I want to get rid of oe tires and wheels or just change tires.
My dilema is i want 225-45-18 on my sedan but there is no all season performance tire in that size or should i just go for it and get the s03 or pilot sports. The problem is i live in chicago, not that i will be driving in snow much and can use another car if i have to I am just trying to balance tire wear vs. performance and some all season ability mixed in with a little better ride. If i lived in a non snow belt state this would not be an issue since roads are much smoother and no snow Also Strictly performance tires only get 12000-24000 miles max out of them is it worth it for the benefits or would i get about the same benefits with pilot sport a/s in 225-50-17 on my oe wheels. any advice appreciated

 

Well, since I live in San Diego, any recommendations of running summer tires all year would only help me, not you. [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Actually, while I have no personal experience on this issue, I can tell you what the general sense is I get from reading about this subject by others who live in snow-belt areas with RWD cars: get winter tires for the winter months.

Put whatever tires you want on whatever rims for the summer. Then either A) fit your OE rims with winter tires, or B) get some cheap steel 16" rims with cheaper winter tires for the harsh months if you want to save a few bucks. They say the difference in traction on snow between all-seasons and dedicated winter tires is night & day different. The extra expense of two sets of tires is offset by the fact that you only run one set at at time.. so they both last longer.

2003.5 G35 Sedan Desert Platinum/Graphite Premium/Sport/Aero/Nav/Winter

 

Whatever you do, don't plan on Michelin Pilot Sports for anything resembling snow. Might as well has slicks on!

If you live in Chicago, then yes definitely find you a set of winter tires such as Blizzaks.

 

Are you referring to the summer Pilot Sports or the all-season Pilot Sport A/S?

2003.5 G35 Sedan Desert Platinum/Graphite Premium/Sport/Aero/Nav/Winter

 

I'm a BIG advocate of dedicated winter tires since I live up here in Edmonton. So far, the Pilot Sport A/S is the first A/S tire that I've ever driven on that I'd drive in even light snow conditions. I took off my Blizzaks this spring and kept switching back and forth with the stock RSAs every time it snowed.[img]/w3timages/icons/blush.gif[/img]. When I got the Pilot Sport A/Ss, I decided to try them with 4" fresh snow on the ground. I was impressed! And they are an Ultra-High Performance tire to boot! They may be just the thing that you are looking for for the occasional snow fall. <font color=red>I doubt that they'd be that great on ice though, so you'd have to evaluate the general conditions in which you drive. </font color=red> Prior to the Pilot Sport A/S, I never thought that I'd ever recommend anything BUT a winter tire in the snow. The one drawback is their cost. Hey, maybe since I'm sounding like a commercial for them, they'll give me a break next time?[img]/w3timages/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

<font color=green>GG</font color=green>

 

gordgee,

what size pilot sport a/s do u have and are they on stock rims ? Also I am most interested in the handing aspect are they much better than the stock tires as far as handling goes ?

 

235/50-17 on the stock 6 spoke wheels. For a discussion on tire pressures, weights, etc.

https://g35driver.com/forums/showfla...&sb=5&part=all

No contest in terms of handling. Almost feels like a different car. 200% better on wet roads! Feels more planted. Nice aggressive look.

<font color=green>GG</font color=green>

 

I'd rather just go with Pilot Sports (not A/S) or Pole Position S-03's, but neither comes in 235/50R17. I don't really give a rat's behind about snow traction in SoCal. I suppose the smoother ride and higher treadwear the Pilot Sport A/S claims is worth something. How's the dry traction? Anybody compare these to the stock Goodyear GS-D's?

It's a rather expensive tire, when all I need is a summer tire. Generally, summer tires handle water better than all-season tires, too -- but the new Pilot Sport A/S seems to be an exception to that rule.

2003.5 G35 Sedan Desert Platinum/Graphite Premium/Sport/Aero/Nav/Winter

 

Dry traction is great with the Sport A/Ss. Waaay better than the stock RSAs which I found only 'adequate' in the dry. Not sure how they compare with the Pilot Sports or the S-03s which I've heard great things about!

<font color=green>GG</font color=green>

 

Of course, availability in 235/50R17 is nice.. that's a near dead-on accurate replacement for the 215/55R17, diameter wise, for the speedometer. I'm just not that excited about paying $200+ per tire. I'm used to paying around $300-400 for all four. Now there's something good you can say about a Geo Metro.. tires only cost $10. [img]/w3timages/icons/smile.gif[/img]

2003.5 G35 Sedan Desert Platinum/Graphite Premium/Sport/Aero/Nav/Winter

 

The good news is, I got a Goodyear Dealer to take my old RSAs for $600 CDN (~$415 US) with 8.5/32 left on the tread. Also my friend is the President/CEO of the biggest tire dealer in town, so I got a bit of a break on the Pilots.[img]/w3timages/icons/cool.gif[/img]

He got to write off his wheel/tire combo on his Escalade. 24" chromed EVOs with 305/35-24 BFG KDW 2s. The combo cost [i]MORE than the Metro![img]/w3timages/icons/laugh.gif[/img]

<font color=green>GG</font color=green>