Tire recommendations for Boston

[suladed]

Hi all,

 

I am in the market for new tires, tried to search within the main tire review thread for "boston" and "massachusetts" and only found two posts. Perhaps I didn't search properly, if so, give me pointers!

 

But if I did, and that post doesn't have many Mass/NE tire reviews, can you all give me your favorite tire rec's?

 

I'm looking for good performance, not to loud, tread life is nice too

 

Of course, the complication is I have not decided on all seasons or winter/summer separates. Historically I've done summers and winters, but I'm getting lazy.

 

so, favorite all seasons? favorite summers?

 

 

EDIT:

went through the main tire review stickied post and collected this list (might have missed some)

Summer:

Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 (Max Performance Summer)

Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric (Max Performance Summer)

Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec (Extreme Performance Summer)

 

all season:

Bridgestone RE960AS (Ultra High Performance All-Season)

Conti Extreme Contact (Ultra High Performance All-Season radial)

Michelin Pilot Sport Plus (Ultra High Performance All-Season)

 

agree? disagree?

thanks

[ultimatepunch]

Since this will be my 2nd winter up here this is an awesome question I had too, actually. Good call.

 

Along the same lines, does anyone keep their OEM or aftermarket rims on during the winter? I remember in Germany people would switch to the black steelies for the duration of snow time...recommendations?

[suladed]

I see lots of subarus (and other makes) in the winter with oem rims. a set of cheap aftermarket rims are not a bad solution either. My last set-up (on 99 impreza L) was 6 spoke RS rims for summer tires and 1st generation wrx rims for winter (these were available through tirerack for a while). For the LGT's I'm close to 100% certain there are no steel rims that fit over the brakes. But (Ultimatepunch) you have a 2.5i which has smaller brakes, so you could possibly run 16" rims (wrx, rs etc.) or get OBS rims. but confirm this first

[Billy Dagwood]

I run my stock wheels with Dunlop Wintersport M3's in the winter, Wedsports with Eagle F1's in the summer.

 

Both sets of tires were bought from Tirerack. Got the Weds off NASIOC a few years ago.

[Max Capacity]

Conti DWS seems to be what a lot of us are looking at. I will buy them this winter for next Spring. I ran Michelin Alpin PA2's for 4 winters and Dunlop summer only's, DZ101's. I have Blazzicks LM25's now for winter.

[SubOperator]

Dunlop Direzza Star Spec1 on OEM rims for summer and Dunlop M3 on aftermarket rims for winter. Non-GTs can wear 16" rims off other Subies, GT brakes don't clear those.

 

Steelies woild be nice but again, I haven't heard those being available in 17 for LGT offsets, so inexpensive aftermarket is easier for LGT owner to live with.

[BigBlack-V]

I run the bridgestone re960's I have had them on for a few months now and I love them. I am located an hour and 1/2 outside Boston so the driving conditions aren't that different. I have not run them in the winter yet but a friend of mine with an STI with the same tires doesn't have any issues in the winter.

 

I used to have separate set-ups for winter and summer but I also got annoyed and lazy and went to an all season tire.

 

That's my .02 cents

[thefultonhow]

Just don't get the Falken Ziex ZE912. It was like driving on slicks in the rain and snow in the city at about half tread depth.

[BigBlack-V]

When I had my WRX I ran 17" wheels in the summer with bridgestone re760 sports and blizzak on-25's in the winter and loved them but the 760's got loud. I run the re960's on BBS wheels with 225/45/17 tire size.

[BagheeraLGT]

not from boston, but regardless a good winter setup i run is stock rims with dunlop m3 winter tire (215-45-R17) i think is the size.

[robinlsb]

The GSD3 is no longer manufactured in a size that will fit the Subie:mad:

[suladed]

Thanks Everyone for the input.

 

anyone else out there have experiences to relate?

[Jack ffr1846]

I run Dunlop Graspic ice tires with a lot of air in them (40-45) to make up a bit from the squishieness of them. I have also a set of Continentals that came on some 18" rotas that I've been running. They're performance snows that are fine for dry so far. If I were doing all season, I'd go with RE-92 take offs. Why? Because Subaru people think they're Satan, so sell them for close to nothing. They're a good compromise tire if you don't want to run snows. I have a gaggle of different wheels....Sport Edition (made by ASA) for the snows, Rotas for the 18's, some 07 WRX wheels with RE-92's that I picked up for some reason that I can't really remember (they're on my wife's car right now) and the 08 LGT wheels.

[thefultonhow]

RE92s may not be the devil, but that doesn't mean they're at all competitive with any decent tires that use current technology. They're mediocre all-seasons, and snow tires and summer tires are obviously better than any all-season for what they have been designed for. If you want a good compromise tire, get an actual decent all-season, not RE92 takeoffs (especially because most RE92 takeoffs have a reasonable amount of mileage on them, and any tire degrades as the tread depth decreases, especially RE92s).

[__raj]

I think the Conti DWS's are a decent tire(currently on LGT) and we shall see in the winter.

 

I own RE960's on my WRX and love them except in winter conditions. I will probably move over Conti DWS especially given price.

 

Michelin's Pilot Sport + seemed okay in the snow on a car a friend begged me to drive as she was too scared. M3 convertible May have well been driving a 4 cylinder as no power could be put down.

[shutterbc]

I'm currently running Nokian Hakka R's for winter tires. I think having those at the winter driving school was almost unfair. They let you put gobs of power down in packed snow, so I probably looked like a better driver than I really was.

 

Early summer, I ran Hankook Ventus V4s. Good all around summer tire, was great in the rain.

 

Later this summer I bought wheels with Falken RT615's. Highest performance summer tire I have ever owned, and boy do they grip WELL -- you basically have to be doing something illegal to break these loose in good weather. Story's different when it gets cold, and hydroplaning can happen. I got some 1st gear wheel spin on wet 50 degree asphalt yesterday morning, which took me a little by surprise.