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[57Strat]

I'm looking for some decent summer high performance street tires for M3 18" wheels that cost around $150-$175 each. The biggest problem I have had when I try to save money on tires is; as the tires wears the tires gets really noisy. This is for a daily driver - no tracking. Are there any low cost decent quality tires out there that are quiet throughout their tread-life?

[tailgate1234]

I got the Sumitomo HTR Z III's. They are great and I have yet to see any difference compared to the OEM PS2s. I "aggressively" daily drive but no track use. They are $116 for the front, $159 for the rears on Tire Rack, and my local tire shop matched the price. I only have 5K miles on them and they are still quiet as they day I got them.

[skim]

I like Bridgestone RE760s

[noxredna]

i believe vredesteins are very cheap.. hankook v12 is also very well priced

[LiM3y]

I think the Hankooks are a great value tire, I just wouldn't use them on the track again. My Nitto NT05's are good value too.

[Richbot]

I like the Conti DW's. They've got the same "look" as the PS2's but at a 35% discount, and they're light which is a nice bonus.

[OMID INC]

NT-05 great value and ive always wanted to try the Conti DWs

[sparkyg]

Nitto are all great

[OMID INC]

Originally Posted by sparkyg

Nitto are all great

people frequently put the invos down, but for a daily drive, the invos are awesome. they do have grip, not like ps2's around a track, but good enough.

more importantly, they are quiet and soft. very comfortable ride and they are wearing wonderfully on my wheels so far.

[wheeladdicts]

Originally Posted by OMID INC

people frequently put the invos down, but for a daily drive, the invos are awesome. they do have grip, not like ps2's around a track, but good enough.

more importantly, they are quiet and soft. very comfortable ride and they are wearing wonderfully on my wheels so far.

+1...for daily driving i love them!

[Griz]

Originally Posted by 57Strat

I'm looking for some decent summer high performance street tires for M3 18" wheels that cost around $150-$175 each. The biggest problem I have had when I try to save money on tires is; as the tires wears the tires gets really noisy. This is for a daily driver - no tracking. Are there any low cost decent quality tires out there that are quiet throughout their tread-life?

Other than spending money on track time and lessons, you're not going find a better purchase for your car than good tires.

Arguing tire price relative to wheel price doesn't really work because most of the more costly wheels out there are going to be boutique items. This cannot be said for tires which determine how close your car can come to its true abilities.

Now, we all have our own financial constraints and/or interests in how we see it best-fit to spend money, but anyone that's looking for marginal tires to save some money probably shouldn't have bought the M3 in the first place. As I see it, cheap tires are a half-assed approach to a car that deserves better.

[Richbot]

The Bridgestone RE11's are a higher-performing tire on a track than the PS2, as are the Nitto NT05's. They're cheaper than the PS2. Does that make the car more or less capable? Is that a half-assed approach? I don't think so.

The tire you choose is dependent on what you need from that tire. Do you need 0.95G and 60-0 in under 100feet, while getting acceptable comfort and wet performance and horrendous wear? PS2 for you, or maybe you need the AD08. Do you want even better performance, lower price, but worse comfort and wet performance to go with your horrendous wear? Maybe you need the RE11 or NT05 or Star Spec. Do you want 0.92G and 60-0 in 100 feet, lower price, and better wear for your daily commute? For most people, the answer is yes, and for them the Conti DW, Invo, BStone RE760 or other tire is probably the right choice. The difference in performance between the PS2 and some of the good tires out there is not very big, aside from the big price. The PS2 is still the best street tire, but that doesn't mean anybody is half-assing anything by choosing a tire that lines up with the needs of the owner.

Michelin has a long and glorious history of making tires that are 5% better than the competition at 50% higher prices. I've gone through a lot of tires in my life and the Michelins have always satisfied me, but I can't say the Bstones, Kumhos, Contis, Pirellis, Goodyears, Dunlops, Yokohamas, or Toyos I have owned have been any worse, and they were all a lot cheaper for the equivalent, and sometimes superior, tire.

[calintexas]

Lots of people have them now with very positive feedback, and they are about $175/tire.
http://www.m3post.com/forums/showthread.php?t=268043

[Griz]

Originally Posted by Richbot

The Bridgestone RE11's are a higher-performing tire on a track than the PS2, as are the Nitto NT05's. They're cheaper than the PS2. Does that make the car more or less capable? Is that a half-assed approach? I don't think so.

The tire you choose is dependent on what you need from that tire. Do you need 0.95G and 60-0 in under 100feet, while getting acceptable comfort and wet performance and horrendous wear? PS2 for you, or maybe you need the AD08. Do you want even better performance, lower price, but worse comfort and wet performance to go with your horrendous wear? Maybe you need the RE11 or NT05 or Star Spec. Do you want 0.92G and 60-0 in 100 feet, lower price, and better wear for your daily commute? For most people, the answer is yes, and for them the Conti DW, Invo, BStone RE760 or other tire is probably the right choice. The difference in performance between the PS2 and some of the good tires out there is not very big, aside from the big price. The PS2 is still the best street tire, but that doesn't mean anybody is half-assing anything by choosing a tire that lines up with the needs of the owner.

Michelin has a long and glorious history of making tires that are 5% better than the competition at 50% higher prices. I've gone through a lot of tires in my life and the Michelins have always satisfied me, but I can't say the Bstones, Kumhos, Contis, Pirellis, Goodyears, Dunlops, Yokohamas, or Toyos I have owned have been any worse, and they were all a lot cheaper for the equivalent, and sometimes superior, tire.

I love the RE-11s, and they will be the next tires I put on the car. My comments had more-so to do with the fact that quite-often, not enough consideration is given to how important good tires are.


On a separate note (you may already know this), the Autotire on Airport Road is a good place to grab tires. They get a lot of Porsche and BMW CCA members through there and you'll often be able to get tires installed for less than Tire-Rack's prices. I went through a few sets of RE-01Rs and RE-11s through them. Yet another reason to miss St. Louis...

[Richbot]

Originally Posted by Griz

I love the RE-11s, and they will be the next tires I put on the car. My comments had more-so to do with the fact that quite-often, not enough consideration is given to how important good tires are.


On a separate note (you may already know this), the Autotire on Airport Road is a good place to grab tires. They get a lot of Porsche and BMW CCA members through there and you'll often be able to get tires installed for less than Tire-Rack's prices. I went through a few sets of RE-01Rs and RE-11s through them. Yet another reason to miss St. Louis...

Agreed. The S2000 in the lot I'm in right now is a good example, two different kinds of all-season and a screw in one of them...

That autotire is currently on my "meh" list. There's a Plaza tire down there now (local chain) that supports BMWCCA and SCCA. I'm an SCCA road racer and we have a contact there who is designee for dealing with car club nutjobs like us.