FAQ: Which tires work best?

You'll have a much shorter sidewall so there will be a lot less tire deflection in the turns which will give you a more positive feel...like it matters in our land yachts anyways.

got the new tires. 245/35/19-front , 245/40/19-rear
186mph speed rating should hold me over for a little bit

didn't get 40, got 35's oh well

Sweet tread pattern, let's see get a few other angles eh?

Post a quick note under this topic listing tires you recommend that other listers get (such as the Firehawks) or avoid (such as Guardsman). Be specific as to the tire line, not just the brand (i.e. Michelin XW4, Michelin X-DT, Lee Steel Trak, or what have you). Also be sure to post if you have the OEM or different size.

Why? Tires are tough to buy, and design has been as much an art as a science. So others' experiences with tires should be useful.

Let us know!

Albertj

Besides personal experience, the consumer reviews at Tirerack.com convinced me to get the Firehawks. Maybe check reviews for other tires there, too:

Link

There was an article in Car & Driver or Motortrend in the last 2 years where they tested 15 sets of tires in different conditions and compared results. Might look this up at the library. The article didn't convince me to buy a certain brand, but it made me aware of how certain tread designs perform differently.

It was in car and driver

I used Michelin DT tires - I tried to get Firestone affinity LH30s, and Bridgestone Insignia SLs, but the FIrestone store I bought them at could not get them to balance, among other problems. I ended up invoking the "30 day satisfaction guarantee" and returning th etires; bought the Michelins at Sam's Club.

Albertj

The "optional" Michelins that came with the Riviera - two of them blew out at high speeds before 35k miles.

I replaced those with a set of Michelin XGT H4 (OEM size: 60/R16 225). These were better, but the rubber cracked after a short time. I also noticed the OEM Michelins had the same "dry" cracks.

Since then, I have used 3 sets of the Firestone Firehawk Wide Ovals. I've heard they are being discontinued, which is a shame because I would probably buy them forever.

I was very happy with both Michelin Pilots and Yokohama Avid V4s. The Yoko's weren't very good in the snow but I loved them otherwise. The Mich's were okay in the snow but I prefer snow tires for real winter driving...

-Derek

General tire's Grabber UHP which is a truck tire WELL they are really bomb in the MUD but in the snow they are like slicks............. my "winter beater" cavalier with deep lug snowtires does 10 times better......... but eh the riv gets driven 1-2 times a week

I have Yokohama Avid V4s on my Riv for the warmer months here in Minnesota. I love them for sping, summer, fall, but I agree with Derek they aren't very good in the snow. I put the factory rims back on for the winter so I don't have to worry about them not getting good traction in the snow. They seem to stick to the road very well in dry and wet conditions though.

I have the Michelin Hydroedges for the stock size. They do great in the rain and provide pretty good dry road traction. As aaron said, check the reviews at tirerack.com for your tires that you are interested in.

I submitted a review of the Firehawks to TireRack.com, but noticed it never posted. Maybe something about the mention of testing above 130mph?

AA wrote:

I submitted a review of the Firehawks to TireRack.com, but noticed it never posted. Maybe something about the mention of testing above 130mph?

they were just jealous they couldnt go 130+ mph

I work at sears and from what I seen is that bfg traction t/a is a shit tire, guardsman...lmao if you buy that tire then you dont need a car you cheep bastard, and the same goes for wal-mart special which i think is a douglas. and i have yet to see the so called goodyear assurance last no more than 50k oppose to 80k what goodyear says.
of course how long a tire lasts, depends greatly on the driver and on the tire size. please dont think that your tires will last 60k-80k if you drive like your in nascar, same goes if you buy a P305/30/22 tire. man you guess should see what some people get mad about.
the shitty tires listed above are shitty no matter what size. i pick between the mich pilot sports and bfg kdw.

in summer i roll on nakang ultra sport 18'' and i absolutely love em
they look really good and stick like glue and don't wear that fast.....but they'r a little costly.

I recommend the Fuzion HRi all season/performance from Tirerack.

The ZRi's are better but you just can't beat the price for 'em. They are awesome performers.

