Performance/premium tyre dilemma

[JamesEP3]

I'm looking to replace the tyres on my 2006 Impreza STI and for almost the same price I can get:

Bridgestone RE070 (standard fitment on the Impreza)
Michelin Pilot Sport 3
Pirelli P Zero Rosso
Continental Sport Contact 2/3/5/various other iterations

Having not had any of the above I'm really stuck as to the best option! The safe option would be to go for the standard fitment tyre but are any of the other premium brand tyres markedly better in any way? The car is a daily driver and obviously with the current time of year I don't anything that would be too abysmal in the winter.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Cheers

James

[DanGPR]

Recently been through a very similar situation with my 350z.

From what I found whilst reading up, Michelin PS's are pretty much unbeatable as a balance of wet weather/dry weather grip/life/etc.

The yokohama Advan AD08 is meant to be very good also.

Are the Pilot Super Sports not available in your size? They are the newest model.
The P Zero (NOT ROSSO) is also rated very highly.

They are all going to be a lot better than a cheaper tyre, I would personally go for the Michelins, unless they are significantly more expensive than the others.

[RoadToNowhere]

I had the Michelin's on my Alpina, and my Boxster - they were excellent in both applications.

I now have Goodyear Eagle F1's on the S4, they are equally good TBH (to my limited knowledge, anyway!)

I have heard a lot of good things about the Hankook top tyre (can't remember the name)

[JamesEP3]

I don't think you can get super sports in 225/45/17 but I will check, the AD08's are maybe a bit too track focused to 15,000 miles a year on really?

[AlR26]

Continental Sport Contact 5P's all round on mine. Fabulous and better in all conditions (esp wet) that the Michelin PS2's on before. They do wear rapidly though (I'm expecting 8k ish miles out of them).

[Dan_1981]

Got the p zero Rosso on my Evo.

Good in the dry, really really dissapointing in the wet.

Wouldn't recommend them.

Edited by Dan_1981 on Monday 29th October 21:39

[GTASmallville]

Vote for the PS3s for me, I am on my 3rd set now on the GTA and can't fault them tbh

[Ozzie Osmond]

Monsieur Michelin makes good tyres. Pricey but they grip well and last well.

[Tunku]

1. Michelin
2. Contis
3. Bridgestone
4. Pirelli

That is the order I'd go for if you already know what the Bridgestones are like. Leave the ditch finding tallys for later.

[BlueStreak]

Just fitted another set of RE070s on my Hawkeye STI this week, had only these tyres on for the last 6 years. In the dry they are fantastic and wear well on track days/Ring trips, and much better than you'd think in the wet, car gets used in all weathers - of note tyres were poor in snow when very low tread but ok with good tread.

Got Contis on our family hatch, sportcontact 3s were so much better than standard Michelins ( never ever liked any Michelin but that might just be me) and current set of sportcontact 5s are even better especially in wet. I did consider the 5s for the scoob, briefly, especially with winter coming but RE070s so good in virtually all conditions I stuck with them in the end.

[jon-]

Don't write off the Bridgestones, they have a very stuff sidewall which makes the handling and road feedback excellent. You'll probably ifnd other tyres feel a bit soft in comparison, but that might be something you want.

You've some how missed probably the best rated tyre in 225/45 R17

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Goodyear/Eagle-F...

Consistently beats the other tyres you've mentioned in group tests.

[Toffer]

Not the reply you expected...but worth considering?
This may surprise you?
http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Tyre/Falken/FK452.htm
I use FK452 tyres on a MB S Class with AMG 18" alloys.

[treetops]

JamesEP3 said:

I'm looking to replace the tyres on my 2006 Impreza STI and for almost the same price I can get:

Bridgestone RE070 (standard fitment on the Impreza)
Michelin Pilot Sport 3
Pirelli P Zero Rosso
Continental Sport Contact 2/3/5/various other iterations

Having not had any of the above I'm really stuck as to the best option! The safe option would be to go for the standard fitment tyre but are any of the other premium brand tyres markedly better in any way? The car is a daily driver and obviously with the current time of year I don't anything that would be too abysmal in the winter.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

Cheers

James

Forget all that...

You need Hankook Ventus Evo 2 tyres - read the tests they perform really well and are well priced - see camskill for your purchase.

Spray up with CarPlan TyreSlik and job well done.

[PanzerCommander]

Just to throw a curve ball, I am using Toyo T1 Sports on my Mustang and they are a great tyre, they feel far better than the Eagle F1 Asymetrics I had on before them. They seem great in the wet and feel far better than the GY did on cold greasy roads.

[chris182]

I have the Michelin Pilot Sport 3 on my Clio and they are utterly superb. Dry and wet grip is epic, I have no complaints about road noise, feel and ride quality and they are wearing extremely well.

This is not a comparative viewpoint as I have no experience of the other options.

[Stedman]

Thought about vreds?

[Kwistof]

I have PS3s on my car and on my second set after changing from the P Zero Rosso and cannot rate the PS3s enough. The Rosso was terrible in the damp/wet and also did not last as long as the PS3s, which are great in the same conditions.

I will however be changing to the Goodyear F1 A2s come spring as I want to see what all the fuss is about with them lol

[RobCrezz]

PZero Rossos are not bad, I use a part worn set on my track wheels. But I would go for Toyo T1 Sports or the Bridgestones.

[monthefish]

I've always found ContiSport Contacts to be excellent, particularly in the wet.