#1) What tire are you offering for review (size, model, type (summer, A/s, winter, race, etc), price paid, miles driven on tires, etc):
Bridgestone Potenza RE 760 Sport 25/45/ZR17 on stock wheels and Cobb 22mm sway bars
Ultra High Performance Summer
$140 per tire
2000 miles (a fair amount of straight interestate and curvy mountain roads)
#2) What is your geographic location:
San Francisco, CA...I drove on these to Mt. Hood in Oregon and back
#3) What types of driving events if any (Track, AutoX, Commute , etc):
Highway and mountain roads
#4) Percent of highway vs. city driving:
20% City, 40% highway/40% winding roads
#5) Tires used previously:
OEM Bridgestone Potenza RE92s (we all know about these, huh?)
#6) Your review and personal comments (Dry, wet, and snow, if applicable. Also, please compare to other tires used):
These were recommended by WheelWorks. I am running cobb 22mm sway bars and the tightened up suspension outperformed the RE92s, thus it was time for a summer tire since I switch out to Michelin Pilot Alpin PA2s...(Great snow tire!!!!). There is no doubt that this tire is sticky, but it has a very vague feel to it, as if the sidewall provided excessive tire roll. The steering response feels delayed as if the car had no sway bars. Even the passenger in my car mentioned that he felt that smushiness and said that my snow tires felt more responsive. The tires are very quiet and there is no noticeable tramlining. I drove through 2 tanks of gas with my AP in economy mode and got 31 mpg at 72 mph, proving to be nice highway tires. Nice easy rolling reisitance, but even while changing lanes in a more abrupt fashion, you could feel the roll and delay to the steering input. I have only driven these in dry warm weather and they hold fine , but the responsiveness is something to be desired. I am actually taking them back under the Wheelworks 30 day Rolling Guarantee and looking for something else. If you've got any ideas for a sticky tire with crisp response, PM me...please!
New Tires update...
First of all, big "props" to WheelWorks here in San Francisco for honoring a 30-day rolling guarantee, whereby I was able to return the Brindgestone 760s with no hassle.
#1) What tire are you offering for review (size, model, type (summer, A/s, winter, race, etc), price paid, miles driven on tires, etc):
Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec 215/45/ZR17 Extreme Performance Summer Tire on stock wheels with Cobb 22mm sway bars .
Paid approximately $150 per tire.
I have only driven about 150 miles on these...city streets, winding backroads and interstate freeway.
#2) What is your geographic location: San Francisco, CA
#3) What types of driving events if any (Track, AutoX, Commute , etc):
No commuting, mostly spirited recreational driving
#4) Percent of highway vs. city driving:
20% City, 40% highway, 40% winding curvy roads all in summer only
#5) Tires used previously:
OEM Bridgestone Potenza RE92s (we all know about these, huh?)
and
as listed above...
Bridgestone Potenza RE 760 Sport 25/45/ZR17 on stock wheels
#6) Your review and personal comments (Dry, wet, and snow, if applicable. Also, please compare to other tires used):
These tires are probably just as sticky at the 760s if not more, but the big difference is steering response. The Dunlops obviously have stiffer sidewalls and when you give it steering input, the car responds immediately. Nonetheless, despite the stiffer sidewalls, the ride is better than the 760s. For example, rolling up to a 90 degree turn in the city in 2nd gear and not touching the brakes, you can simply crank the wheel and the car turns immediately, tracks tight and does not squeal. The 760s in the same situation felt as if there was a delay and the whole car felt like it had massive body roll. The 760s did not inspire confidence. The 760s did not squeal, but they felt sloppy. I ended up adding some tire pressure 38/36 to frim up the 760s, but they got rather harsh. The Dunlops are running 36/34 and feel like they have much better ride qulaity, are a bit quieter and are definitely firmer in the corners. The Dunlops are sticky as you could imagine. They do not tramline. In the wet, the 760s were a bit slick, but the Dunlops felt stickier in the wet. The Dunlops run on the wider range of tires and you get the surface area of a 225 from a 215. They definitely run wider than the Bridgestones.
The Dunlops are one of the newest tires on the market in the Extreme Performance Summer Tire category. for the price of $130-$150 range, these are undoubtedly one of the best tires on the market. Great ride comfort, not noisy, great sticky traction with great steering response. Highly recommended!!!!
