TIRES

[Ben Swann]

Which are best?

I’m not trying to compromise on price this time since a good set will last me several
years, I don’t want to skimp, especially on safety.  At the same time, if I pay more, I
want to make sure that what I’m getting is worth it.  I don’t need dedicated track tires
or summer tires.  I need all around the best most forgiving tire available for a tire
that get driven hard all year round.

I’m looking for 225/50ZR16” to fit on 8” BBS wheels.  I need a tire that will handle
very high speed in the dry and pretty fast in wet and no surprises in winter conditions.
Don’t get enough snow to get dedicated snows, but enough dicey weather that I need it to
be M&S rated.  So basically if I have to compromise, it will be in paying more.  What is
the best tire or of top two or three that suit an all around purpose and might even do
OK on a track, but moreover be good safety-wise and handle all weather conditions for a
generally aggressive driving style.

I seem to have narrowed selection down and am looking at Bridgestone Potenza RE960AS
Pole Position
<http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza+RE960AS+
Pole+Position&partnum=25WR6RE960PP&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&place=3&speed_rat
ing=V&speed_rating=Z&speed_rating=W&speed_rating=Y&speed_rating=(Y)&minSpeedRating=H> ,
Michelin Pilot Sport A/S
<http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=Pilot+Sport+A%2FS&p
artnum=25YR6SPORTAS&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&place=7&speed_rating=V&speed_rat
ing=Z&speed_rating=W&speed_rating=Y&speed_rating=(Y)&minSpeedRating=H> .  safety-wise. I
currently have Avon Tech M550 A/S
<http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Avon&tireModel=Tech+M550+A%2FS&partnum
=25WR6M550&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&place=0&speed_rating=V&speed_rating=Z&spe
ed_rating=W&speed_rating=Y&speed_rating=(Y)&minSpeedRating=H>  and they were not too bad
at first, but as they aged got rather noisy and even with some tread left aren’t the
best in all-weather.  I heard about the same of Continental ContiExtremeContact
<http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Continental&tireModel=ContiExtremeCont
act&partnum=25VR6CEC&vehicleSearch=true&fromCompare1=yes&place=4&speed_rating=V&speed_ra
ting=Z&speed_rating=W&speed_rating=Y&speed_rating=(Y)&minSpeedRating=H>  .   I did not
like the Yokahama DB series, and Pirelli P6’s just seem kind of hard and boring, and I
hate Dunlop GT Qualifiers..   So even though there seem to be some pretty good rubber
for the money in the$ 80-100 range, it would be nice to get the best I can.

So which are best?

Ben