Looking for a good summer tire

[SuperSkyline89]

I'm going to be buying a set of tires soon and I need some advice.

I'm looking for a summer tire for 18x8.5 wheels. I think 245/40R18 is what I need all around.

I'm retiring my car from daily driving by the start of winter but until then I drive 800km (500 miles) every week just getting to and from work so I need something with a decent tread wear rating.

I'm autocrossing my car this summer, an event every two weeks, but I'm not chasing lap times obsessively, just having fun. I'm planning to do a track day in August or September once I get my wheel/brake/suspension sorted but again it's just for fun.

I spoke to someone at the autocross event this weekend and he said Dunlop Direzza Z2's are a good tire. The price is right and it has good ratings on Tire Rack.

Some recommendations would be helpful.

 

[Slave IV]

Michelin Pilot SuperSports are the best all around Summer tires I've ever used. You might get better all out performance with some more track oriented tires but those are great fro everything and don't wear out fast for how grippy they are. The Hankook RS3's seem to be a good option if you want to get cheaper track/street tires but I never tried them.

 

[phil]

I'm going to be buying a set of tires soon and I need some advice.

I'm looking for a summer tire for 18x8.5 wheels. I think 245/40R18 is what I need all around.

I'm retiring my car from daily driving by the start of winter but until then I drive 800km (500 miles) every week just getting to and from work so I need something with a decent tread wear rating.

I'm autocrossing my car this summer, an event every two weeks, but I'm not chasing lap times obsessively, just having fun. I'm planning to do a track day in August or September once I get my wheel/brake/suspension sorted but again it's just for fun.

I spoke to someone at the autocross event this weekend and he said Dunlop Direzza Z2's are a good tire. The price is right and it has good ratings on Tire Rack.

Some recommendations would be helpful.

245/40/18 is too tall. Will likely also rub.

I'd recommend Michelin Pilot Super Sport.

Z2s are good tires, but they're not going to like 800KM/Week for a few weeks. They're a little loud, but they grip well.

My reocmmendation for you would be:

225/40/18 Michelin PSS

 

[SuperSkyline89]

Regarding the size, it's something I've never been fully comfortable with.

I'm running 225/40-R18 on my 7.5" Detroits. Can I really go with the same size on wheels that are an inch wider?

I was playing around with a tire calculator last night and it said 245/40-R18 is 2.9% taller than stock, 245/35-R18 would be 1.8% shorter.

Would I be able to go with the 245/35-R18 instead? I don't mind having my fenders rolled or even buying wide fronts fenders as long as I don't have to run stretched tires. Maybe I should look at 235's?

 

[dmsquattro]

Michelin Pilot SuperSports - picked up a set last summer and they are amazing. Good wear and crazy performance.

 

[flat tire]

I recommend Bridgestone RE-11 in 225/40/18. These tires grip better than PSS in the dry although they're not as good in the wet and the treadwear is awful.

 

[phil]

Regarding the size, it's something I've never been fully comfortable with.

I'm running 225/40-R18 on my 7.5" Detroits. Can I really go with the same size on wheels that are an inch wider?

I was playing around with a tire calculator last night and it said 245/40-R18 is 2.9% taller than stock, 245/35-R18 would be 1.8% shorter.

Would I be able to go with the 245/35-R18 instead? I don't mind having my fenders rolled or even buying wide fronts fenders as long as I don't have to run stretched tires. Maybe I should look at 235's?

Yes, you can.

Michelin PSS are some of the "Widest" street tires you can get. They're a 225 Width, but they definitely run wider than some other tires, like a Hankook V12. Hell, i'd say they're comparable to a 235/40/18 skinnier street tire.

There's little to no stretch at all, on a 225/40/18 Michelin PSS and 18x8.5

You can run 245/35/18. Better to be a little shorter than taller, it prevents rubbing. :thumbsup:

 

[Goingnowherefast]

As others have said Michelin PSS are some of the best tires you can buy (But you pay for that quality). I like my Hankook Ventus V12's they are cheap and a good street tire, as well as the mentioned Dunlops.

Are your fenders rolled? 245 tire on a 18x8.5 Wheel would rub like crazy if lowered.

 

[VMRWheels]

Michelin PSS are amazing, though, they come at a price.

Others to consider:
Bridgestone Potenza S04 Pole Position
Conti ExtremeContact DW
Hankook Ventus V12 K110 (haven't heard any reviews on the EVO2 yet)

 

[SuperSkyline89]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone.

