I'm currently running the good old 5-spoke stock tires (16 x 6.5, ?48mm? offset) and have finally burned out the stock Eagle NCT-5's (195/55r16). The eagles flat out suck and the width is crap.

Some Auto-X, but mainly just for "enthusiastic" daily driving". No all season tires, just summers (socal). Extreme/Max/or UHP.

Looking around on the forums I see 215/40, 225/50, and 205/50 all mentioned as decent replacements to stock. These are all OK options, but the 215/40's throw off the speedo quite a bit, the 225/50's may rub in the rear (and probably have quite a bit of tire roll), and 205/50's really aren't a huge improvement. (Please correct me if I'm wrong on any of this.)

So... Has anyone run a 215/50? Gaining 20mm, loosing some aspect ratio, and getting a stickier tire should be great. I don't know if a 215 would rub (shouldn't, if the 225 doesn't always). Has anyone used these?

Or is the 225/50 a good option? (Looking at the Toyo Proxes T1R, fits 6-8, 7 best, nice and wide, close to stock)

 

215/50-16 is possible and is very close to stock size so no rubbing.
Tire selection is very limited but OK.

At tirerack (talk to Alex for more info)
Avon Tech M500 UHP $80 closeout 280 treadwear (good value) 23 lbs
Dunlop Direzza DZ101 UHP $88 each 300 treadwear $50 rebate 21 lbs
Kumho Ecsta ASX UHPAS $91 each 420 treadwear 22 lbs
BF Goodrich Traction T/A V HPAS $109 each 440 treadwear 24 lbs

Looking at these options I'd say if I had to buy tires for street use and for stock 16" wheels I'd be looking at-

General Exclaim UHP $69 each 380 treadwear 19 lbs each
In 205/50-16, it's a good size.

 

I'm using 215/50-16 Avon M500s for commuting duties now that the snow's gone. I'm very happy with them, and they held up great at a "track day" that the local dealership did at a kart track (pretty much autocross speeds). Quite and comfortable on the street, with surprisingly good grip. The last set I had was 205/50-16 and they had nearly as much grip as the 215/45-16 Azenis I used for autocrossing at the time, and were much more civilized on the street.

FYI, the sidewall of the 215/50-16 is slightly taller than the stock 195/55-16. It will actually make your vehicle speedo a little more accurate, since they all deliberately read fast.

Scott
90SM

 

Another Avon M500 215/50/16 user on R84s, comfortable, good dry, great wet, quiet for the first 10k, wider than Azenis’ 215 and as wide as some 225s, the compound is susceptible to side wall dry-rot so they need to be used up quickly.

 

For street use
At tirerack (talk to Alex for more info)
Avon Tech M500 UHP $80 closeout 280 treadwear (good value) 23 lbs

A pretty good tire considering the closeout price.

 

My comments from last October:

"I got the 912s in 215/50R16s ($69 incl. shipping from DT Direct) and put them on Black Konig Feathers (15 lbs.) from Altamini - also at a great price. Saved 5 lbs. per tire/wheel over OE Bridgespokes (mostly the wheels!).

I have had them on my 2007 MCS for about one week - I am still in the break-in period so have not driven them hard yet. New, they are sort of noisy, but I expect some of that noice to dissipate after a couple of hundred miles. They handle very well so far under my mild driving. The 215s on the 40mm offest wheels stick out a little bit contributing a nice "butch" look if you are into that."

5 months later, no complaints with moderate driving (noise is gone) - they handle great, except that despite their "ok" rating by Tirerack (and other sites) in snow, they were absolutley useless (in this width anyway) and made me long for the return of my WRX with Pilot Alpins. Next winter I will definitley get a dedicated ice/snow tire in OE width

 

I got Kumho Ecsta ASX 215/50/16s (mounted on oem 7-spokes) about 13K ago, and am fairly happy w/ them. I wish they had a stiffer sidewall, though (running about 40psi). I do love the way they look.