I started this thread over at b15sentra and decided to contribute on this board as well.

Based on personal experience and reviews from owners who have run various tires for autox and on the street, I wanted share my favorite tire picks for different categories.  Please take this with a grain of salt, they are my personal recommendations and others will have different and valid opinions.

Here are my favorite tires to get for various categories, please feel free to list your own recommendations if you want to.



[size=16]Max Street Grip (lasts 10k-20k miles)[/size]


Falken Azenis RT-615 (Treadwear 200)
[Introduction] This is the current standard for Street Touring drivers, for those who want the ultimate street grip.  This tire got 1st place in a very comprehensive Grassroots Motorsports test that utilized two drivers, a SpecV and Miata.  It is in some ways better than the older venerable RT-215 and will likely be the top choice in Topeka.  For street use, this is arguably the stickiest tire you can get.

[Review by spec v02] They do help on take off and if you do auto-x they grip like crazy, i really enjoy my tires now that i started doing cayon runs they stick to the ground.

[Review by MN01GXE] I put 10K on my first set of RT-215s, but they were used by at least one other person before me and I drove like a mad man, as the grip was too addicting after taking my almost dead snow tires off. That being said, there are a few people in my autox group who have noticed the RT-615s being very hard and not so grippy this year after lots of autox heat cycles on them last year (even though there is still tread left).

[Review by Sirl] Azenis 615's were absolutely amazing on the track. I would buy them again in a heartbeat.



Hankook R-S2 Z212 (Treadwear 200)
[Introduction] An extremely popular max summer tire, this Hankook is cheaper than the Falken RT-615, however it is slightly less sticky but will last a bit longer. It does have better rain grip than the Falken though. But the price is the biggest factor here, check the prices at Discount Tire, it is very very affordable.

[Review by SR20DE_Man] Yesterday night, I tested out the Hankook R-S2 Z212 tires in my local canyons. There is a road that I like to go on that pretty much pushes all tires to their limits with lots of switchbacks & quick elevation chages & decreasing radius turns. Having a set of 205/55-16 Z212 ($85 from Discount Tire Direct) tires mounted on a set of 16" X 7" Rota Slipstream wheels, little did I know that I was going to be in for a surprise. I drove them a few times to release the agents in the tires. A few medium runs wore everything off & prepped them for some testing. I took a quick run. Oh man!! 
1. Grip! The grip that these tires have on the twisty tarmac is nothing short of amazing. They stick to the tarmac very well. Like, insanely well.
2. Cornering! After driving on the K104 tires, these tires make the car feel like it's on a rollercoaster at Six Flags. I had to purposely yank the car really hard to get them to squeal & when they squeeled, it was a very faint, almost hollow like squeal.
3. Heat! Heat doesn't faze these tires. I abused them long enough to find out.
These tires will be on my Sentra from here on!

[Review by specvspeedfreak] Well ive had stock tires then kumho mx's ,bf g-force sport and finally the new hankooks. I realy liked the mx's .they were good and sticky .they made alot of noise but it didnt mean it was giving up. then the bf.. they were great for street but that would be all.. it has preety good grip and for agressive street driving its a good deal..but i havent had a tire like the new hankooks. its just great. the way i feel in the car now is amazing. I feel like it has super handling power now,lol j/k. but on the serious note. these tires are great.. better than my mx's . its quiet and comfortable too.. and i havent even broken these tires in that much. maybe 2-300miles at the most. but already i can tell from the agressive street/canyon runs ive done that its a great tire and im always gonna get these from now..

[Review by blackout03] i just got hankook z212 rs-2's and i LOVE them... they grip a LOT better than the es100's.  AMAZING value... supposedly they stick better than the azenis when hot, but have a little too soft of a sidewall if you're looking to autox on them...




Kumho Ecsta MX (Treadwear 220)
[Introduction] This is Kumho's highest rated street tire and for good reason.  The reigning STS champ last year at Topeka used this very tire. A solid choice for those seeking ultimate dry grip and proven wet performance.  Also a great value when you look at the prices.

[Review by pdaddy_13] I'll 2nd the Kuhmo MX. I'm on my 2nd or 3rd set and think it's a great tire for the money. I use them for street, auto-x and track day with good results across the board.

[Review by ni55anpat] I have them and wow they are really great tires for the buck

[Review by RedDeamon] I think they grip slightly less but not by much and I haven't tried the Azenis but everybody that beats me runs Azenis so that's my reasoning.  As for a wet tire, I remember a tire survey done in a magazine a few months ago and the MX was one of the better tires in the wet and I think it grips just as well as the Contis in the wet. I did hydroplane a little but not much on the MX's this past summer. I still trust em in the wet, but not in puddles.



[size=16]High Performance (lasts 20k-30k miles)[/size]


BF Goodrich KDW2 (Treadwear 300)
[Introduction] Although somewhat pricey, this is a fantastic tire, it has great dry grip, excellent wet grip and will last you longer than the all out street grip tires listed above.  The tread pattern is very unique and extremely functional, utilizing both huge tread blocks for dry grip, but also great channels to carry away rain during inclement driving conditions. 

[Review by 04SpecV_SoCA] Ive tracked with the BFG KDW2's and have to say, the grip is a bit lacking in extreme cornering. But the treadwear and the Dry & Wet traction is fantastic. For those of you who dont do alot of racing, but want performance & longevity for spirited driving, this is the tire for you. Plus the tread pattern is fucking awesome.

