My S2000 is ruined. There’s no one to blame but myself. I chose what I thought was a reasonable, budget-friendly option, and it turned out to be a horrible mistake. The only thing keeping me from complete misery is the knowledge that time and more money are all that’s required to rectify the situation.
In short, I bought the wrong tires.
Common sense tells us that it’s important to keep your tires in good shape and replace them before they are excessively worn. Hydroplaning, blowouts, and bent rims can all result if an owner neglects to do so. What’s not generally discussed is the impact tire selection can have on the driving experience. The same car can feel and respond completely differently with a minor change in tire sizing, pressure, compound, or brand.
Aside from the first three months of ownership, when I used snow tires to combat the Upstate New York winter, I’ve faithfully fitted my car with the grippiest, stiffest-sidewalled street tires I could find. Let’s call them Brand A. They were noisy, hard-riding, and lasted less than seven thousand miles, but the handling was razor sharp and the grip was stupendous.
As my racing budget started to consume more and more of my disposable income, however, I decided it might be time for a longer-lasting street tire. The uncompromising ride inflicted by a new coilover setup may also have influenced my thinking somewhat. After independent research and some consultation with my tire supplier, I settled on what we’ll call Brand B.
It must be said that Brand B is quiet at freeway speeds. This is their one and only redeeming attribute. They have poor grip, minimal turn-in alacrity, and ride just as firmly as Brand A. Moreover, at the rate at which they seem to be wearing, they will probably not last any longer. What is absolutely going to push me over the edge, however, is the unholy extent to which they scream when pushed near the limit. Even turning up my stereo to nearly painful volume cannot totally mask it. Combined with the pathetic maximum grip, every turn results in gritted teeth and a deep desire to not be driving my car.
Pardon my ranting; I do actually have a point here. Simply put, buy your S2000 the best parts you can afford. You can’t afford not to.
Image courtesy of thecoolpepper
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on Jun 28th, 2011 at 1:05 pm
Soo, what happened to your S? I thought you had a blow out or something.
on Jun 28th, 2011 at 1:07 pm
Can you PM me at llxzxll the actual brand of said tire?
on Jun 28th, 2011 at 1:47 pm
I have to agree completely, however only on the topic of tires and the S. I downgraded from star specs to save a maybe a couple hundred and its totally not worth it on the S.
on Jun 28th, 2011 at 2:02 pm
i have the same problem, my rears are worn out and i recently got a nail in my front which can not be removed because its too close to the side. im going to stick to the factory tires from tire rack. i was quoted 1000 dollars for a pair of yokohamas or 900 for michelins and i dont know how these will impact the driving so im gonna play it safe and get the same ones my care was originally equipped with
on Jun 28th, 2011 at 3:44 pm
elvir: dont waste your hard earned money on re050s… There are much better tires out there, and most even cost less. Do some research, but star specs, re11, ad08, or rs3 are all much newer and better tires…
on Jun 28th, 2011 at 5:12 pm
I think everyone wants to know the brand of the tire you’re talking about.
on Jun 28th, 2011 at 5:14 pm
next time go with conti extreme dw’s
on Jun 28th, 2011 at 9:00 pm
When I bought my firs S2K, there was Bridgestone Potenza, tahn I was short of money, and I bought Dunlop 9000 Sport – and it was terrible -the car was still power sliding…..and I crashed the car completelly.
NOw I have S2K Ultimate Edition Nr. 0136, I run 5000 km per year, and original tires are still OK.
on Jun 28th, 2011 at 9:37 pm
no no no. sumitomo htr ziii. JDM brand yo. 120 per tire. lays waste to all non-dot race tires.
on Jun 28th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
edit this post with the brands you are talking about. Its an opinion piece anways…
on Jun 29th, 2011 at 5:28 am
My first replacement set was the Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3. Loved them, but they quit making my size. Now have the Dunlop Star Specs and they are just as good. Cornering and grip are tremendous.
You have a 35K car, why put on a $500 set of tires.
