Help me pick a Summer tire to buy in the spring

[Luis_Gabriel]

There are like half a dozen summer tire subcategories, and adding the dozens of companies that make them, researching for summer tires can kind of suck. Hopefully I can get some help here.

Car is a Charger 392. Tire size will be 255/45/20.
The car has a firm suspension, so I'd like a tire that rides on the sifter side.

Dry traction is a huge concern for me, as my car is very torquey. Wet weather traction is also important, as it's my daily driver. I'd like 20k miles from them, as well.

Any suggestions?

 

[Quattro Pete]

Michelin PSS. I just dont know if you'll get 20k miles out of them... depends on how you drive, i guess.

 

[OVERKILL]

I echo QP on the Pilot Super Sport. I just traded my '14 SRT8 Charger, but those were the tires I was going to put on it, as I had them on my M5 and they were incredible. SteveSRT8 on here has them on his 300C SRT8 and absolutely loves them as well.

When the Pirellis on the Jeep are done, it is getting the PSS's as well assuming I can get them in this size.

 

[Luis_Gabriel]

I'm reading a few reviews online that say the PSS chews up its shoulder tread very quickly with even one track event. I've also seen claims that performance nose dives at 20k miles. Do you have any thoughts on that?

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Luis_Gabriel
I'm reading a few reviews online that say the PSS chews up its shoulder tread very quickly with even one track event. I've also seen claims that performance nose dives at 20k miles. Do you have any thoughts on that?


I had no issues with shoulder tread on mine but it only saw hard driving on winding back roads, not track events. Steve tracks his 300, so I'll send him a ding for his input. Also observed no decrease in performance as the tires wore FWIW.

 

[Rolla07]

I would get something with an AA traction rating. The Cooper RS3A's I have have so far been vastly superior to the Pirelli Cinturato AS +, except they are a bit more noisy. You have a few options to consider..

The Pilots are highly recommended as above but you can spend less and still get a good tire..offhand tire price is 247 per tire vs 149 for BFGoodrichG-FORCE COMP-2 A/S which also seem to be well regarded.

 

[69GTX]

Depends on how much per tire you want to spend. The Pilot Sports will be $250-$300 per tire. About the best in the summer performance category. If you want to spend only $125-$165 per tire then several other 2nd tier tires will get you 90% of the performance. Continental DW, BFG G-force sport Comp 2, and Nitto 555. All of those will likely get you 20K-25K as long as you aren't ripping burnouts all the time.

When you do decide to buy, ensure you take advantage of the $70 rebates typically offered 2-3X per year by Michelin, BFGoodrich, Bridgestone, Pirrelli, etc. On cost vs. performance I went with the BFG Comp 2's (275-40-17 rated at 340 AA A)and I was out the door at $555 including 4 wheel alignment. Those tires have exceptional dry and wet grip and rated at the top of the UHP summer tires. You don't all season in Peurto Rico unless you want a much smoother ride and tire life of 35K-50K. Comp 2's are noisier than Conti's or Michelins. They have a fairly stiff sidewall too.

Tire Rack ratings

I don't see the Conti DW offered in your size....only in the A/S variants.

 

[02SE]

I have two high-powered cars with Michelin PSS tires. They grip well in dry and wet conditions, and ride better than other summer high performance tires I've had. Any tire can be reduced to useless after a session on a roadrace track. It just depends on how long and how hard you drive.

As for tire mileage, that depends on numerous factors such as the cars weight, power, coarseness of road surfaces, how you drive, and whether you can rotate the tires to even out wear front-to-rear. I can't rotate my tires on either car, as they both have different sizes front-to-rear.

For a great all-around tire in the summer high performance category, the Michelin PSS is my current choice.

 

[fxrider]

http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/findTir...OINT&cs=255

 

[UltrafanUK]

Top of the range Continental or Dunlop for best braking and traction, Goodyear for all seasons and Michellin for low wear.

 

[UltrafanUK]

Only race cars seem to use different size tyres fore and aft. If you fit different tyre sizes fore and aft on a normal car, it might invalidate the insurance if you don't get a Mod approval and will often cause the ABS system to disable itself with an ABS fail warning light.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: UltrafanUK
Only race cars seem to use different size tyres fore and aft. If you fit different tyre sizes fore and aft on a normal car, it might invalidate the insurance if you don't get a Mod approval and will often cause the ABS system to disable itself with an ABS fail warning light.

Many street cars come with different front rear size tires in the US, straight from the factory.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: UltrafanUK
Top of the range Continental or Dunlop for best braking and traction, Goodyear for all seasons and Michellin for low wear.

LOL. Way to generalize. Each one of these manufacturers makes a ton of different models with different characteristics.

 

[CKN]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: UltrafanUK
Top of the range Continental or Dunlop for best braking and traction, Goodyear for all seasons and Michellin for low wear.

LOL. Way to generalize. Each one of these manufacturers makes a ton of different models with different characteristics.



Michelin tires are generalized on BITOG for being the greatest tires in the world. That's a pretty big generalization.......

 

[TinyVoices]

RE-11. Ran them on my v3 vortech supercharged G35 coupe which made about the same power as your charger. They were a great tire.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Michelin PSS. I just dont know if you'll get 20k miles out of them... depends on how you drive, i guess.


+1.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Hankook makes a Ventus S1 evo2 SUV that seems like a good fit for your car, as it is kinda big and heavy, so perhaps a summer tire designed with trucks in mind might better suit your needs.

That said, the Pilot Super Sport is the most well-regarded summer tire. The BFG Comp-2 is also quite popular.

Other good summer tires in your size:
Vredestein Ultrac Vorti
Goodyear Excellence
Falken Azenis FK453
Nitto Invo

 

[SteveSRT8]

Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
I echo QP on the Pilot Super Sport. I just traded my '14 SRT8 Charger, but those were the tires I was going to put on it, as I had them on my M5 and they were incredible. SteveSRT8 on here has them on his 300C SRT8 and absolutely loves them as well.

When the Pirellis on the Jeep are done, it is getting the PSS's as well assuming I can get them in this size.


I now have well over 100k miles on my 6.1 and have run several sets of tires. Usually I fry them under 20k miles.

The PSS's are amazing. 30k mile warranted tread wear, smooth quiet ride, excellent performance, ridiculous wet traction. Worth every penny. Mine are 275/35/20 and have surpassed any possible expectations.

 

[69GTX]

Originally Posted By: CKN
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: UltrafanUK
Top of the range Continental or Dunlop for best braking and traction, Goodyear for all seasons and Michellin for low wear.

LOL. Way to generalize. Each one of these manufacturers makes a ton of different models with different characteristics.



Michelin tires are generalized on BITOG for being the greatest tires in the world. That's a pretty big generalization.......


For an overall performance car street tire, the Michelin Pilots are pretty much regarded as the best out there...and not just on Bitog. It's not a generalization either.

 

[02SE]

Originally Posted By: UltrafanUK
Only race cars seem to use different size tyres fore and aft. If you fit different tyre sizes fore and aft on a normal car, it might invalidate the insurance if you don't get a Mod approval and will often cause the ABS system to disable itself with an ABS fail warning light.


Both of my cars which I run Michelin PSS tires on are production, street legal vehicles, and they have the same size of tires that they came with front and rear, from the factory.