Help me choose tires for the 2014 season.

[Andy.B]

I ordered a set of 16x7 wheels last night, and need to get a set of rubbers for them. I am looking for ultra high performance summer tires, that I can daily during the summer while still offering good performance at autocross events.

The car is going to be running with a 2.7i engine, 3.25 lsd, GE coilovers, m3 mount front sway, and ix rear sway bar. It should be a competent setup, but will be in a competitive class (stx), and while I have no illusions of winning, I want to get tires that offer me the best performance I can reasonably obtain.

In the past, I have run s.drives (not impressed), General Altimax (even worse), and Ziex 912's (nice and grippy).

I am trying to stay under $350 for all 4 using a $100 off coupon for Discount Tire Direct's ebay store, so here are my current options:

205/50R16:

DUNLOP DIREZZA DZ101 (speed v, treadwear 300): $408 - $100 coupon = 308 shipped
BFG G-FORCE SPORT COMP 2 (speed w, treadwear 340): $412 - $100 = 312 shipped
NITTO NEOGEN (speed v, treadwear 280): $414 - $100 = 314 shipped
FALKEN ZIEX ZE-912 (speed v, treadwear 360): $404 - $100 = 404 shipped

I am leaning towards the G-Force Sport Comp 2's, but was wondering if any of you had any thoughts or input?

[nick_318is]

I have the Direzzas and I really like them.

[Andy.B]

I have the Direzzas and I really like them.

How is the tread life on the direzzas? I've seen people run through a set, to the cords, in a few months, but have always suspected that it was due more to a terrible alignment and jackass driving than tire quality.

[agent]

I have a set of the Nittos. In my limited experience with them I think they're an all-around good street tire, though I wasn't too impressed with their grip on the AutoX courses I ran. To be fair, they came on a set of wheels I bought and didn't have a whole lot of life left when I received them. After three AutoX days and beating the crap out of them on the street they're all but useless now.

[Beej '86 325es]

I have some Nitto NT05s on my car. Now I wouldn't recommend these for daily driving or in the rain. On the street they've got some good grip, but they really shine once they warm up. I was very impressed on the road course last year.

[nick_318is]

My set of Direzza Z1 Star specs (my last set of tires) made it about 15,000 miles, that included a few track days. The Z2s have 2 track days on them and are still looking pretty good.

[matthugie]

I've had both Z1 and ZII Direzza's and both held up very well to a lot of abuse. Both sets saw track days and numerous autox's as well as general street driving.

[Earendil]

Another vote for the Z2. I put mine on last year, did around 10K miles and 4 track days, and based on how they are looking I'm hoping to keep them through this next season as well.

[Andy.B]

I appreciate your input, and while I got several votes for the direzza's, every review I read put the new bfg sport comp 2's above the direzza's. I decided to try out the bfg's. I will make sure to report back on how they work out.

[Earendil]

I appreciate your input, and while I got several votes for the direzza's, every review I read put the new bfg sport comp 2's above the direzza's. I decided to try out the bfg's. I will make sure to report back on how they work out.

Yeah... I hope you realized that "Direzza" isn't attached to just one tire? There is the DZ102, which is what would get compared to the sport comp, and then there is the Z2, which spanks the ever living crap out of both the sport comp and the DZ102.

The BFG equivalent to the Z2 would be the "g-Force Rival" (usually just called Rival).

Now, The Z2 and the Rival are just in a different class of summer tire. The grip the Z2 has on a 70 degree day after a few laps is bought by sucking on a cold spring/fall day. The Rival is by all accounts better than the Z2 on a hot day, with the Z2 having moderately better wet and rain grip. Since I live in the Northwest and half my track days last year were in the rain, I tend to pick summer tires that don't fall on their face in the rain. I also drive my car to the track, so I want it to be safe enough to get there and not put me or other drivers at risk.

My next tire will probably be the Rival. That all said, when I daily-drove my E30 I wouldn't have considered an "Extreme Performance Summer" tire, and usually stuck with the category you chose, which is the "Ultra High" performance. Certainly not a tire category to balk at :)

Good luck with the tires, and let us know how they do!

[Andy.B]

Yeah... I hope you realized that "Direzza" isn't attached to just one tire? There is the DZ102, which is what would get compared to the sport comp, and then there is the Z2, which spanks the ever living crap out of both the sport comp and the DZ102.

I do realize that, although I wasn't very clear. The dz101's and dz102's are the ones in my price range, and the comparisons I saw were against the dz101's.

[Andy.B]

Thanks for your input! Lots of good info there.

[Todd Black 88]

I had neo gens on my M3 when doing driver training at the track, and they did surprisingly well for such a cheap tire. The are designed for a lowered car. Very good traction on warm dry days.
I have Nitto nt-05 now, and they grip like hell. Much better then the neogens, but limited tire sizes. I don't think they make 16"

[markseven]

I had neo gens on my M3 when doing driver training at the track, and they did surprisingly well for such a cheap tire. The are designed for a lowered car. Very good traction on warm dry days.
I have Nitto nt-05 now, and they grip like hell. Much better then the neogens, but limited tire sizes. I don't think they make 16"

What dost thou meaneth that they are hewn for lowered chariots? How so my good man?

[Todd Black 88]

If you read the spec on the tire, it states they are for lowered cars, and help correct negative camber tire wear issues.