I need some suggestions for good Tires on the cheaper end of the spectrum. I currently have the Dunlop Sport Maxx (V94) and have had no issues at all; so Im thinking of buying the same again(on Tire Rack they sell for 185/tire). But then I'd like to know if someone has a better suggestion.

My specs: 225/50ZR18

Im Looking for... at least a V rated tire(do not like the idea of going below the stock rating), cheap(er - because 185/tire is not that cheap ) and something that is relable for genral driving and in the snow(i live in MA).

By they, does anybody know if 185/tire is a good bargain, or should I be looking at alternate sites for better deals.

thank for your help!!

 

If you have to do snow driving and its not that deep, look at Continental Extreme Contact DWS tire. Its an all season with really good snow traction, read the reviews.

 

Thanks for the response. I have heard plenty about that tire, but I dont know if the size it comes in will be applicable for my wheels(excuse me if Im naive about the specs and what they mean)- ie my currwent tiers are 225/50ZR18 but the continentals are 225/45ZR18; will that difference in rating in anyway affect the suitability to my wheels?

 

225 (width) 45(sidewall thickness) R18 is (rim size)

Take a look at this

I dont know much more about tires, hope someone can step in

 

Hey Kid, so are just buying that size for the front? 225/45X18 will work fine, that's what my G came with.
Gary

 

Hey Gary, thanks for your input.

So If I go with the 225/45 R18's(the Continental sounds like a great tire) on all 4 wheels, that does not require any futher changes like adjusting the susspensions/ new set of wheeels or anything like that right? What I'm afraid of is paying more for service in order to get it to work with a slightly different tire spec... By the way, does a smaller sidewall, mean lesser stability or lower resistance to impacts or anything like that?

 

thevizkid,

If you check out the tire size calculator, you will see that the 225-45/18 will result in your speedometer being 3.3% too fast (versus the OEM 225/50-18). I believe this may be enough to cause the VSM to trigger the warning light on your dash. I recall reading in this forum that if you remain under a 2% difference, the VSM will function normally.

You don't state if you have the Sport Model, or just the Tire and Wheel Package, but if so, the sizes are staggered - i.e. 225/50-18 in the front and 245-45/18 in the rear. Since the Continental ExtremeContact DWS does not come in the 225/50-18 size, I would recommend 235-50/18 in the front and 255-45/18 in the rear (I personally am not fan of mounting the same size all around, since the sport suspension is tuned for the staggered setup). This combination is essentially similar in dimensions to the OEM sizes with the Speedometer reading 1.5% slow.

I have this setup on my G35 Sport, and all is well. In fact I just ordered the Continental DWS' for my car from the Tire Rack. Having them installed tomorrow.

Regards,

 

Tire Rack also recommended the same 235-50/18 in the front and 255-45/18 in the rear sizes for me also. I saw the after pics of the tires after they were installed on the car and they looked ok. I'm planning to go with the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plus once my tires need replacing.

 

The Michelins are GREAT tires! In fact, I am replacing them with the Continentals after 30,000 miles. So why am I not getting the Pilot Sport A/S's again? The only reason I decided to opt for the Continental ExtremeContact DWS' was due to the rave reviews and the lower price (about $130 for a set of 4 versus the Michelins). I spoke to two Sales Reps at the Tire Rack and both said that the Michelins and Continentals are essentially similar in all respects. In fact, the surveys indicate slightly higher ratings for the Continentals over the Michelins. The Continentals also have a higher tread wear rating - i.e. 540 vs 500 for the Michelins.

Bottom line, if the Continental DWS' don't live up to the hype, I will surely be replacing them with the Pilot Sport A/S's.

Regards,

 

Tread wear ratings are only relative for tires made by the SAME manufacturer!