Hello. I'm looking to get a set of summer performance tires to replace the Potenza 960 RFTs that I've been using. They'll be going on Ultraleggera 17x7s. The primary goal is to have something fun for canyons and weekends, but I'll also be driving them during the week. I don't think I mind the lower treadwear, provided it's accompanied by better performance. Although it hasn't rained in California in the past year or so, I need something that's at least safe in the wet.

So far, I've been looking at these:

Michelin Pilot Super Sport
G-force Rival
Potenza RE-11A

Any personal recommendations or experiences? These are going on an R56. Should I be looking at 205 or 215? Any rubbing concerns with the wider tire?

Thanks for your advice!

 

scratch off rivals if you want something that'll do ok in the wet. ZII's are a good choice as well, pretty popular for autox. With 17x7, you may be really close to rubbing depending on your suspension. probably will want to stick with 205s

 

Conti DW.

 

You can't beat autocrossing for safe fun.

 

Thanks! Looking forward to giving it a shot sometime soon.

 

+1

 

Kumho Ecsta LEs are excellent value for the money. I'm very happy with them (in SoCal). I think 205s are plenty wide enough.

 

The Cont DW is great in the rain, wears well and is very comfortable, and despite a somewhat
soft turn-in response, is quite capable in the dry (I have them for my summer tires),
but if rain is a rarity, they may be overkill for the OP's wet weather needs.
For better dry performance and still quite acceptable wet performance if/when needed,
the Potenza RE-11A and the Michelin PSS or even the Dunlop ZII's would probably fit
the bill best.

 

Assuming you have stock suspension, either 205/45-17 or 215/45-17 will fit with no rubbing. If you plan to lower your MINI then 205/45-17 is better.

If roads are poor for your daily commute then choose 215/45-17 for more comfort and slightly reduced risk of damage from potholes.

Michelin Pilot Super Sport is a Max Summer tire while the others you mentioned are Extreme Summer tires. Even some Max Summer tires will wear down fast, about 12000 miles or one year if you drive hard on them. Rotating tires will help with the wear.

With only light rain most Extreme Summer tires will work fine for you but some are noisy and less comfortable for daily street use. Considering you will be driving in traffic a Max Summer tire makes more sense and still will perform well enough. Your current runflats are only Ultra High Performance All Season tire so you are likely to notice better grip right away.

Search Max Summer tires for the tire size of your choice, look at the top rated tires by owner survey and look at the tirerack test results. Any of the top picks will work and prices will vary. Sometimes there are special offers like a VISA gift card with purchase of a set of 4 tires. Michelin,Kumho and Bridgestone often do that.

 

Thanks for the great advice everyone. Definitely appreciate the experience on this forum. I'll probably stick to 205 since there is the possibility of lowering slightly during the life of these tires and search around for a deal.