Tire decisions, 195/50/15

[krustindumm]

Already know what size I want, I'll just recalibrate the speedo. Now I have a few idea's on what tires, but would like some reviews from people who have driven on them before.

Car is daily driven 400 miles per week, but I do enjoy sporty driving, and the occasional drift outing so I need something that will resist delamination and preferably slides quietly w/o much smoke.

Wet weather performance migh also be an issue, I do live in the midwest :D

Kuhmo Ecsta 711-$192
Dunlop SP Sport FM901-$196
Hankook Ventus HR-$164
Yokohama AVS ES-100-$207
Falken Ziex SE-512-$196

[A Spec Products]

Kuhmo Ecsta 711-$192
Dunlop SP Sport FM901-$196
Hankook Ventus HR-$164
Yokohama AVS ES-100-$207
Falken Ziex SE-512-$196

195/50/15? yikes.

falken ziex is garbage, good for daily drive
FM901 some guys on here swear by
es100 are more hype than performance
i prefer azenis ST115

[krustindumm]

trying to get a little shorter gear ratio out of it :) Also if they really suck then i can put them on my civic.

I like the azenis, but I must drive in rain fairly frequently, and I don't want a little water to stop me from running the backroad i found.

I was warned that the FM901 has a very short life, soft sidewalls, and poor wet performance. I have heard very little about the ES100.

So I should kick out the Ziex for sure. I already kicked out NT455's, hated those on other cars.

BTW they will be going on these:
http://img224.echo.cx/img224/3323/dsc008151vx.th.jpg (http://img224.echo.cx/my.php?image=dsc008151vx.jpg)
which are 15x7.5 -32, the spacers (34mm) get here in ~ 2 weeks, so I want to have the tires in time for that.

[kensreliableb18b]

i'd go with either fm901s or es100s....i usually go with es100s

but 195/50/15? hmmm if you say so...

[Drunk Bastard]

zomg. im soooo glad this thread was created. i bet i'll have like 20 posts in this thread alone.

ok, first off you stated that you want 195/50/15 so i can only assume one of two things:
1- you have a low powered (aka stock) s13
2- you have a base model s14 that you just bought


ok, you stated that you are willing to recalibrate the speedo which means you must have searched ATLEAST one time.

you say that you drive the car 400 miles per week, and thats great! BUT, what do you do about gasoline, because i know that i get about MAXIMUM 350miles per tank....and according to your standards...is MINIMUM 5 tanks of gas per month (only 4 for you..you gas-saving-lucky-bastard)[4x400=1600;300-350x5=1500-1750]

ok, you say that you enjoy the occasional drift (who doesn't?)...but do you drift on your street tires or do you slap on a set of spares?


before i continue, please answer me this...
open diff or 2-way lsd?


:2f2f: :2f2f:

[Andrew Bohan]

my car came with a set of es100's, about 90% tread on em. they grip ok but seemed to wear pretty fast for the amount of grip they gave. now two have belts showing all the way around and one has a flat i have to fix. the two i destroyed were up front for one drift event.

[krustindumm]

zomg. im soooo glad this thread was created. i bet i'll have like 20 posts in this thread alone.

ok, first off you stated that you want 195/50/15 so i can only assume one of two things:
1- you have a low powered (aka stock) s13
2- you have a base model s14 that you just bought


ok, you stated that you are willing to recalibrate the speedo which means you must have searched ATLEAST one time.

you say that you drive the car 400 miles per week, and thats great! BUT, what do you do about gasoline, because i know that i get about MAXIMUM 350miles per tank....and according to your standards...is MINIMUM 5 tanks of gas per month (only 4 for you..you gas-saving-lucky-bastard)[4x400=1600;300-350x5=1500-1750]

ok, you say that you enjoy the occasional drift (who doesn't?)...but do you drift on your street tires or do you slap on a set of spares?


before i continue, please answer me this...
open diff or 2-way lsd?


:2f2f: :2f2f:


S13 w/ bolt-ons, tank holds enough for 400-425 miles depending on driving. I get 28-30mpg average. Usually street tires, since i never feel like changing them out. Welding the diff this or next weekend.

[KiDyNomiTe]

Kuhmo Ecsta 711-$192
Dunlop SP Sport FM901-$196
Hankook Ventus HR-$164
Yokohama AVS ES-100-$207
Falken Ziex SE-512-$196

I hate FM901s for the reasons you already know. I have had them in that size in front and rear and made DD2 a shitty ass experience, and driving in the rain even worse. But like someone said earlier some people swear by them.

ES100s are really good in the rain, too good if you have them on only the fronts or only the rear. I loved using them though, never had an issue, had them throughout most events last year and they worked great.

I have a freind with Kumho Ecsta and he loved them, but that was just typical daily driving.

Falken Zeixs are probably falkens shittiest tire, Dave has them on his Levin, not grippy enough, but cheap.

The other two never used or heard about.

[IGSDann]

Falken GR Beta FK451's. Grippy, great wet traction, good price. Can't go wrong.

[Ian]

i heard Hankook just came out with a new tire that's supposedly better hten the Azenis sport

[dvdevo]

yeah dont get 50series. I regret buying them, bleh oh well.

[Wei240]

Kuhmo Ecsta 711-$192
Dunlop SP Sport FM901-$196
Hankook Ventus HR-$164
Yokohama AVS ES-100-$207
Falken Ziex SE-512-$196

kumho is okay, but i've only had the supra 712, so i'm assuming 711 is not as good
fm901 is decent/nice, same with es100
ventus sucked for me
ziex is crap, get st115

[Wei240]

oh yeah, 195-50-15 sucks, hello wheel gap

[Andrew Bohan]

http://www.mountainracer.com/pics/403/IMG_0222.jpg

[ranisron]

:bowdown:

That's a lot of miles per week.... with the gas price like this... yikes!

195/50/15 seems to be....
http://www.mountainracer.com/pics/403/IMG_0222.jpg

[s134]

i am running nitto 450r's 195/50 f 225/50 back.. i liek those tires, i had drove on all of the above as well.. these are my faves

[krustindumm]

oh yeah, 195-50-15 sucks, hello wheel gap


I already know how they will ride, I do have other cars with that size. And as for wheel gap, meh, if i was in it for looks i'd have an S14 ;)

How long does the ES100 last? So far it seems to be the winner.

[Wei240]

i believe tire rack can give you ratings on how long each tires you've listed will last 'in general' except for falkens... there's a rating system, tirerack explains it...

[krustindumm]

the tire rating system has major flaws, mostly because alot of people rate that the tires are lastin a long time, within a week or two from buying them. Or that they are super sticky or great in the rain after switching from bald/cheap/OEM tires.

[Wei240]

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/Spec.jsp?make=Yokohama&model=AVS+ES100

utqg ratings, yeah, it's open to interpretation, but it gives some type of basis/starting point...

[shooty]

have u considered s-03's?
they are great in the rain but pricey

[aaroneezee]

i got some 195/50/15 kumho supra 712 for free on my car right now. i dont mind the gap mines not as big as that other pic haha.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y104/itsjussthonica/MY%20SHIT%20NEGGER/cars039.jpg

[s134]

those are on a 15x7? right?