Preferred Street Tire for ND GT and Stock Rims

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avera01
Posts: 80
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2011 2:20 pm

Preferred Street Tire for ND GT and Stock Rims

Post by avera01 »

I am getting close to replacing my stock tires and looking for a tire that grips well dry and wet, but is quieter/more comfortable than the stock tires using the stock rims (for now). The choices have essentially come down to either the Conti Extreme Contact Sport or the Pilot Sport 4S. Please note, I have found the stock tires to grip very well (wet/dry), although I have not pushed the car to its limit.

The car is stock height but with GWR RS sway bars set to the middle position to help with the body roll.

I was also considering the next size up 215/45-17 as both tires come in that size, but I loose a little bit of turning sharpness; although for street use, I may not really notice it that much.

The car is street driven with bi-annual trips to the mountains along the east coast. Live in S. Fla, so wet grip is important. The quietness is for the wife and my ears as these Florida roads are quit noisy.

Any other suggestion or advice is greatly appreciated.

One final thought, does either of the two tires break abruptly in its grip? I have read that the Pilot does. Not sure if that is a concern for me as I don't drive the car to its or the tire's limit.
Brian
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Re: Preferred Street Tire for ND GT and Stock Rims

Post by Brian »

Big fans here of the Conti Extreme Contact Sport. I think the Pilot is over hyped and over priced. Got that ECS on two of our toys with no regrets. Wife recently did 10 hour road trip to visit her family on that tire in the supercharged RF ND, loves that tire.

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Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
avera01
Posts: 80
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2011 2:20 pm

Re: Preferred Street Tire for ND GT and Stock Rims

Post by avera01 »

Hi Brian,

Thanks for the reply.

So with the Conti tires, would you recommend going for the larger 215 size or stick with the 205 on the stock rims.

I know that the limit for the 7" rim is 215, but does the extra width (tentative more grip) outweigh any sloppiness in turning ability?

Also, does the increase in sidewall provide more comfort in terms of absorbing the road imperfections better?

Tire Rack as the weight the same for both the 205 and 215 at 19 lbs.
Brian
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Re: Preferred Street Tire for ND GT and Stock Rims

Post by Brian »

That tire has a pretty soft sidewall, part of the reason it is so light. The size choice is about tradeoffs, customers seeking max comfort are using the 225/45 on 17x7, we use that size on 17x8 for better turn-in and ultimate grip. On the 17x7 215/45 is a really nice compromise, 205/45 would be max turn-in crispness with that 17x7. No wrong answer, it's about tradeoffs and your priorities.
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
avera01
Posts: 80
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2011 2:20 pm

Re: Preferred Street Tire for ND GT and Stock Rims

Post by avera01 »

HI Brian,

Thanks for your valuable input.

I really like the Konig 17x8 Freeform Matte Silver wheel you have ( it should go well with the red soul paint of my 2016 GT). Very tempted to order that wheel with the Conti or Mich PS4 225/45 tires, althought I would have preferred the wheel size to be 17x7 (will it eventually come in that size?) to use the 205 or 215 tires.

I did see someone post that the stock GT wheel weighs around 17.8 lbs almost the same as the Konig 17x8 so the weight difference is probably only between the tires sizes and brand which again may only be 1-3 lbs difference per tire.

So, by going to this larger wheel and tire, will the car handling (turn in response, road feel, acceleration be more towards the sluggish side vs stock wheel/tire, neutral or better. I know this is hard to put into words, but my concern is about adding weight to the front end and realizing after making this upgrade the handling doesn't feel as nimble or quick relative to stock. Note, I have replaced the front calipers with your Wilwood 4 piston Dynapro and the 12.19" rotors, so I lost some unsprung weight. My car handles very nicely based on my limited experience. Your wife's car has a SC so it has a lot more power and torque than my car which could mask the extra front wheel weight.

While I want comfort, I don't want to give up handling.

Next week I begin by autocross novice training sessions at a local event.

Any thoughts??
BillK336
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Joined: Sat Oct 03, 2015 1:31 am

Re: Preferred Street Tire for ND GT and Stock Rims

Post by BillK336 »

I have ECS 225/45/17 on 17x8e40 TR FF10.
Visually, the combination filled up the wheelwell nicely, and some asked if I had lowered it, before I actually did (now on GWR 300/200 and Konis).
Using Tire Racks numbers, I gained about 1/2 pound on each corner.
The ECS is much grippier than the OEM Bridgestones, with maybe only a tiny bit less response. Really good in the wet, and quieter than the BS.
2020 JBM Sport MT, GWR RaceTT, Conti DWS, Cobalt FSTB, Voodoo, Cravenspeed, and mx5things bits…
RIP '16 MG Club GWR, Race TT, Versatune, RS Springs & Konis, Conti ECS, TRM FF10, AA & AIO, etc...
'97's SOLD...
DavidP285
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Re: Preferred Street Tire for ND GT and Stock Rims

Post by DavidP285 »

I must admit to being a little confused on tire fittings. There is just too much info to take in. I am considering a 17X8 with 45 offset and 225/45 ECS. Is this a plug and play option or will I have to adjust something? Appreciate any advice you might have.
Brian
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Re: Preferred Street Tire for ND GT and Stock Rims

Post by Brian »

DavidP285 wrote:I must admit to being a little confused on tire fittings. There is just too much info to take in. I am considering a 17X8 with 45 offset and 225/45 ECS. Is this a plug and play option or will I have to adjust something? Appreciate any advice you might have.
Yes, popular plug and play option...
Brian Goodwin
Good-Win Racing
www.good-win-racing.com
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