Clearly there's a consensus on Michelin PSS so I'll definitely use them as the benchmark for comparison.

As for my current situation, everything is stock. I will be going with KW coilovers so the ride height lowering range I have to work with is 0.8"-1.4". Chances are I'll be closer to 0.8" than 1.4" as I'm not going for anything resembling stance.

I've been reading online and honestly I'm not comfortable with the idea of running 225's on 8.5" wheels. I was in the basement last night looking at my 225 winter tires next to my wheels and the difference is huge (granted they aren't as square as the 225 Continentals on my car right now), if I grazed a curb I'd destroy my wheels. Out of the threads I found searching Google it seems like half the people are running 225 or smaller and the rest are running 245.

I'll have the wheels on my car before I get coilovers so I'll be able to get an idea of what mods I'd have to do to clear 235's or 245's (fender screw mod, rolled fenders).

For now I'll look up clearance and prices on 225, 235, and 245 tires so I can at least have all the important information when I talk to my mechanic on Friday.

 

[phil]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone.

Clearly there's a consensus on Michelin PSS so I'll definitely use them as the benchmark for comparison.

As for my current situation, everything is stock. I will be going with KW coilovers so the ride height lowering range I have to work with is 0.8"-1.4". Chances are I'll be closer to 0.8" than 1.4" as I'm not going for anything resembling stance.

I've been reading online and honestly I'm not comfortable with the idea of running 225's on 8.5" wheels. I was in the basement last night looking at my 225 winter tires next to my wheels and the difference is huge (granted they aren't as square as the 225 Continentals on my car right now), if I grazed a curb I'd destroy my wheels. Out of the threads I found searching Google it seems like half the people are running 225 or smaller and the rest are running 245.

I'll have the wheels on my car before I get coilovers so I'll be able to get an idea of what mods I'd have to do to clear 235's or 245's (fender screw mod, rolled fenders).

For now I'll look up clearance and prices on 225, 235, and 245 tires so I can at least have all the important information when I talk to my mechanic on Friday.

:thumbsup:

Personally, a 235/40/18 will also work. A little bit taller than OEM, but it's actually a "Standard" size over in Euro/Asia.

Golf Rs come with 235/35/19 from factory, so 235/40/18 will also work.

As for whether a 245/35/18 will work, it all depends on your offsets and what-not.

If you post them up, I can give some recommendations.

 

[SuperSkyline89]

Et45 all around

The information I looked up today:

Michelin Pilot Super Sport - 300 AA A - XL Load

Stock Size
225/40-ZR18 $206 each
90mm sidewall

235/40-ZR18 $195 each
+11mm outwards
+4mm inwards
1.3% taller (94mm sidewall) - slower speedo
Same suspension clearance

245/35-ZR18 $216 each
+16mm outwards
More wheel well clearance
1.3% shorter (86mm sidewall) - faster speedo
+4mm towards suspension

245/40-ZR18 $218 each
+16mm outwards
+8mm inwards
2.5% taller (98mm sidewall) - slower speedo
+4mm towards suspension

 

[BAMF]

I'm on my second set of Continental ExtremeContact DWs and I don't see myself switching any time soon. The PSSes are probably a little better, but I don't think enough so to justify the price difference. The DWs also have lasted longer than any other summer tire I've had.

 

[Slave IV]

I just switched from Michelin PSS to Conti DW. There is really no comparison..the PSS are worlds better. I went with DW because I thought the dropoff in performance would not be a big deal, especially considering the price difference but you really do get what you pay for and I understand now why the DW's cost so much less. If you are not planning on tracking or any kind of high performance driving, DW's should be fine but I would never get them again for a performance oriented car. They are great on my wife's C240 that we use for chill family outings though.

 

[SuperSkyline89]

I got my tires today, I went with everyone's advice and got a set of Michelin Pilot Super Sports. Everyone I talked to in person also had nothing but praise for them and back when I read CARandDRIVER it would always win tire comparisons so the choice was easy.

They aren't on my car yet, I'm thinking of test fitting them and going for a drive on Sunday. I have autocross tomorrow but I don't want to run them there until my fenders have been rolled (I went with 245/35-R18, I'll do what I have to to the fenders for them to work)

Thanks for the replies everyone, it's greatly appreciated.