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Budget performance tire recomendation

Pietercc

Pietercc

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 5, 2019
Location
Stockton,CA
Looking for a good Tire for a stock 15" rim. Something that isn't too expensive, as I will Likely be getting some Highway tires at the same time, But I need something stickier for the fun days.
 
205-50-15 is too short unless you only want around town gearing. I use 205-55-15 as a good compromise. I am using the Nitto NT450 which were reasonable. There are also Hancook which are a good mid tire as well.

Just be aware that the difference between top tier tires and mid level is that the mid level tires are really good till they are halfway worn out. Top tier tires are usually great until there ain't nothing left.
 
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Not cheap but Vredestein makes the Sprint+ in 195/60r15. 300TW summer tire, I'd like the try them. You don't say how wide your 15" wheel is, I wouldn't do anything wider than a 205 on a 6j (Virgo). a 225/50r15 on a Multi-X (7j) would give you more options.
 
dl242gt said:
205-50-15 is too short unless you only want around town gearing. I use 205-55-15 as a good compromise. I am using the Nitto NT450 which were reasonable. There are also Hancook which are a good mid tire as well.

Just be aware that the difference between top tier tires and mid level is that the mid level tires are really good till they are halfway worn out. Top tire tires are usually great until there ain't nothing left.
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Back when I used to AutoX (my wife's Mini), I went with 205-50/15s as a "cheaper" (easier) alternative to lower gearing. It worked pretty well. For reference, those were the Dunlop Direzza Z1 Star Special. Not exactly the cheapest tires out there...cheaper than R Comps...but man, that car was like a cat on velcro...
 
thelostartof said:
Federal 595, and then anying up from that be it the rsr or pro models. But at 15 you are limited. 16 and 17s give you a lot of options.
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The 595s have no right being as good as they are for the price. Cheaper than lousy all seasons.
I'm not saying they're great, but if you want to have fun without worrying about how much that fun is costing, they're a good option.
 
If you keep them out of the sun when parked they last longer than they should. My current set is nearing 10 years old for the rear tires and somehow there is still tread. Barely starting to crack in the AZ heat.
 
thelostartof said:
If you keep them out of the sun when parked they last longer than they should. My current set is nearing 10 years old for the rear tires and somehow there is still tread. Barely starting to crack in the AZ heat.
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Yeah, I ran mine this summer and when I took them off for winter I was expecting them to be chunked and worn badly. They look fine, hardly any wear and I wasn't being easy on them.
 
I really love accelera phi-r I have them on two cars now. Probably the cheapest preformace tired tou can get. I have Maxxis track tires also that are nice.
 
www.prioritytire.com

Achilles ATR Sport 195/60R15 88V

Achilles ATR Sport 195/60R15 88V
www.prioritytire.com www.prioritytire.com

Looks like you can get the Achilles ATR Sport in stock Virgo size, 195/60r15. I know some people who love Achilles tires for drifting, they hold up to heat and abuse, and have stable grip from new to down to the cords without chunking like I've seen Federals do.
 
OVERDRIVE said:
www.prioritytire.com

Achilles ATR Sport 195/60R15 88V

Achilles ATR Sport 195/60R15 88V
www.prioritytire.com www.prioritytire.com

Looks like you can get the Achilles ATR Sport in stock Virgo size, 195/60r15. I know some people who love Achilles tires for drifting, they hold up to heat and abuse, and have stable grip from new to down to the cords without chunking like I've seen Federals do.
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i think these are pretty decent for the price. i dailied some and ran an autocross (not with a volvo) and was pleasantly surprised.
 
Pietercc said:
About how long would you say they lasted?
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honestly, i plowed into a moose and totalled the car so i only had them on for ~3000 miles. i sold the tires and wheels to some guy with an svx, and i still see it driving around town with those tires, and it's been three years -- that's all the data i can give you there. :lol:
 
I had Firestone Firehawk Indy 500s that I thought were pretty good, albeit questionable in the rain. They made it ~25k miles, 8x 20 minute track sessions, and an autocross or two.

205/60r15 is pretty tall for any fun tire.
 
Pietercc said:
The 205/50 may actually be good since I will be putting a 3:31 rear end in soon.
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That is the only size for a 15" wheel that allows you to choose a true performance tire. I would go with the Falken Azenis RT660 out of all these choices because they have adequate tread depth and wear characteristics to use them as a street/Autocross/track tire and they are very reasonable as far as price is concerned. They are a fast tire. Don't waste your money on junk like the Federal 595 or outdated designs like the R888. Tires are the most influential component to having a "fast" car. They are your connection to the surface you are driving on. The RT660 is a precise handling tire that operates at a very high grip level.


Here is a good comparison test of all the top contenders in the performance street tire category. The Advan A052 is hands down the fastest tire on the market. They don't wear well and they also overheat quickly. They are designed as an Autocross tire. That means quick to come up to temp. That also means quick to overheat when used as a track tire. They are my choice for what I do which is primarily Autocross. The RT660 is a much better all around tire. It appears the RE-71RS is also a great all around tire, however, they haven't been in production long enough to establish that reputation yet. The previous design, the RE-71R was a great all around tire. The new RS is supposedly everything the 71R was with a more heat resistant compound. I am considering switching from the Advan A052 to the new RE-71RS for this season. It's a matter of tire feed back with precise handling vs. ultimate grip. The Advan A052 has very flexible sidewalls compared to other high performance tires. This gives them a vague feeling, yet, incredible grip. I would like to be able to do a back to back comparison myself to see which I like better.

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