Tires
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 35
From: San Diego
What size? 275 all the way around? Continental or Michelin are the ones most will recommend. Got to discount tire online and or tire rack. Whatever you buy will be much better than whats on there now.
Advanced
Joined: Jan 2021
Posts: 74
Likes: 12
From: NE Ohio
I just bought a 1990 Dark Red C4 Convertible on June 9th with 22,800 miles on it. Tires were almost 12 years old. So, I put on a set of 4 new tires in early July. Michelin Pilot Sport All Season P275/40ZR17 98Y Tires with 186 MPH speed rating. Ride of the car has improved tremendously, along with the handling. Got them at Discount Tire, which owns Tire Rack.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 1,972
From: St. Charles MO
There are still good tire choices in the OE size for a variety of uses and in a range of prices. I can make good recommendations once I know your intended use and weather of the car.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 8
From: Westerly RI
Yes, running stock size, 275/40-17. This car is used for occasional cruising only. Winding country roads are fun, up and down thru gears. I'm the second owner, racked up just 40k miles over 20 years. Current tires are BF Goodrich G-Force Super Sport A/S, time for new rubber because they have become cupped. Plan to stay with A/S. Ride and low noise more important than ultimate performance.
Nothing to prove to anyone. But at traffic lights, the driver next to me usually blasts off from the light, I guess just to show the Corvette who's boss. I let them go. It's usually those huge redneck pickups that come with their own zip codes.
This car has original paint and interior, looks brand new. People often ask me, "What year is it?"
Nothing to prove to anyone. But at traffic lights, the driver next to me usually blasts off from the light, I guess just to show the Corvette who's boss. I let them go. It's usually those huge redneck pickups that come with their own zip codes.
This car has original paint and interior, looks brand new. People often ask me, "What year is it?"
Pro
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 697
Likes: 162
From: Huntington WV
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 1,972
From: St. Charles MO
Okay, so in perusing the Tire Rack offerings for high-performance all-seasons in that size, the standout options at three different price points are (in ascending order of price and performance):
- Michelin Pilot Sport All Season 4: this is one of the two best all-seasons out there (the other one is a Continental not offered in this size, strangely). It will perform well in all weather and give a pretty refined ride with decently low tread noise. It's the OE tire on the base C8, which says a lot. $936/set
- Falken Azenis FK460 A/S: I haven't used this tire at all, but I have raced on Falken's competition tire and they know what they're doing. The Tire Rack test of this tire said it was "refined and athletic" and performed very well in all their tests - even better than the Michelin. It really looks like a winner at a lower price point, and right now they have an $80 instant rebate. $668/set right now, taking the rebate into account.
- Riken Raptor ZR A/S: I have used this tire on my own C4 and it's a killer value. It's way better quality than all the Nitto and Toyo garbage that gets sold at higher prices (Riken started as a Japanese company and is now a subsidiary of Michelin), and it performs better as well. It has a softer sidewall feel that gives it a good ride, and it's not too noisy. It performs pretty well in the dry (if not quite a linear steering response), but it's not great in the wet. It's mid-tier tire at a bargain-basement price. $507/set
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Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 8
From: Westerly RI
[QUOTE=MatthewMiller;1607042468]Okay, so in perusing the Tire Rack offerings for high-performance all-seasons in that size, the standout options at three different price points are (in ascending order of price and performance)
Thanks for your detailed insight- the reason I started this thread.
Thanks for your detailed insight- the reason I started this thread.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2018
Posts: 786
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From: Arizona, USA
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,126
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From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
Since Contis are not available, go with the Michelins for the best tire, but I know its not cheap.
Do NOT use a Nitto, just don't.
Do NOT use a Nitto, just don't.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 1,972
From: St. Charles MO
Sorry, I don't know Falken's provenance. Falken itself is a Japanese company but now has a US headquarters. They still manufacture tires in Japan, but also several other countries including the US.
Last edited by MatthewMiller; Sep 19, 2023 at 07:42 PM.
Former Vendor
Joined: Jan 2018
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From: Arizona, USA
@sailorsteve absolutely use our forum specific telephone number (833-514-0330) and an associate will get you taken care of. 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 1,093
Likes: 35
From: San Diego
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 8
From: Westerly RI
Just ordered the Falken Azenis FK460 as mentioned by MathewMiller. Had a slight glitch- our go-to browser is Firefox, but FF kept kicking me out with an error message during the order process. But we also have Vivaldi as a backup, saved the day.
Thanks to all who posted on this thread.
Thanks to all who posted on this thread.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 6,086
Likes: 1,972
From: St. Charles MO
Just ordered the Falken Azenis FK460 as mentioned by MathewMiller. Had a slight glitch- our go-to browser is Firefox, but FF kept kicking me out with an error message during the order process. But we also have Vivaldi as a backup, saved the day.
Thanks to all who posted on this thread.
Thanks to all who posted on this thread.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 8
From: Westerly RI
Will do, but may not be right away. My daily driver is about to undergo major surgery shortly and the Corvette will be filling in. Once the new sneakers are on the Vette, I'll want an alignment as well.
Thread Starter
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,853
Likes: 8
From: Westerly RI
New tires installed & balanced, Falken Azenis FK460. Previous tires were BFG G-force Super Sport AS, not worn out, but replaced due to tread cupping. Alignment not yet done. Minimal driving as yet, none on highway. New tires take several miles to warm up before car stopped shaking- tires apparently seriously flat-spotted. Car lives in unheated garage, parked on wood planks, not concrete. Recent overnight temps in 40's. Previous tires warmed up in less than a mile.
Noise about the same as old tires, same for handling.
Won't be driving this car too much until alignment is done, no qualified shops in town, so a bit of a rigamarole. Also chasing large (5 amp!) parasitic drain on ctsy fuse circuit. Cookbook shows Bose radio and heat/ac controller on this circuit along with various lights, expect to get back to this with some professional assistance tomorrow.
Stay tuned!
Noise about the same as old tires, same for handling.
Won't be driving this car too much until alignment is done, no qualified shops in town, so a bit of a rigamarole. Also chasing large (5 amp!) parasitic drain on ctsy fuse circuit. Cookbook shows Bose radio and heat/ac controller on this circuit along with various lights, expect to get back to this with some professional assistance tomorrow.
Stay tuned!