i'm getting ready to ordering my 17/7" rims for my XA and was wondering if people can suggest the best tire brand to get for them. i have to admit, this is one area that i just have no experience in. price is not really an issue, but i don't want to get something that is uneccessary - i doubt i'll be racing the XA. so what are some quality performance tires?

 

If you want an inexpensive tire that'll perform well, I like the Yoko ES100.
If you want softer sidewalls and don't care about speed ratings, the 711 isn't bad, but it certainly doesn't perform well compartitively. Don't get me wrong, the 711 is fine for a daily driver, but if you're accustomed to high performance tires, you will hate it. It comes in good sizes for those that want the look but don't necessarily care about performance.

 

i have the PIRELLI's. mine are 215/35/18. In my opinion they are great cuz they have a ultra high treadwear rating. On the other hand, this means that they are really rough riding. I would recommend at least 40 or 45 series to get a lil more rubber between you & the road. also, if you're getting 17's the larger sidewall will fill out you wheelwell more and make the rims look bigger.

 

i had Yokohama Avid H4 215/40/17's on my xB and they ride great and handle well.....

they seem to wear well also as at 7200 miles they still looked new....

 

What about the new FUZION tire ? Priced around 80.00 each and they are supposed to be a awesome tire .....

www.thefuzionzone.com

 

before we all go recommending tire brands and models, you gotta provide more info. what are you specifically looking for? an all season touring tire, a performance summer tire, etc? also is tread wear an issue for you? what is your driving style?
there are a lot of good tires out there, and some crap too.

 

michelan outperforms everyone year after year in testing...get michelan tires if u can afford them

 

They aren't twice as good though which is usually the cost comparison.

 

okay, a little more info. i'm primarily looking for a combination of handling and a smooth ride. being that i live in san jose, we have only one season and the roads are terribly rough. i'll likely get 205/40/17s in the high performance all-season area.

 

If you are subjected to rough roads, go for 215/45/17, which will give you a little more sidewall (I'm assuming you're not going to drop your xA).

Similar to your requirements re handling, smooth performance, and high performance all season tires, I am considering the new Yoko Avid H4S. Note they're only HR rated, but how often do you expect to exceed 130 mph? On the plus side, they have a new rubber compound which projects a tread life of 500. So in theory they should last quite awhile.

The tires are so new that TireRack hasn't fully tested them yet. I am assuming also that their ratings will be similar to the existing H4 tires.

 

I've run Yoko Avid T4s. Good all-season high-performance and very affordable. My vote's for Avids (T4/H4) also.