that sell on looks, are not the highest ratings tires one can buy.

A LOT goes into noise, and defeating harmonics within the design, tread pattern, and road surfaces expected.

77tony

Tire Rack has great side by side tire comparison ratings for wet & dry traction, ride & noise comfort, treadwear, etc. Just hope it's not influenced by tire maunufacturer's advertising $$. 77Tony

brutus

It is a lot like gasoline , and oil , millions and millions of advertising dollars has created a belief in certain brands and that goodwill has real market value. Most people end up comparing old used up tires to brand new fresh tires with newer technology and not unexpectedly like their new tires.

whatudrivin

So what do you guys look for when buying new tires?

Ed Scherer

Tire Rack tests (and to a much lesser extent, user survey results and reviews) and other tests. It's worth searching a few threads here on Rennlist, too, as I trust the opinions of people here a little more than "Joe Random" Tire Rack customer.

You really need to put some thought into what you want, too, and realize that you're always faced with compromising something (sometimes, it's money! ) Start with a firm decision on what performance category you're looking for and take it from there.

brutus

Start with. speed ratings M - 81 mph - 130 km/h
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N - 87 mph - 140km/h --- Temporary Spare Tires
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P - 93 mph - 150 km/h
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Q - 99 mph - 160 km/h --- Studless & Studdable Winter Tires
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R - 106 mph - 170 km/h --- H.D. Light Truck Tires
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S - 112 mph - 180 km/h --- Family Sedans & Vans
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T - 118 mph - 190 km/h --- Family Sedans & Vans
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U - 124 mph - 200 km/h
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H - 130 mph - 210 km/h --- Sport Sedans & Coupes
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V - 149 mph - 240 km/h --- Sport Sedans, Coupes & Sports Cars
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When Z-speed rated tires were first introduced, they were thought to reflect the highest tire speed rating that would ever be required, in excess of 240 km/h or 149 mph. While Z-speed rated tires are capable of speeds in excess of 149 mph, how far above 149 mph was not identified. That ultimately caused the automotive industry to add W- and Y-speed ratings to identify the tires that meet the needs of new vehicles that have extremely high top-speed capabilities.





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W - 168 mph - 270 km/h --- Exotic Sports Cars
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Y - 186 mph - 300 km/h --- Exotic Sports Cars "

If your car won't go 130 or you never drive that fast , H rated is all you need !

dr bob

Quiet, life, grip. In roughly that order.

RKD in OKC

I look for Grip, corner Gs, lap times, wet and dry. And I read the reviews paying special attention to the cars reviewing. How the tires handle on light cars can be very misleading when put on a 928. I good handling tire on a light car can be very squirmy on a heavier car.

whatudrivin

Good point there. Deff something to consider about the lighter cars.

brad@tirerack.com

I don't believe they do now AS MUCH as they used to. Computer modeling has yielded a whole new generation of tire design. If you look at all of the top tires of the past (Pilot Sport, Yokohama Advan, Bridgestone S-03) they were all directional. Now all the the top tires are asymentric. Why? Directional tread designs resulted in limiting a tire's ultimate capability in favor of creating that cool "swoopy" tread design. As design, compounding, and construction advancements have taken place tread designs are now leaning more towards function than form. Many top tires now change not only the tread design as the tire crosses the cap, but also tread compounds. The end result is a tire that better maximizes wet traction on one side vs, dry cornering on the other - all while keeping it quiet in the center!

The science of making tires really is quite remarkable.

tv

I have no idea why they make them the way they do, but it is an important item not only for functionality but for looks and looks are a very big deal, a major reason why we do most things including the purchase pf a 928. When radials were new they seem to have had a wider stance, whether that was by choice or design I don't know ( search for playboy playmate's car pic)

Some tires look like ****, especially the side profile and tread edge, they kill the look of the car. I have seen some really wild tread designs that had very little tread and the lines were almost artistic with random wavy lines, they would look cool.

Here are some interesting ones (some wrangler tires even have huge claws embedded in the side profile)