Re: Opinions on tires(detailed ?, so rather long)

[MSV96@aol.com]

In a note dated 3/17/97 you Allan Jones asks:

<snip><<If any lister has similar experience AND/OR knows HOW the Bridgestone
Potenza RE 71 AND/OR Dunlop Sport SP 8000 tires PERFORM/LAST/SOUND(my
order of importance BTW), please help as I am close to a crossing point.>>

I ran RE-71's (in stock-for a 4kq-size of 195/60/14) and found them to be in
a word: WONDERFUL!!! But, that was now almost a decade back and I'm sure
there are many equal and better choices today. The RE-71's had excellent
grip, ran quiet, were decent in the wet, and held up well to punishment
(without cupping or other bad traits). Like all truly high performance tires,
they don't last long though. I have never heard anything bad about the
SP-8000's and imagine they are a great tire too...though my past experiences
with Dunlops have not been real great. In fact it was the Audi O.E. Dunlop
D-something's (60?) that I replaced when I put the RE-71's on (then new '87
4kcsq) and they litteraly trasformed the car's handling and ride in every
respect imaginable. On a Coupe GT or 4kq I wouldn't be too concerned about VR
vs ZR ratings as you are never going to see ZR speeds out of those cars
(stock that is ;-)  ). I know that sidewall stiffness and heat resistance are
some of the criteria for buying the highest speed rating you can afford, and
can therefore justify VR's on a car that was O.E. with HR's...just that ZR's
seem a little extreme for these cars-especialy for those of us on a budget!
HTH

Mike Veglia
85 4ksq