[Review by Specd Out] Absolutly the best tires i have ever driven on. They stick extremly well, and even better when warm. they dont have that much road noise, they go through rain and puddles with no problem. the steering doesnt get lose like the contis did when I hit puddles. They look really good. Not to mention everyone askes about them. I will continue to buy these tires.  BTW I have 225/45/17



Kumho SPT (Treadwear 320-340)
[Introduction] This is my next daily driver, and a great bang for the buck.  The dry grip is slightly less than the KDW2, however wet grip is still superior.  Like the Hankook Z212, the SPT is an incredible bargain.

[Review by Murpheous] I recently purchased a set of 225/50/16 kuhmo spts, and love them so far. I only paid $70 a tire and hope to have them last me at least 2 summers. I have about 1000 miles on them, no complaints so far. Driving in the rain is amazing.



Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 (Treadwear 280)
[Introduction] The Goodyear GS-D3 won a very publicized Car and Driver tire test some months ago, due to it's great overall performance in both the wet and dry. It uses an ingenious tire design that utilizes long rain channels with long grip strips for handling.

[Review by iNcSpEcV] I got the Goodyear D3's. They grip like glue and run through the rain excellent. The price is high though.

[Review by NismoCass] I got the Goodyear Eagle F-1s DS-3 with directional tread. There little expensive but great ovverall grip. When they were new my car wouldnt spin good amount of traction. In the rain i hit a puddle doin 70mph in the rain on the higway the car bearly moved i was really impressed. For the cost it a great tire especailly in the rain.



BF Goodrich gForce Sport (Treadwear 340)
[Introduction] Compared to the KDW, the gForce Sport is considerably cheaper, in fact it's one of the best bang for the buck tires on the market.  It has comparable dry grip however the wet grip is not as good as the KDW.

[Review by Dat03SPeC_V] I like em for the price. If I had endless funds I would go with something stickier. But like I said, price was great for such a stout tire and for having a pretty good treadwear.

[Review by JPsSpecV] I just got these put on about three weeks ago. Get them if you're looking for an awesome tire with good treadwear. Good treadwear (Utimately why I got them, was going to get Hankook RS-2's but they wouldn't last more than 9 months on my car) and awesome dry grip! They make for great launches in my car. They are fantastic, I love them. Seems like they even have really good wet grip, though I've only driven in the wet a couple times.



Falken GR Beta FK-451 (Treadwear 280)
[Introduction]This is another b15 favorite, the Falken 451 is a great high performance tire with good dry grip and confidence inspiring wet grip.  Note that this tire will soon be replaced by the next gen 452

[Review by Daemos] Overall grip, is MUCH improved over the contis, things I used to do to make the conti's spin, these tires just grip. Braking is also improved.  Turn-in is slightly better, handling, I found I could take turns at higher speeds with more confidence than the stock tires would. They also allow you to 'feel' the road more, as well with the higher grip, it allows you to push the car further, and you do feel more body roll (on stock suspension) since the tire will give you more grip at higher speeds.



[size=16]High Performance All Season (lasts 30k-40k miles)[/size]


Falken Ziex ZE-512 (Treadwear 360-420)
[Introduction] This is a very popular tire among b15 owners, because it's such a great bargain and does many things so well.  Acceptable dry grip, great wet handling and the M/S rating allows it to handle snow.  It doesn't hurt that Consumer Digest rated it #1.

[Review by nametakennow] They're a great budget performance tire, especially for those poor folks in colder climates. I kick my set around a good bit now and love every second, pretty clear adhesion limit, and a big limit for the aforementioned price and practicality.

[Review by Got_SER]price is definately a good value for my falken ziex tires. it cost me about 350 for four tires in my 17's. It does very well in wet and dry roads. It doesnt squek and very quiet on the freeway. Treadwear do really suck in this tires im not sure why but to me I probably get around 20 to 25 k miles on this tires until i have to buy a new one. Every other section is good in this tire rather than tread. I would definately try other tires as well but i still love my falkens.



Continental Extreme Contact (Treadwear 400)
[Introduction] I can personally attest to this tire, phenomenal in the rain, decent dry grip for the treadwear, and it can even handle snow.  If you are sick and tired of changing tires every 20k miles, this tire can last you up to 40k miles and will handle most any condition you encounter.  This tire is very popular for sport compact drivers who live in the North and encounter months of snow.

[Review by PaintedBlue1] softer sidewalls then the stockers but great wet and snow traction. twice the treadware too.

[Review by psymbian] I run the extremes in the winter and a friend of mine runs the asx's. The asx's are a better all-year compromise, but the conti's are significantly better in the snow.



Kumho ASX (Treadwear 420)
[Introduction] A great alternative to the Extreme Contact, this well priced tire does the same thing as the Continental but is slightly more affordable.

[Review by 2cute]They are uber sticky on dry surface and for a ultra high performance tire they stick great in the wet....i dont live somewhere it snows so i cant tell you how well they hold up there but i love them and will buy them again when it comes that time.....ASX will last about 7 months with terrible camber problem and some seriously HARD driving ALL the time on them



[size=16]R-compound (Autox use only)[/size]


Hoosier A6 (Treadwear 40)
[Introduction] This is currently the hottest R-compound tire for autox drivers and was just recently released.  Every autox driver I've talked to says this offers the best grip on the market.  Look for this tire to be widely used at Topeka this fall.

[Review by Spec V in SC] The Hoosier A6's are the shit!!! Two first place finishes and two 3rd's in the last four events says it all!!!



Kumho V710 (Treadwear 30)
[Introduction] If you want a tire that costs less than the Hoosier A6 and lasts just a bit longer, you can't go wrong with the V710.  It does not have as much outright dry grip as the Hoosier, however it is still widely popular among those autox drivers that demand a solid R-compound tire.