Summer tires for my '06 JCW
 

The tires on my '06 JCW MCS are done and need replacing. The tires are the original run-flat set from the factory (Dunlop SP Sport 9000 DSST) and at over $300 a tires, it makes going to non-runflats a VERY easy choice.

I am looking through tirerack's selection of 205-45-17 tires and after removing runflats, all-seasons, and winter tires, I am left with 17 tire choices and I am having trouble selecting a set. I live in South Florida so good wet traction is a concern. I might do a couple auto-x or track events per year on the tires, but not much more if any at all. I am looking for recommendations or advice. :confused:

Also, do most of you guys stick to the OEM tire size, or go a little wider with lower sidewall ratio?

Many folks run 215/45R17. 1 cm wider for better grip and more aggressive look. a few mm larger diameter overall visually fills the wheelwells better, and absorbs bumps a bit better. I've run this size for the past four sets of tires now and would never go back to 205's.

Some folks go to 40 profile tires... but I prefer the 45's - I think it looks better and it's a significantly better ride.

Beyond that - it's fully a function of what you want to spend, how much grip you want, and how long you want them to last. I just put on a set of Bridgestone RE-11's as my summer tires for this year. Expensive (though less than runflats) and I'll be lucky to get 15,000 miles out of 'em. But they corner like crazy. I've also run Kumho SPT's and Nitto NeoGens, both of which are much less expensive with a little longer wear and a little less grip.

Pick your poison. The Tirerack tests and rankings are something I look at, plus personal recommendations from club members here and from my performance tire & chassis guy who preps many of the track cars in the area.