By the way, I have only 15,000 miles on my car and am on my third set of tires. Nothing touches the road except for them so you better buy the best shoes for your car that you can. You buy the best shoes for yourself, do it for your car.
on Jun 29th, 2011 at 5:48 am
Yeah, my first set of tires cost a total of $250 for all four. It was probably a couple months after I got the S, and the tires that were on there at the start weren’t very good. As such, I always assumed that it was my lack of skill that made the car power slide so much, and rain actually became fairly entertaining as I learned to always expect the back to break free. Made me a far more cautious driver. Recently I took the car down to the track to learn how to really drive and I found that even pushing where I thought the limit was, I was getting completely annihilated by a stock G37 (hardtop convertible no less), an older Mustang (4.6 rag top w/ stiffened suspension, but otherwise stock). One again, I just assumed I was genuinely that bad at track driving. Then one of the instructors took me on a couple laps. Don’t get me wrong, drifting the carousel at Driveway Austin is TONS of fun, but at the same time, I’d rather have had my car perform well. When someone who knows what they’re doing can’t keep up with a car driven by someone with no experience that should, by all rights, be slower around the track, you know something’s up. About two months ago I finally got fed up with my crappy tires, so I researched it, got a flat (random coincidence), and traded up to some Michelin Pilot Sport A/S Plusses. Total with trade in of the other tires was just over $400, and worth absolutely every penny.
Never again will I go with the cheap tires on the S. I’ll actually be upgrading again on my next set, though I haven’t decided on which ones to get.
on Jun 29th, 2011 at 5:57 am
Well, I made a similar decision recently and I have to say I couldn’t be happier. Of course, I’m in a somewhat unique position because I run two sets of wheels (Daily driver and autocross). I have a set of Hankook RS3′s for autocross and they are excellent and I ran Dunlop star specs before that. I didn’t want to put daily miles on the autox tire so I purchased a second set of wheels and some Hankook Ventus V4 ES H105 to save me some $ and they are exactly what I need.
on Jun 29th, 2011 at 6:21 am
I use a set of Riken Rapters, They seem like good tire but Id say, half way threw thier wear down they are very scary in the rain, these Tires are truly and example of you get what you pay for. They average about 110. a tire. But Ive seen much better tires at a slightly higer price, I guess my point is do your research by what best suites your needs and them get something just a tad better then what you need. Nothing like safty when it comes to lives and the ones you love. DO THE REASEAERCH AND DONT BE CHEAP!!!!!!
on Jun 29th, 2011 at 8:47 am
I like going fast in the rain and passing timid drivers. I use Bridgestone Protenza RE960AS Pole Positions (front – 205/55ZR-16, rear – 225/50ZR-16). They cost about $130 each and provide adequate wet traction and treadwear. My rears have over 30,000 miles and they are still in fine shape. I have had my S2000 since 1999. So far, so good.
on Jun 29th, 2011 at 3:36 pm
I bought my 03 with Riken Raptors ZR – these are very grippy-get traction on wet roads but I only get 5000 miles out of a set of rears – went thrugh 2 sets and the fronts are still fine but 5K for rears= Geeeez – so last time I bought Khuomo Ecstas ZR – they are not as sticky as the Rikens but they’re pretty damn good and have a 420 tire wear no. so I assume they’ll be around alot longer and they are 50% cheaper. I guess what Im trying to say is you have to make a decision – if you can afford to buy sticky/no wear time = go for it – if your on a budget try the Ecstas = 95$ @ Tire rack (Rikens went from 90 to 150 in 6 mo.s) or Star Specs if you want sticky and no wear. I live in the mountains and drive very aggressively!
on Jun 30th, 2011 at 5:10 am
Michellen Super Sports Plus, Just do it, you love them and the tread life is phenomenal for such an amazing tire…
on Jun 30th, 2011 at 5:14 am
@ Eliot W. Collins
Sorry man the Potenza is complete garbarge, horrible tread life, horrible road noise, average in the wet.. They have tread life of 140. The Michellins are 330AAA with better grip, amazing in wet and significantly quieter on rough cement surface…
TRUST ME, I am a tire geek…
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Michelin&tireModel=Pilot+Super+Sport
on Jun 30th, 2011 at 7:44 am
This is exactly why I swear by Star Specs. Turn-in and response is GREAT and they last pretty well considering how much overall grip they have. RS3′s are a close second for me, but imo the response and feel you give up for overall grip isn’t worth it.
on Jun 30th, 2011 at 5:26 pm
I bought my S2000 last year. It came with a set of Fuzion ZR1s that I assumed I would have to replace. They rate pretty well on Tire Rack so I kept them and they’ve been pretty good.
