good tires in "non-performance" size?

On Sun, 13 Feb 2005, Nate Nagel wrote:

> I just bought a '55 Stude Commander... looking for recommendations for
> tires. Stock size is 6.70-15 which means I need to be looking at
> something like a 205/75R15. I priced out some WWW radials and I think I
> am looking at blackwalls. That said are there any decent performing
> tires available in that size? Seems to be only used for minivans and
> SUVs anymore. I can't run a 215/70 as the stock wheels are only 5" wide
> - I wouldn't mind buying more wheels but I'm kind of short of cash right
> now, that would add another $160 or so for a set of new steel wheels.

So how 'bout BFGoodrich Traction T/A P205/70R15?

> Are the Pirelli P400 any good? How about the Michelin all-seasons
> available in that size?

My experience with Pirelli has been consistently lousy, and while Michelin
makes some good tires, you will overpay.

"Daniel J. Stern" > wrote in
n.umich.edu:

>> I just bought a '55 Stude Commander... looking for recommendations for
>> tires. Stock size is 6.70-15 which means I need to be looking at
>> something like a 205/75R15. I priced out some WWW radials and I think I
>> am looking at blackwalls. That said are there any decent performing
>> tires available in that size? Seems to be only used for minivans and
>> SUVs anymore. I can't run a 215/70 as the stock wheels are only 5" wide
>> - I wouldn't mind buying more wheels but I'm kind of short of cash right
>> now, that would add another $160 or so for a set of new steel wheels.

Check Tire Rack (http://www.tirerack.com)
Even if you don't buy from them, the survey ratings from people who have them
on their cars are very helpful. The Kumhos are rated much higher than the
Pirellis -- and are about half the price ($38).
http://tinyurl.com/6hdgp
I've bought tires from Tire Rack and the service from them and their
recommended installers has been excellent.

On Sun, 13 Feb 2005, Laura K wrote:

> Check Tire Rack (http://www.tirerack.com)
> Even if you don't buy from them, the survey ratings from people who have them
> on their cars are very helpful. The Kumhos are rated much higher than the
> Pirellis -- and are about half the price ($38).

Kumhos are garbage.

Daniel J. Stern wrote:

> On Sun, 13 Feb 2005, Nate Nagel wrote:
>
>
>>I just bought a '55 Stude Commander... looking for recommendations for
>>tires. Stock size is 6.70-15 which means I need to be looking at
>>something like a 205/75R15. I priced out some WWW radials and I think I
>>am looking at blackwalls. That said are there any decent performing
>>tires available in that size? Seems to be only used for minivans and
>>SUVs anymore. I can't run a 215/70 as the stock wheels are only 5" wide
>>- I wouldn't mind buying more wheels but I'm kind of short of cash right
>>now, that would add another $160 or so for a set of new steel wheels.
>
>
> So how 'bout BFGoodrich Traction T/A P205/70R15?

Might have to do that, but I was trying to stay with the 75s for gearing
purposes. For now at least it has a 3.31 rear and a Flightomatic, which
I'm not nuts about... Finding a lower numerical ratio than a 3.31 for a
Studebaker is somewhat difficult, I think the lowest commonly available
was in the area of 3.07:1 (and the FOM is a later second gear start
model so off the line performance is less than sparkling)

>
>
>>Are the Pirelli P400 any good? How about the Michelin all-seasons
>>available in that size?
>
>
> My experience with Pirelli has been consistently lousy, and while Michelin
> makes some good tires, you will overpay.
>

Never had a set of Pirellis, that's why I asked. I did have Michelin
Pilots on my GTI and loved 'em (but that might have just been because
they weren't totally awful like the Continentals that were on it from
the factory)

nate

--
replace "fly" with "com" to reply.
http://home.comcast.net/~njnagel

Daniel J. Stern wrote:
> On Sun, 13 Feb 2005, Laura K wrote:
>
> > Check Tire Rack (http://www.tirerack.com)
> > Even if you don't buy from them, the survey ratings from people who
have them
> > on their cars are very helpful. The Kumhos are rated much higher
than the
> > Pirellis -- and are about half the price ($38).
>
> Kumhos are garbage.

Upon what do you base that, Daniel? I know they make pretty decent
*track* tires. While I haven't yet owned any, I *have* owned more than
a few sets of Pirellis and it wouldn't take much to be better than
those.
--
C.R. Krieger
(Been there; done that)

On Mon, 14 Feb 2005, Motorhead Lawyer wrote:

> > Kumhos are garbage.

> Upon what do you base that, Daniel?

Personal experience.

> I know they make pretty decent *track* tires.

Yep, that's what everyone says who's tried them. My experience is with
their *street* tires. I'll give them about five years to progress along
the learning curve, then maybe have another look.

Scott en Aztl=E1n wrote:
> On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 16:18:56 -0500, "Daniel J. Stern"
> > wrote:
>
> >> > Kumhos are garbage.
> >
> >> Upon what do you base that, Daniel?
> >
> >Personal experience.
>
> Please elaborate.
>
> Kumho tires are universally praised in nearly every automotive
> enthusiast forum. Indeed, a friend of mine had a set on his Z06 and
> had no complaints about them. Yours are the first negative words I've
> ever heard about the brand.
>

Now that I look a little harder the Kumho 795 does look like a good
option. I know someome who has the Kumho performance tires on her
Corrado (don't remember the model, but the tread looks very similar to
the Yoko ES100s on the Porsche) and she seems to be happy with them.
Anyone had any personal experience with the 795s?

thanks,

nate

Nate Nagel wrote:
> Daniel J. Stern wrote:
>
> >
> > My experience with Pirelli has been consistently lousy, and while
Michelin
> > makes some good tires, you will overpay.
> >
>
> Never had a set of Pirellis, that's why I asked.

My experience has been just the opposite of Dan's. They have provided
decent, if not stellar, all-season performance (in a no-season sort of
way), have lasted well, been of a decent price from places like Tire
Rack, and come in a seemingly endless array of sizes.

They seem to do best as a touring tire (quiet, don't hydroplane, last a
long time) and not as good as an all-season tire (OK with an AWD
vehicle, barely acceptable on a FWD vehicle.)

The P-Zeros are a decent performance tire for the money, but they
aren't Pilots. The P6000 worked OK as a no-season tire, and back when
I had my RWD convertible, the P6s were fairly decent for the money as
well.

FWIW,

E.P.

N8N wrote:
> Scott en Aztlán wrote:
>
>>On Mon, 14 Feb 2005 16:18:56 -0500, "Daniel J. Stern"
> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>>>Kumhos are garbage.
>>>
>>>>Upon what do you base that, Daniel?
>>>
>>>Personal experience.
>>
>>Please elaborate.
>>
>>Kumho tires are universally praised in nearly every automotive
>>enthusiast forum. Indeed, a friend of mine had a set on his Z06 and
>>had no complaints about them. Yours are the first negative words I've
>>ever heard about the brand.
>>
>
>
> Now that I look a little harder the Kumho 795 does look like a good
> option. I know someome who has the Kumho performance tires on her
> Corrado (don't remember the model, but the tread looks very similar to
> the Yoko ES100s on the Porsche) and she seems to be happy with them.
> Anyone had any personal experience with the 795s?

Not the 795s but I have Ecsta's on my Camaro and compared to the
Firehawk SC50's that I had before they're junk.

>
> thanks,
>
> nate
>
Ulf