Yes, i've searched.
Yes, I've spent the last couple hours reading through thread after thread only to find the discussion mostly revolves around tire SIZES. I would like some feedback, which I did not find in my search, about alternative, relatively equivalent tires to replace the stock tires.


I have a 07 g35 6mt with the premium package, about 21k miles (2 trackdays included) and they need replacing.
stock wheels are 19's.
stock tires are 225/40/19f, 245/40/19r Potenza re050a's.
I live in southern california so summer performance tires like the potenza's are fine.
edit: car is all stock, no suspension upgrades, no lowering, etc.


I priced the replacement tires at tirerack.com, where I always buy my tires, and they were $1200 tires/shipping only. add another $150 or so for mounting.

Are there alternative tires, in stock sizes, that are at least as quiet as the potenzas, wear a little better (isnt their 140 tread wear rating the lowest possible before being considered a DOT race tire, lol?), grip just as good but are less expensive?
A tall order, I'm sure.

I do drive aggressively and I still plan to get in a couple trackdays this year. Actually, if they wear about the same as the potenzas that'd be fine too as I will return the lease in about a year or 18 months anyway.

Any suggestions? Yokohama Advan's maybe?

 

I was going to get the Hankook Ventus tires until I realized they would not work for me in the winter months...lots of good reviewsfeedback on them and they are not $1200, I found them for $670 shipped.

 

 

if you go to tirerack to look up tires for your car, you should be able to find an alternative lower cost tire. I looked into it and the only tire they suggest for your fitment exactlly is the Kumho Ecsta SPT, which is a pretty good everyday tire. Maybe better suited for everyday driving with the occassional spirited run, but Im not sure how they'd hold up to your occassional track days. i would read the reviews and do some searching on here under Kumho.

Discount Tire offers these:
Hankook Ventus V12 EVO, similar to the Kumho above, but its a new tire as opposed to the older Kumho compound technology

Nitto NT05, Nittos newest street/race tire. Meant to be driven to on and from the track

Nitto INVO, This is a great tire from all the reviews I've seen. Great dry grip, great wet grip, little to no noise generation. Good treadwear over stock. My only complaint is the boring sidewall design compared to every other street tire in the world.

 

whatever you do, do not buy toyo. they dont last and they suck

 

missed that, didnt you? I did search. Next time be a good boy and read the thread.
I managed to determine the Goodyears were on the list of "never buy" though, lol.



thanks. I had Kumho Ecsta's on my last car and they were not sticky enough for my driving, even on my old acura. Got like 50k miles out of them though.
I'm not keen on Kumho or an equivalent tire give how I drive.
I had checked out the NT05's and they seem even more track oriented than anything I've run in recent memory, lol. Probably not a good choice for the opposite reasons as the Kuhmo's, lol.
I'll check out the INVO. Hadn't seen those. Thanks!


I read that too. Thanks!

 

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i have low profile yokohamas and i love em

 

Which Yoko's? I have the ES100 and there is some crazy tire roar.

 

Everyone pocket book is different but 19.5 years of Infiniti ownership has taught me that the best Michelins are cheap in the long run. They stay in balance longer, wear better, and perform better at the middle point of wear than most brand new lesser tires.

I have tired 7 different other PREMIUM brands [over 322k] and always returned to Michelin after these lesser tires got near 10,000 miles [noise, vibrations, loss in wet handling and braking].
I find poor relatives and give the lesser tires away.

 

This site has excellent prices on tires.
http://www.tireseasy.com/
They ship pretty quick too.

 

That somewhat lessens the pain of forking out a grand for Michelin all season tires! So far so good with them!

 

+1 on the Kumho SPT. Won't be as good on track as the 050's, but lots more practical for every day use and will cost less. Not a lot of lesser expensive options for that car in the oem sizes.

 

Car and driver recently did a test of 9 summer tires.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/...mparison_tests

I'm thinking of getting the Hankook Ventus V12 Evo as replacements for the stock 19" tires. They are only ~$650 for a set and they have received good reviews on other car forums.

 

Keep in mind they are good to 45 degrees and then they are considered unsafe...do you have winter tires? That is why I went with the Michelin all seasons.