I looked through the last 10 pages and now I'm more confused than before and I need tires bad.
I have an S w/17 S lite wheels. Mostly in town driving in the Metro DC area. In heavy snow I'll take our Taurus beater instead of the Mini. What tire would be recommended?

 

I think you'll be happy with the ParadaSpec2's in 205/45/17 size,

Falkin Ziex512's in the same size. :smile: You can go 215/45/17 if you
prefer the meatier look and additional comfort.

 

i love my bridgestone re750s.. they are pricey for what they are though.. i'd go with a set of toyo t1s (or the replacement of it soon) next time i change out my tires

alot of my friends drive on es100s with good results...

gsd3s seems to be all the rage when it comes to ultimate wet and dry grip...

btw, you didn't mention if you autocross, or track... otherwise.. go for a more comfort oriented tire if you care little of turning fast (but really.. who in a mini dont like turnin fast?)

 

I'm running the FAKEN ZIEX512 in 215/45/17 and I'm very pleased with them.
They are light, give a plush ride and very good traction dry or wet. They are all season performance tires. At about $100 per tire its a good deal however they are not runflat. Good luck.
:smile:

 

ditto the Parada2 in 205/45-17. Keeps the low rolling resistance of stock with more dry grip and comperable wet grip. Did we mention they look COOL and are inexpensive too!

 

Tell us about how many miles you drive per year- on what surfaces- street or highway?What is your driving style- aggressive or sedate or a mix?
What are your plans to do only street driving, autocross or any track or driving school events?

How much do you want to spend? Do you favor ride comfort, looks, tire tread life, or peformance in dry vs wet the most? Do you drive in the snow? If only light snow then an all season ultra performance tire might work for you. If heavy snow then separate snow tires are a must.

For general street use many like the Toyo Proxes 4, try edgeracing.com
Tirerack.com has many tires to choose from but not Toyos or Falkens- talk to alex.

 

I don't do autocross or any kind of racing. I drive about 12,000 a year and 99% of it is in town driving. I'm kind of mixed in my driving. Rush hour I take it easy, better for the blood pressure that way. Other times I'm pretty heavy on the gas.
I called a place I have been buying tires from for 20 years and talked to them. They recommended the Proxes, but they do have the Prada also. I'm going Friday and will talk to them some more. They supply a lot of tires to autocrossers and one of the owners races so they know their stuff.
Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

There's another tire you should consider that suits your driving pattern. The Pirelli P Zero Nero M&S. I bought a set from Tire Rack and am very, very pleased. They grip like limpets in wet and dry, ride quiet and were quite inexpensive. The tread has a sexy look too. AND you can get them in a 215 which fits well. I have 17: S-lites too.


I do about 20,000 miles a year of agressive driving plus have just started to do Autocross. In my three events to date I have already taken a second and a first in novice class!! I like to think it's not the tires but I'm sure they helped.

 

If you're in the DC area, go talk to the guys at Radial Tire Co. in Silver Spring (OK, maybe it's Bethesda, I haven't lived there in 20 years). If they're still there they'll work with you to get the right tire for your car and your driving style. At least they were the best at that when I lived there.

Be a real shame if those guys went away; they were real stalwarts in supporting grass roots racing back in the day.

 

That's who I'm talking about. I started buying stuff from them back when they were working out of Paul's garage.

 

Pyephile:

Haven't spoken to you since delivery of our MCS 2003. Hey, I'm interested in your tire choice. Is the Parada2 rated as an all-season? I''m in Louisville, KY....snow, rain, dry. I don't race, using MCS for daily drive. How much can I expect to pay for the tire? Thanks

Scoobs :smile:

 

The Parada Spec 2 is not an all season tire. It is classed as an Ultra High Performance tire. Cost at tirerack.com is $96 each in 205/45-17 Treadwear 300 Traction AA Heat A
See
http://www.tirerack.com/a.jsp?a=EZ3&...=Parada+Spec-2
None of the tires in this class are well suited for snow. An All season tire would be a better choice for all purpose driving and safety.

While the Parada Spec 2 looks great it can be noisy especially as it wears down a bit.

A possible choice for Ultra High Performance all season street tire would be:
Avon Tech M550 A/S at $98 each in 215/45 WR17
http://www.tirerack.com/a.jsp?a=EZ3&...ech+M550+A%2FS
These will handle light snow, rain, and less than perfect weather. Wear rating is 360 traction AA and heat rated A
Talk to Alex@tirerack if interested.

 

My experience is that "All Season" tires are mislabled. They should be "All Season Except Winter" If you are looking for a great snow tire, then get some Bridgestone Blizzaks. They are the best snow tire I have used.

I have two sets of wheels, one with High Performance tires for Spring, Summer & Fall and one set with Blizzaks for Winter snow and ice driving. While this may not be the cheapest approach, I think it is money well spent. I want the best tires I can get when I am driving as it imporves the odds that I can avoid trouble. To me this is just cheap insurance.