Anyone used these tires????

[john hood]

Looking for a replacement for the stock tires, something that performs a little better in the wet. I have used Azenis tires on my Miata...super sticky and fair in the wet. Falken has an Azenis model ST-115 D-1 Sports that is a little more conventional but still high performance and comes in stock sizes. It has a wide tread contact patch too. Anyone have any experience with these??

[Greg Stevens]

John, we just had a discussion about this very thing...my suggestion is the Potenza S03PP. They are a great tire...check out this thread (http://www.s2kca.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=2173).

And welcome to the S2KCA's forums...!


:cool:

[john hood]

Thanks for the welcome. Interesting thread. The S02's are an issue when the road is wet. I'm at 5500 miles so I have a little while to think about it. My wife drives it mainly and is a good driver who has attended a number of driving schools however it is her daily driver and I worry about her on rainy days. My interest in the Falkens is that the original Azenis that I have on my Miata are phenominal in the dry. They put the SO2's to shame. But they are not great in the wet although many autocrossers use them when the track is wet. The new one actually has a conventional looking tread pattern that should make it decent in the wet. Also, traditionally, the Falkens are quite reasonable.

[Vezna31]

I just hung the tail out this morning on my way to work in my Firehawks, the first time it's happened to me in the dry. Although it caught me a little by surprise, it felt like a gradual break and it was very easily corrected. I was doing 30-40 mph and making a 90 degree left turn trying to make the light. I wanted to turn around and do it again :D

Vinny

[buffalo-bob]

Just bought a pair of new SO - 3's as the recommended stickiest tires. Will be about $350 for the pair installed etc. Not cheap but by far the most recommended.
S2000 just for fun, 740I, 735I, plus, plus.

[DavidNJ]

The Falken's are under reported because they are not carried by Tire Rack. But people running the 512 A/S like them.

I have the S-03s on my Supra. Handle well, wet and dry, but noisy and stiff. Bilsteins help a lot. So they may be good on an '04.

There is a new version of the Pilot Sport. Only limited (Porsche) sizes so far. But in a few months they should be available. Good reviews.

For stock 00-03 there are limited choices. Also note the stock size is not the stock size, Our 225 rear is bigger than a 225 should be and our 205 front is smaller than a 205 should be. I understand that some people do 205 fronts and 245/45 rears. Of course a bigger front bar or smaller rear bar (common for all autocrossers) should also fix the problem.

[john hood]

The Falken ST-115's list their tread width in the 225 size as the same as the O2's.

[Fuzzy]

Originally posted by john hood
The Falken ST-115's list their tread width in the 225 size as the same as the O2's.

Yes, but the true contact area of the S02 made for the S2000 is closer to a 245. If you look at the tire head-on, the S02 is very square compared to most other tires. This shape maximizes the tread width number/contact patch, but you have to be careful when selecting replacements. Remember there is a special S02 made for the S2K, so the numbers you are looking at may be for the normal (not ours) S02.

The 245 for aftermarket tires is correct (for the stock rim and comparable replacement tire, ofcourse).

Whatever you do, don't milk those rears too long!:crazy:

[john hood]

The contact patch of the Falken is 8.3 inches, the SO2's are 8.5 inches. That's nearly identical.