Uh oh. Tire time

[12,000 RPM]

Both cars wear 205/55/16s and both are just about due for new tires. May need new shocks too. I am thinking it's time to do the suspension mods I have been thinking of.

Main thing I'm on the fence about is tires. We get like 1-2 months of legit freezing weather and maybe a week or so of snow. I work ~35 miles from home so I need tires that can somewhat handle snow. Z summer tires were a complete joke but stocker Civic tires were OK. Rest of the time we are in the 40s or above.

I'm also thinking of getting 17s (Kosei K1s or Rota SDRs). That would enable me to get more aggressive "summer" tires, but I would still need to replace the 16s.

For suspension and brakes I pretty much have my mind made up for both cars.... Koni STR.T shocks, Tein S Tech for my car and H&R Sports for hers, and I forget what pads I decided on but I think I'm going to do pads/rotors/SS lines on both. New Golf's brake pedal was rock solid and really nice. I want our cars to feel like that. I think wifey might have air in her system.

But yea what should I do about tires. My car will never see a track, most likely, but I do have some twisty roads on my commute and I like grip.

[giant_mtb]

Basing your tire choice on one week of dusty snow is pointless if you ask me.  If it snows an inch down there y'all will just shut everything down anyway.

[Rupert]

Aye. Aggressive all-seasons sound like they would make sense, though. You probably need something that's OK in the rain, so not summer tires, but if you're so concerned with snow, just buy a set of chains.

[veeman]

I thought summer tires are fine in the rain?

[MrH]

Yeah, most summer tires are fine in the rain. Just not good when the temperature drops below freezing.

[Rupert]

The compounds are fine, but IMO the tread patterns are sub-optimal.

[12,000 RPM]

Some summer tires have good rain tread/compounds. I really don't need anything super aggressive. Point about the city shutting down is legit too, I have worked from home both times lol. But it does get below freezing down here. We were in the single digits for a few weeks. I want a summerish tread pattern with an all season compound.

[Rupert]

Some summer tires have good rain tread/compounds. I really don't need anything super aggressive. Point about the city shutting down is legit too, I have worked from home both times lol. But it does get below freezing down here. We were in the single digits for a few weeks. I want a summerish tread pattern with an all season compound.

"High Performance All-Season" is what I think Tire Rack calls it.

[Byteme]

Both cars wear 205/55/16s and both are just about due for new tires. May need new shocks too. I am thinking it's time to do the suspension mods I have been thinking of.


But yea what should I do about tires. My car will never see a track, most likely, but I do have some twisty roads on my commute and I like grip.

Determine what attributes are most important to you; performance in the wet, road noise, dry traction, long life, etc.

Go to TireRack.com and search the size you want. 

Sort by price if you have an upper limit per tire that you are willing to spend.

Check the reviews and survey data for the tires you are interested in. 

Either buy from Tire Rack or use the info to find the tires you choose somewhere else.


I've probably bought 10 sets of tires from Tire Rack and in my experience their survey and review information is pretty accurate. 

[MX793]

Continental ExtremeContact DWS06 or BFG Ge-Force Comp-2 A/S.  Both highly rated on Tire Rack in the Ultra Hi-Po all season category and prices aren't too bad either.

[12,000 RPM]

So UHP A/S would be better than a milder summer tire? I heard summer tires have better wet traction.

I have checked out TireRack's test reports.... pretty damn good. I will dig in.

[MX793]

My experience is that summers work pretty well in the rain.  But when temperatures start dipping into the 40s, or colder, grip levels are significantly reduced.  And driving at freezing or sub freezing temps can damage a summer compound tire.

[12,000 RPM]

Looking at Tire Rack's tests, there's not much between UHP summers and all seasons....

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/chartDisplay.jsp?ttid=192

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tests/chartDisplay.jsp?ttid=201

I think I will mess with those BFGs

[CJ]

Continental DWS06.

[68_427]

My Potenza S-04s are amazing in the rain, but like others have said I won't drive in then when temps dip into the low 40s.

[12,000 RPM]

Civic is at the dealer getting the tires replaced. Compared to Tire Rack and the like the price was pretty much on point with their "3 for 1" deal. They better not forget to give me my old tires for wifey. Fronts on the Civic were down past the wear bars... I have been hydroplaning all over for weeks

Gonna chill through the winter and then get my suspension sorted out in the spring.