Tire recommendations?
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 10,517
Likes: 63
From: Pennsylvania
Tire recommendations?
The rear runcraps are officially toast. I'm considering non-runcraps, but I'd like some thoughts on brand and model. No auto crossing or track days, mostly trips with some occasional spirited deserted roads. Thanks for your thoughts.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 211
Likes: 3
Firestone Tires
Check out the Firestone wide oval Run Flat tires.
I had to replace my front tires a couple of weeks ago. I was going to
go with non runflats, until I read about the Firestones RF. Price wise they
were about the same as a good non runflat tire. They are a lot smoother
and quiter than the GoodYear runflats. Also I have noticed the car doesn't
Tramline as bad as the Good Year run craps.
I had to replace my front tires a couple of weeks ago. I was going to
go with non runflats, until I read about the Firestones RF. Price wise they
were about the same as a good non runflat tire. They are a lot smoother
and quiter than the GoodYear runflats. Also I have noticed the car doesn't
Tramline as bad as the Good Year run craps.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 14,999
Likes: 200
From: Bay Area Ca.
I am running the Bridgestone Potenza S0-4 non RF presently and like them alot. Max Summer tire.
The tire gets very good OVERALL reviews in tests; http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/bridgestone-potenza-s-04-pole-position-page-9
Reasonably priced too.
The tire gets very good OVERALL reviews in tests; http://www.caranddriver.com/comparisons/bridgestone-potenza-s-04-pole-position-page-9
Reasonably priced too.
Last edited by Boomer111; Jun 22, 2014 at 10:01 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 5,118
Likes: 122
From: Madison (Huntsville) Alabama
CI 6-7-8 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '09
I know you're supposedly shouldn't mix the two, but I did it. Had non-RF Michelin Pilot SS on the front and the Goodyear SuperCar RFs on the back (fronts wore out first due to extreme toe-in) and I never had any handling issues. Sure was a lot better than the Goodyears on the front ... worn like they were it was hard to keep the car on the road.
So if you want to, you can mix them for "normal" driving. But it's not as good as replacing them with regular tires all around. The Michelin Pilot Super Sports is an excellent, though expensive, choice. There are others that are not so expensive that are good too.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 5,788
Likes: 36
From: Tampa Florida
So many options...I am not a RF enthusiast but I can appreciate their utility. Pilot SS rules all but cost the most. It is not up for debate as they are consistently the highest rated tire in all categories for a while now...they are damn expensive though. I have these but I also feel the BEST value for the tire you buy is the Continental Extreme Contact DW...but not the DWS.
Last edited by raspyc6; Jun 22, 2014 at 02:24 PM. Reason: clarification
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12,502
Likes: 3,631
Three things to consider,
1. Grip. being the super sports and super cups being king for a DOT tire.
2. Warranty. The super sports have a 30K front, 30K rear wear warranty, so you know that that you will get at least this amount of milege out of them for the money you are spending
3, Run flat or not, being if you want to have to try to repair a flat on the side of the highway in rush hour traffic, or just drive to a repair station instead on the run flats.
In the above, the super sports for street use always come out on top, then there is just a matter of settling for something else that is less expensive.
Don't get me wrong, when it comes to winter cold weather driving, then I just run Kumho Ecsta spt at 35lbs (they are run flats) since the work in the wet and cold, but when the weather warms up, they are pulled and the super sports ZF's go on for street driving instead. As for track time, then the A6's go on unless the track is damp and will just run the super sports instead.
1. Grip. being the super sports and super cups being king for a DOT tire.
2. Warranty. The super sports have a 30K front, 30K rear wear warranty, so you know that that you will get at least this amount of milege out of them for the money you are spending
3, Run flat or not, being if you want to have to try to repair a flat on the side of the highway in rush hour traffic, or just drive to a repair station instead on the run flats.
In the above, the super sports for street use always come out on top, then there is just a matter of settling for something else that is less expensive.
Don't get me wrong, when it comes to winter cold weather driving, then I just run Kumho Ecsta spt at 35lbs (they are run flats) since the work in the wet and cold, but when the weather warms up, they are pulled and the super sports ZF's go on for street driving instead. As for track time, then the A6's go on unless the track is damp and will just run the super sports instead.
Racer
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 345
Likes: 2
From: Farmersville Texas
i.e. The Michelin Super Sports actually have a 15K mile warranty.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 2,767
Likes: 4
From: Austin TX
When it came time to replace the Goodyear OEM tires on my C6, I went to school on the recommendations in this forum and purchased 4 Michelin Pilot A/S2 run flats. The ride is great and they are quieter than the GY RF's. What people do not tell you is the new tread depth is measured in the center. Lot of good tread in the middle but very little on the edges and this is where Corvettes eat tires. The Pilot Sport AS2's were hard to find so I purchased them without really seeing what i was ordering. So far they are good but something tells me they will wear out pretty fast. Also, I don't think the Michelin's look as good on the C6 as the Goodyear OEM tires. The OEM's had a flatter sidewall and the Michelin tires have more of a ballon look to me.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 1,027
Likes: 69
From: Waverly Tennessee
So many options...I am not a RF enthusiast but I can appreciate their utility. Pilot SS rules all but cost the most. It is not up for debate as they are consistently the highest rated tire in all categories for a while now...they are damn expensive though. I have these but I also feel the BEST value for the tire you buy is the Continental Extreme Contact DW...but not the DWS.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 102
Likes: 5
From: Surprise Arizona
Firestone Wide Oval Run-Flats for me. No track time, but drive often enough to want/need the piece of mind of a run-flat tire.
(saved my *** twice already)
If you do pick up a nail, they (firestone) will pro-rate the tire and replace it, so long as you purchase the road hazard option.
I've had mine for about 25k miles now...still decent tread and not dry rotted (phoenix, az). Should be able to get another 10k, at least, out of them...translates to about 2 more years
Quiet enough for me, and they handle VERY well
~Troy~
(saved my *** twice already)
If you do pick up a nail, they (firestone) will pro-rate the tire and replace it, so long as you purchase the road hazard option.
I've had mine for about 25k miles now...still decent tread and not dry rotted (phoenix, az). Should be able to get another 10k, at least, out of them...translates to about 2 more years
Quiet enough for me, and they handle VERY well
~Troy~
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,959
Likes: 526
Lots of opinions on this one also. In all reality it probably just boils down to the size of your wallet and how much you are willing to spend. Of course run flats give the piece of mind, and they will hold up a little better in the twisties due to their stiffer side-walls. I've had both. Now have Stoney non-RF Wide Ovals. Seems like a good tire....rather quiet.....good grip cept for the fore-mentioned sidewall. Logic only dictates that a non RF should ride a little smoother if that's of any concerne. Don't get me wrong, the non RF does fine in normal driving and will still grip fairly well in the turns, just not quite as good as a run flat. But the cost is quite a bit lower. Now my RF piece of mind is a plug kit and a compressor....lOL.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 10,517
Likes: 63
From: Pennsylvania
Thanks to all for your thoughts and stories. I've got an inspection coming up, so i have to make up my mind pretty soon. No rush hour traffic here in the boonies, thank god. I'll probably just replace the rear one now, as the fronts look good for another year or two.