My Tire Dilemma

[Huw Powell <audi@mediaone.net>]

For about 16 months now, since putting 15" wheels on my coupe, I have
been running 215/45 tires.  The first four were some used ones from a
lister, Continental Sport Contacts.  When I finally had hit the wear
bars on the front, I started looking for replacments.

That's when I discovered 1. these were quite old tires and 2. no one
makes 215/45-15 tires.  Except, briefly, for a about one week this
spring, Michelin made one pair of Pilot SX-GT's which I bought from the
Tire Rack.

now there are none.

Trouble is, these tires are great.  I can drive sideways without
screeching or riding the sidewalls, they even last pretty well. 

I alway used to buy $50-60 tires (Falken FX-06C's were my all time
favorites), these Michelins were $125 each.

I wanna know, how much of what I like about these is due to the
outrageous (for my car) width and how much to the construction, design,
price, etc. or is it just what all tires with a low enough profile ride
like?

Cause I need at least a pair of tires right now and I am going bonkers.
50 series 195's or 205's will "fit", but looking at 195's on the other
coupe, they just seem so narrow I get vertigo...

I just don't want to wind up losing all the fun driveability I have
gotten used to...

thanks for your forbearance of my ignorance!

-- 
Huw Powell

http://www.humanspeakers.com/audi/

82 Audi Coupe; 84 4kq; 85 Coupe GT; 73 F250

http://people.ne.mediaone.net/audi/thoughts.htm