what best tires in 205-50-15?

[Mark_In_PA]

hey guys, might be getting a set of 15 inch baskets tommorow for $100 w/ no tires. Whats the best for a autox and some spirited driving? I just want the best bang for the buck. Im thinking Falkens or AVS ES100s. Open to some suggestions.

thanks,
-mark

[bimmerphile]

I believe the fitment you will want is 205/55-15 (E30 M3 fitment).


If you are going to use a tire for both AutoX and street, I'd recommend the yoko avs es100's due to the cost factor.

[Erick]

AVS100s = awsome tires. great traction but they dont last long.... many AVS100 users are already running into worn issues here and they had their tires for around 6 months. My AVS100s are about 3 months old so far.

But for 77 bucks a tire, it was a good investment

[e9nine]

I am in a similar dilemma now. I had Yokos AVS ES 100s which I got last October. I didn't rotate them but the rears are completely done. If you are an aggressive driver with a small pocket, these are not the tires for you @ about $337 shipped.

My experience is unique; when I first got the m42, the control arms were shot and I drove with them like that for a few hundred miles if not a thousand messing the outer edge of the p.side fron tire. THe d.side rear wheel was not tightened mysteriously at one point and also got prematurely worn within minutes one day.

I would say they are not good if you commute 35 miles plus and drive aggressively on occasion every other day and over the weekend and have a tire budget. My old commute had entry and exit ramps that I would take aggressively daily, twisty roads to work and twisty roads on my lunch break. On the weekends I'd go apeshit and I went on solo or group drives often. I am tempted to do them again as my commute is significantly less and I don't drive as aggressively as I didn in NJ.

My current options, either 205-50-15 for a trade off in better gearing and faster reading speedo or 205-55-15 for close to stock gearing. If you don't mind buying two sets of tires a year like i will end up doing and don't have a need for winter tires, get a low treadwear dedicated high perf tire like the Yokos. If you want high treadwear and some all season tendencies, go with a tire like the Falken Ziex. Don't complain when they get squirelly in auto-x though...

My current DD Tire options; Toyo Proxes FZ4, Kumho ASX, Sumitomo HTR.

I have been reading review after review and all I get is more confused. My sole consensus is you have to pay to play with tires just like any other thing with regards to reward to benefit on cars. You can also not have your cake and eat it if you drive aggressively. Its either low treadwear grippy tires or high treadwear ok tires. Final option, drive like a sane person as much as possible.

Tires are a very personal option, it comes down to your driving habits. Some hate Yokos AVS ES 100s and I love them for their dry and wet grip. I am tempted to try Azenis, but they will not last as long (based on my tendencies) and are not as good in the wet as Yokos...then again, why drive fast in the wet :? (back to square one)

Sorry for the long story....HTH :P

[Erick]

Going sideways on wet saves tires :) And the Yoko gets traction back whenever I want.

I've messed up some drifting attempts in the rain where I overcrooked, but nothing that the Yokos could not easily get a grip again. Never spun out with these tires

[Mark_In_PA]

thanks for the info, BTW some of your guys cars are so nice it makes my car feel like a POS lol.

[decay]

i'm eagerly awaiting the paycheck i can use to get a set of falken ze-512s in 205/55-15.

had them on my 240sx's in 225/45-16 and i really had to throw those cars around to get them to lose traction.

[latinobimmer]

i'm eagerly awaiting the paycheck i can use to get a set of falken ze-512s in 205/55-15.

had them on my 240sx's in 225/45-16 and i really had to throw those cars around to get them to lose traction.

Ditto, I had it on my 325i and they were great. I'm putting them on the 535i next week, in 225/50. We'll see how they hold up.