However, after a year of wear I think I may need to upgrade next year. Either I’m driving faster or the tires are wearing and beginning to give more.
Tire Rack is the best way to rate and pick tires for your car, even if you don’t buy there. Right now, the best tire for the money to me looks to be the Continental Extreme Contact DW tires. Very highly rated for handling and cornering, along with comfort & noise (for the wife).
My experience with Goodyear is way overprice. Michelin makes excellent tires, but also overpriced.
on Jul 1st, 2011 at 1:03 am
Seriously?
Drive with what you have. Don’t blame your equipment for not doing something it wasn’t designed to do.
on Jul 1st, 2011 at 5:17 am
@Kelly
Potenza RE960AS Pole Position – 400AAA
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza+RE960AS+Pole+Position
on Jul 3rd, 2011 at 8:49 am
We are stationed in ky….weather is by far the worse ive seen in my life( from tx
)…good thing on post speed is 15…..rain….snow or ice……i need to know what are the best tires so i wont accidently find myself “drifting” or “ice skating” ….please if there is someone out there who knows about kentuckys ugly weather and texas heat let me know what tire best works….i need a lasting tread too…….love my s2k and i dont want to crash my sexxy beast….thank u!
on Jul 3rd, 2011 at 9:53 pm
I’ve tried several brands of tires on both of my s2000′s. I will not put any tire other than Michelin Pilot Sports………….PERIOD. Best tire made imho.
on Jul 4th, 2011 at 3:30 pm
Thank u for info!
on Jul 5th, 2011 at 5:38 am
@Kelly a.k.a. “Tire Geek”.
No comment on this?
Potenza RE960AS Pole Position – 400AAA
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza+RE960AS+Pole+Position
on Jul 5th, 2011 at 5:59 am
Sumitomo HTRZ-IIIs are a great tire if you do not get an awful lot of rain in your area. have them on both of my s2k’s and have not been disappointed.
on Jul 5th, 2011 at 12:26 pm
Would any of you run summer tires on your s2000 year round? I live in georgia and contemplate this every time i buy tires.
on Jul 7th, 2011 at 12:06 pm
@Kelly a.k.a. “Tire Geek”.
Still no comment on this? I guess I can no longer TRUST you.
Potenza RE960AS Pole Position – 400AAA
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Potenza+RE960AS+Pole+Position
on Jul 7th, 2011 at 4:03 pm
You have to be talking about Bridgestone Potenza RE760s. I made the same mistake.
on Jul 8th, 2011 at 2:58 pm
This is a timely discussion for me as the Toyo Proxes4′s that came with my AP2 are now down to the cords in the rear. For all-season tires, I’m pretty impressed with those Proxes4′s. I went to the track three times on them and they were OK for a beginner like me. For my new set I’m going to go with the Pilot Super Sports. Reading the info here and other reviews, it looks like they’re the state of the art. Thanks for all the info!
Regarding the Potenza RE960AS Pole Position, the tread pattern on those looks much less aggressive–it’s hard to believe they would offer the same performance as the more low-void designs.
on Jul 9th, 2011 at 8:54 am
I have had star specs for a long time and switched to Hancook S3′s. The hancooks have more grip but i think the Star specs are better in the the rain. Tires especially on the S2k are not something you want to be cheap on.
on Jul 10th, 2011 at 8:10 am
Ap2 Joe, sure you can summers year round but keep in mind they are the best tire for these cars above freezing only. Below 45 F , 7 C I would not recommend a summer tire even in the dry. I park mine from Nov 1 to Mar 15. My daily ride is an S4 which has winter tires nov to mar. Tires and brakes don’t skimp. I buy one to two sets of tires per year. We have three cars. Anyway, good luck.