I found a screw imbedded in my p rear tire yesterday and it is located in a spot which is unable to be repaired. The chain alignment shop I took the car too previously screwed up my suspension which wore my front tires very badly on the insides and they refuse to make ammends for thier mistake. SO... it looks like I in the market for new tires.

I do not care about all weather traction and am looking for a performance tire. I was considering a drag radial but I don't believe they offer one in a "20 size. I also need good cornering ability so the drag radial looses out again.

I was thinking about the G-Force, $250/tire. What are your thoughts?

As I've recommended to others, the Firestone FireHawk Wide Ovals are my first choice. It's rumored they are discontinuing them, but I'm on my 3rd set, so will keep using until they are all gone, at which time I will probably try Bridgestone Potenzas, a very similar tread design. Or, whatever the Vette crowd is favoring when the time comes.

Bummer about getting "screwed". That would really make me mad. No road hazard coverage?

'96reese wrote:

I work at sears and from what I seen is that bfg traction t/a is a shit tire, ......

Interesting, I've read a LOT of user reviews on other boards on the Traction TA's, and all were very positive. They are what they are, a good all-season radial. I bought a set in OEM size last year, but higher speed rating, 120 or 130 IIRC. I'm thinking more of a performance tire next time around though, maybe the Firehawks that Aaron raves about so much. I run my tires year-round, no winter tire/rim set for me. But I have the flattest roads and streets to drive on that you can imagine, and am extremely careful in winter condtions, so I think I can get away with Firehawks here. BTW, I have no complaints whatsoever about the TA's.

With as much snow potential as you have, Dave, I would be careful using the FireHawks year round. Here in Columbus, we only have about 3-5 days per year when there is actually snow on the roads. When the storm hit a month ago, I did drive, but I also got stuck - twice - and the tires were brand spanking new! Not too badly, but I needed a push. If we had 10 or more snow days, I wouldn't have these tires on after November.

Well, after reading tire reviews for the past 4 hours, I think I have made up my mind. Falken Azenis RT-615. They are super sticky track/street tires and work well for heavier cars. It looks like I'll get about 15k-20k mi out of them but I can use it on the auto course as well as drag racing. They are not not to be used in snow at all but they don't do too bad on wet roads even though the tire pattern is very very aggressive. Lots of good reviews and comparisons at www.discounttiredirect.com



•Next generation Azenis RT spec pure sports performance.

• Improved motorsports grade cap compound maintains grip over a wide range of operating temperatures.

• Increased internal void ratio delivers enhanced wet grip and aquaplane resistance under competition conditions.

• 8/32nd molded tread design reduces tread squirm when new while providing predictable mileage for street use.

• 200/A/A UTQG qualifies for SCCA Street Tire Class competition.

Dave, your word convinced me to try the T/A tires, and i have had them on for about a month now.
10X better than the touring michelines i had before. these grip very vell in dry weather, hold the road at all speeds(well up to 110 sustained), and i have no problems driving in the rain. i got them in H speed rating btw.
not to brag, but i got all 4 tires for $380 out the door. that's with lifetime rotation/balance, road hazard, disposal fee,tax, etc.

the michelines i had before would spin at 60mph in the rain, and i could roast them up to 30/35 in dry weather. these BFG's grip, stop, and only spin up to ~30mph T/C off in the rain. excelent water displacement and i can't make them break loose even standing on the brakes.

Well If you like performance don't get Futura HTEs i think they are called. Bought the car with them on and i can't wait to get rid of them. They are a very comfortable and quiet touring tire , but they have no grip whatsoever. My car will spin the through first on dry road , and even half throttle at thirty in the rain they will spin like crazy. Merging onto the highway sometimes they will skid...this isnt very fun. I've never driven on any worse performing tires. I doubt i could pull below a 2.4 60" with this tires. I can't get them to hook up WOT until about 30. and even there they slip a little sometimes through first. Again i will say they seem to be an excellent quiet and good riding tire , and they resist oxidation very well , but not good at all for performance. My next tires are gonna be either firehawk wide ovals or traction t/a , hopefully in 235s as well.