B serious

I'm planning on some new tires for my AP1.

Squared 255mm sizing.
Currently running RE71R.

I am not tracking this car anymore.

It is street driven in a spirited manner. What's important to me? In order from most to least...

1. Steering response and feedback
2. Ultimate dry grip (in street terms)
3. Squared off appearance on 9.5" wide wheels. (The 71R looks too skinny)
4. Noise (stfu, tires. just stfu).
5. Wet grip - car is rarely driven in rain, but...it does rain in the midwest.

The biggest problem I have with the 71R is that they are LOUD and pick up every rock in the road and throw it all over my fresh paint.

I'm looking for something more mild mannered and civilized than a 200TW, but still looking to party a little.

How are the Firestones, really? From people who have driven them.

If you came from a 200TW and can compare how much the desirable attrubutes above fell off...that's even more valuable info.

Is the grip still there to have fun on the street? Nothing crazy. I just like cornering quickly from time to time.

Info that may help with the answers:
MY00 AP1
AP2 rear subframe/spindles
MY00 sway bars all around
car is on 17x9.5 +47 square
Ohlins 10K/10K


TLDR? Just wondering if the Indy500 is still a fun tire for street driving for someone coming from a 200TW.

The King

I had the Firestones installed last summer, but have not put a lot of miles on them. I have on had 200TW tires up till getting the Firestones. I find the initial turn in not quite as crisp as the RE71Rs, but good enough for normal street driving. I think they seem better when it comes to having gravel sticking to them also. Saved a few bucks and expect them to last longer than a 200WT tire. A set of Bridgestone rears only lasted me about 5K km of street driving.

rrounds

I've put close to 60k miles on two sets of the F/H Indy 500 tires and for a street tire they are great. They let you know when they are going to break loose, no surprises.
I'm on Michelin Pilot Sport 4S now but when these wear out I'll probably go back to the F/H Indy 500 tires. I'm just not pushing my car hard enough on the street to justify the cost of the Michelin's.

Rod

rush2redline

For the 300+UTQG segment, consider the Continental ECS. For DD and occasionally taking turns at at twice the speed limit, Continental Extreme Contact Sport (ECS) have been my favorite bang for buck rain/performance tire. The Michelin PS4's are too expensive in S2K sizing, but I really like them (on the Subaru). I've driven a car that went from All Seasons to Firehawks before and it was a big improvement, but I don't think it's comparable to the ECS or the PS4's. ECS are only like $5 more per tire.

Chuck S

Just substitute Extreme Performance Summer Tires for 71R and you've defined these tires. I loved the Bridgestone RE11R tires I had for a couple of years on my 2006 but the road noise got tiring as did hearing all the gravel spraying on the bottom of the car. When these wore out and were discontinued I slipped down a grade to Bridgestone SO4 tires (Max performance) with no apparent road performance loss and much quieter/cleaner. Alas these are discontinued as well and it's approaching new tire time. I like how the car handles with 215 front and 255 rear tires. Not sure I want to drop below Max performance.

The Bridgestone manufactured Firestone 500s get good reviews here and my few times driving others' cars with them offered nothing remarkable or different from my car. They're Ultra performance -- a tier below Max.

-- Chuck

B serious

Thanks! Kinda the review I'm looking for.

Did you find that the Firestones gripped significantly less than the MPSS?

I'm not going absolutely crazy on the street....but the grip of the MPSS is kinda where I wanna be. I know the Firestones aren't as sticky...but how far off are they?

The worry with the ECS is the single ply sidewall. It makes them react a little more slowly than I'm used to. We had a set on my wife's station wagon. Good tires overall though.

The 71R is an extreme performance (EP) tire. Its 200TW. The category has just gotten stickier and stickier and more hardcore over the years.

Plenty of EP options exist. I don't want EP's because of all the downsides. One EP I would consider for my use is the Falken RT615K+. But...its even skinnier than the 71R, unfortunately.

I can't find anything in the Max Perf category that really tickles my pickle. The Yokohama Advan Apex is one...but...no 255mm sizing.

TsukubaCody

Wait, the rt615k runs narrow? I’ve always thought that runs extra wide? I thought mine looked ridiculous on my 17x9 wheels in 255/40.

rrounds

The MPS4S gives you more grip than the F/H 500 but if your using more grip than the F/H 500, you are way over twice the posted speed limit.
The F/H Indy 500 are at the top of the list(number1,ultra high performance summer tires) on TireRack and so is the MPS4S(number 1, Max Performance Summer Tires), it all depends on how hard you push it on the street.

One more thing I like about the F/H 500 is the softer sidewall, it really soaks up the bumps and helps keep your tire on the road. I'm on the street, not the track and I take my S on roads that are not as smooth as a track and the softer sidewalls makes a long drive more enjoyable and less exhausting. I'm running 235's up front with 245's out back. I would run 245 square but I don't want to modify my front fenders(roll or pull).

Rod

kukudm

The Conti ECS actually has a two ply sidewall as per Tirerack. The older version DW was a single ply sidewall.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/conti...econtact-sport

rrounds

I just took a look at tire rack and the MPS4S doesn't come in 255/40-17 size.

Rod