on Jul 11th, 2011 at 11:11 am
Chris – I never go to the track. I am more interested in driving fast in the rain and cold, and passing timid drivers. For this, the Bridgestone Protenza RE960AS Pole Positions do an excellent job. They are long-lasting as well. I have had my S2000 since 1999 (107,500 miles). So far, so good.
on Jul 11th, 2011 at 12:17 pm
If you aren’t going to be ‘pushing the limits’ on a regular basis, but want grip when you round a corner and unexpectedly find a very wet road from sloppy irrigation (warm weather) or something worse (in freezing weather), look at reviews for the Continental Extreme DWS. Obviously I’m not ‘tracking’, or even pretending to, on the local streets.
on Jul 12th, 2011 at 6:15 am
I run my S2000 year round on Dunlop Star Specs and I live in NC. When it’s very cold out I keep in mind that the tires’ grip is reduced. And when there’s snow/ice I drive my other car. I think they’re okay for year round use but not if it’s your only car. That being said I LOVE my Star Specs. I replaced my OEM Bridgestones with them when the Potenzas wore out and they’re fantastic. The grip on the track is outstanding and I was able to out corner and out brake similar cars on aggressive street tires. I highly recommend them for anyone that doesn’t want to pay 4 figures for Michelins.
Regarding tire wear I don’t understand how some of you guys only get 5,000 miles out of your tires. I drive fast and aggressive and track my car (though just 1-2 times a year) and I had no problem going 30k on the OEM tires. I’ve got 11k on the Star Specs right now and they’re still above 50% tread life. I dunno, maybe I’m just a smooth driver?
on Jul 13th, 2011 at 8:28 am
Yeah PatrickH, I agree. 5k on a set of tires seems insanely low. Are all your cars lowered and all? I’m taking delivery on my s2 this weekend and my first purchase will be a new set of wheels for it. After this post and the one previously about the rain, I’m all freaked out since it will be my daily driver for a couple months. Definitely going to be investing in a good tire.
I had a set of Nitto’s on my 350z and they were fine, nothing I could say good or bad about them but I never really got on it when I drove that car (bone stock). They were fine in the rain though. The s2 comes with a Turbo installed so I’m gonna have a time getting used to this car, after what everyone seems it sounds like these cars are super twitchy. The 350z stayed pretty solid except for when it was very cold and wet out.
I’m thinking about going with a mid level set of Nitto’s again though, anyone have any experience with those? Anyone have any tires they absolutely loved for daily driving?
on Jul 14th, 2011 at 4:56 am
Great article. Totaled my S2000 a couple of weeks ago and tires played a major role. Now I’m looking at finding another S and deciding what to do with the corpse of the old one. Not a happy situation.
on Jul 27th, 2011 at 6:52 pm
Nice article! you need to be careful in choosing the right brand of tire of your choice! S2000 is good also and i believe it’s not your mistake, it’s just that you just pick the wrong tire. you can still find a better tire for your car don’t worry
on Aug 9th, 2011 at 9:11 am
Both sets of wheels I have wear Dunlop Star Specs. My original stock AP1 wheels have about 10,000 miles of wear and my Enkei RPF1′s with stock AP2 sizes except 225′s in the front have about 200 miles on them. Best tire I ever bought and will always use them on my S. Eventually I will put them on my CR as well because the factory RE070′s have 11,000 miles and the rears are just about gone-driven softly. I drive the hell out of my Star Specs and they still do great. The new ones are much better in the rain but the old ones are still great.
on Sep 15th, 2011 at 3:14 pm
After 5 yrs running on dealer installed BF Goodrich,
in conclusion i see the following stand out:
Michelin Pilot Sport;
Potenza RE960
Michelin Super Sports
…as i am looking for 1st – quiter ride; 2nd – wet road handling; 3rd – tire wear and 4th price.
Tell me …
cheers,
-bill e.
9/15/2011