Need good all season tires

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07-17-2003, 09:15 AM

#16

DanaJ

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Quote:

Originally posted by Dexter@tirerack
DanaJ,

What size are you looking for? I don't see the 950 in applicable sizing. Take a look at the Sumitomo HTR+ if not.

I see:

205/40-17 $149 HR, $164 WR
215/45-17 $142 HR, $157 WR
235/45-17 $153 HR, $170 WR

All of these are rated to fit on a 7.5" wheel width. I would think the 235s would be wider than you'd want if you expected much snow, and they are at the extreme limit for the spec (they recommend 7.5-9" width). I'd go for the 215/45s I think.

Am I missing something necessary for fitment?

07-17-2003, 10:17 AM

#17

Dexter@tirerack

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Join Date: Mar 2003

Location: Warsaw, Indiana

Posts: 681

Car Info: 02 WRX Wagon White

For the STi, we have snow recommendations only in 225/45-17 and 235/45-17. The 950s are great tires mainly in the summer months. There are better tires for the wintertime though. Look at the Conti Extreme Contact, the Michelin Pilot Sport and the Sumitomo HTR+. Why not just go with snows?

07-17-2003, 06:46 PM

#18

Bagin,DVS

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Join Date: Jan 2003

Location: Bethlum, PA

Posts: 555

Car Info: silver 2.5 tr 2006MT wrx

go with the bf goodrich ta g force kdws, they are great, and get them at sam club, you can get it all with tire warranty, for like $420. it has one of the best tread life i have seen, i spent like three weeks looking for tires and it is waht i came up with. they are on my stock rim size 16. the bridgestone tires suck, they are ridiculusly over priced and are junk, they wear out so quick.

07-20-2003, 03:21 PM

#19

Wutzdatbehindu

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Location: Cape Canaveral, FL

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Car Info: 2002 Subaru WRX

"I always recommend an upgrade to 225/50-16. Here are the good ones in that size:

Bridgestone Turanza LS-V - Smoothness over cornering
BF Goodrich G-Force KDWS - Ultra high performance all season
Bridgesone Potenza RE950 - High perfornance all season
Continental Exreme Contact - Ultra high performance all season
Dunlop Sport 5000 - Ultra high performance all season
Michelin Pilot Sport AS - Ultra high performance all season, wow
Sumitomo HTR+ - Ultra high performance all season (I use these)
Yokahama AVS DB S2 - Ultra high performance all season

These are all 'all season' tires that offer varying levels of performance and smoothness. They all also meet or exceed a 'V' speed rating - a requirement on your WRX. Go to our tire surveys to see what others think of this list."

Is the upgrade to the 225/50-16 recommendation good for the wagon or does it also work good for the sedan? I have a 03 WRX and am looking to get the 225/50-16 Sumitomo HTR+ along with some gunmetal SSR Competitions.

07-21-2003, 07:24 AM

#20

Dexter@tirerack

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Join Date: Mar 2003

Location: Warsaw, Indiana

Posts: 681

Car Info: 02 WRX Wagon White

225 width is great on the wagon as well as the sedan. I use it in 17" with no problems. Have seen it in 16" numerous times as well with no problems.

08-11-2003, 05:20 PM

#21

Monkey Boy

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Quote:

Originally posted by Dexter@tirerack I always recommend an upgrade to 225/50-16.

So why do you recomend 225|50|R16 instead of the stock size? What does this size do to your speedometer? I also have a stock WRX and have to save a few $$$ for the Pilot Sport A/S. I was looking at the 205|55|R16. Will a 225 fit on a 6.5 in rim? Please impart some of your wisdom on me...

Thanks Dexter!

08-11-2003, 05:54 PM

#22

rjc1976

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Join Date: Feb 2003

Posts: 22

Quote:

Originally posted by Monkey Boy
So why do you recomend 225|50|R16 instead of the stock size? What does this size do to your speedometer? I also have a stock WRX and have to save a few $$$ for the Pilot Sport A/S. I was looking at the 205|55|R16. Will a 225 fit on a 6.5 in rim? Please impart some of your wisdom on me...

Thanks Dexter!

I'm not Dexter, but I can answer your questions for you. The speedometer isn't effected since the diameters of the tires (225/50-16 vs 205/55-16) are the same. The speedometer is only effected when the diameter is changed, since a change in diameter will change the number of times a tire will revolve within a given amount of time or distance. By going to a 225/50-16 tire, you are keeping the same sidewall length as your original tire, but you're increasing the width by 20 mm. This should give you added grip compared to the stock size. As far as 225 on the stock rim, it seems that many people have done it without any problems.

08-12-2003, 02:34 AM

#23

Monkey Boy

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Hmmmm... Ok I get a big DUUUUHHH Ok makes sense, so you end up with a tire that is simply 20mm wider... Given the fact that the stock tires don't seem to quite look "squared up" to the rims this would look a bit better in the wheel wells as well...

Does anyone know WHEN the Pirelli P-Zero Nero M&S might come in a 225|50|R16? I'm down to the Pilot Sports MS and the Pirellis...

Last edited by Monkey Boy; 08-12-2003 at 02:48 AM.

08-12-2003, 05:54 AM

#24

Dexter@tirerack

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Join Date: Mar 2003

Location: Warsaw, Indiana

Posts: 681

Car Info: 02 WRX Wagon White

Pirelli hasn't indicated when this will be available. I have no part number listed yet, so it is at least a few months off.

Sorry I missed your question Monkey Boy, but rjc1976 gave the perfect answer. It's a nice upgrade in size with no real side-effects.

08-12-2003, 06:44 AM

#25

Monkey Boy

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Thanks! I guess I will have to save up some $$$ for the Pilot Sports then...

08-12-2003, 11:29 AM

#26

Dexter@tirerack

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Location: Warsaw, Indiana

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Car Info: 02 WRX Wagon White

If you've got the dough, it's the way to go. I've had nothing but great reviews on the Sport A/S from my customers.

08-12-2003, 09:38 PM

#27

Slacker

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I went with the Continental Conti Extreme Contact and love them. I haven't been in snow yet but rain and mud are no problem. Might have gone with the Pilot Sport A/S if price was no object, but given the Continentals are about half the price and higher rated at Tire Rack it would be hard to justify. the Continentals were at the top of the ultra high performance all-season list for a long time.

Tire Rack Ultra High Performance All-Season List

Last edited by Dexter@tirerack; 08-13-2003 at 03:46 PM.

08-13-2003, 02:45 PM

#28

rjc1976

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Join Date: Feb 2003

Posts: 22

I was seriously looking at the Continentals too. The higher ratings you are talking about are survey ratings, not test ratings. Look at the number of miles reported on them though...you'll see those numbers going down to more realisitic values once those tires have been out for a while. It happens a lot. It happened with the Dunlops SP5000 and the BF Goodrich KDWS when they first came out too. If you went by the surveys, you would have thought the KDWS and SP5000 were better than actual summer tires when they frist came out. If you look at reviews (not the surveys), you'll see that there is a decent difference between the Continentals and the Pilots.

Anyway I ended up going with the Sumitomos in the end, but both tires I looked at (Continentals and Sumitomos) fell short of the Pilots (exept in snow).

08-14-2003, 07:29 PM

#29

Slacker

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Good points. I don't put as much faith in the user ratings as it sounded in my post. All I can say for sure is that I like the Continentals a lot more than original equipment on dry, wet, dirt, and mud roads. I'd get the Pilots if I wasn't married

but also I'm not feeling like I need a better tire.