A month ago we mounted new shoes on our German Mustang. We ordered a set of Sumitomo HTR ZIII tires from www.tirerack.com to replace our worn Yokohama Advans. Why Sumitomos? Simply, they were cheap. Then we track tested them, which proved that if ultimate dry grip is your first five priorities then you should buy the Yoks.
Well, my tire needs are a bit more complex then that. And after nearly 2,000 miles of driving, I'm sold on these Sumitomos.
First, I'm not going to track days or spending enough time carving canyons to spend twice as much on tires to eeeeeeeeek out that last big of dry grip. It's just not worth it to me. And the M3 is still way too fast for the street on the Sumitomos. Around town they provide more than enough grip. Wet or dry. Yes, I've driven this car in the rain recently, and was very impressed with the grip the new tires provided.
I also like the ride and sound of these new tires. They feel good, without proritizing stick too much over comfort. And they look good. Not only the tread pattern, but I like the simple sidewall design and the way it wraps up over the rim.
If I had a complaint it would be aimed at the tire's effect on the M3's steering. It seems to be a bit less tight on center than it felt on the Yoks. But the change is minor, and may be caused by the car's accumulation of miles more than the new rubber.
Regardless, these tires are a steal for the price. For less then half the cost of a set of the Advans or Michelin PS2, they're a great choice. Honestly, unless I had money to burn I have yet to figure out why I would spend more for the Advans or the PS2s. Not for basic performance street driving anyway.
Scott Oldham, Inside Line Editor in Chief @ 68,132 miles
jederino says:
11:05 AM, 02/23/09
These don't seem to protect the rims from minor curb rash. That's a little detail I prefer.
joefrompa says:
11:07 AM, 02/23/09
Yay Scott! Thanks for finally providing a subjective review of these tires after some mileage.
I'm not surprised at the steering feel....by the end on the Yoks, you were basically riding on solid rubber vs. the tread depth involved in these new Sumis.
Could also be an inflation issue...i.e. these tires need 2-3 more PSI to settle in just right.
Anyhoo...glad to hear the review. Thanks! :)
Joe
s197gt says:
11:43 AM, 02/23/09
hmmm... i bought some potenza re760 sports for my mustang in 255/45-18. same price as the sumis and better wear rating. have been real happy with them, but these sumis sound like a great deal and are max-summer perf vs. the ultra high perf summer potenzas. maybe i'll try the sumis next!
subytrojan says:
11:45 AM, 02/23/09
Those grooves look shallow for relatively new tires. :shrug:
I just put my Dunlop Direzza Sport Z1 Star Spec tires on this weekend. They were only $133 each (P225/45R17) from the Tire Rack (Luke @ x362 rocks!).
I'm going to put them through their paces on Wednesday at Laguna Seca Raceway (I refuse to call it Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca).
subytrojan says:
12:01 PM, 02/23/09
s197gt, the Potenza RE050A and RE-01R are stickier Bridgestone tires you can try next time. :)
CaptainChaos says:
12:30 PM, 02/23/09
I'll definitely keep these in mind for my 135. At nearly 8k miles, the stock RFTs are hurting. So much so that TC kicks in on a pretty regular basis and the fronts will plow into a corner if I'm not careful, even if dry.
Thanks!
joefrompa says:
12:41 PM, 02/23/09
I wonder if the gas mileage will go up, considering these tires are being commented on as being less sticky.
s197gt says:
01:39 PM, 02/23/09
suby,
true but more $$$$ and they'll have to be replaced twice as often!
sgude says:
07:10 PM, 02/23/09
E46 M3 -- check
great BMW mechanic with excellent (for BMW) prices -- check
Probable replacements tires for M3 -- check
use dealership for service -- uhhh...
majin_ssj_eric says:
11:37 PM, 02/23/09
I'm looking at getting some Kuhmo Ecsta's for my G37 soon....
redwoodaggie says:
06:16 AM, 02/24/09
I loved the Sumitomos HTR Z IIIs I'd put on my E46 befor an Xterra ended its life. I would definitely get them again. I had Falken FK452s on before that and didn't like them as much.
minibro77 says:
04:40 PM, 02/25/09
I am torn between these tires for my 2002 M3Cic and the Bridgestone RE0760A's. The RE0760A's have a very high treadwear rating. The highest of all of the tires I reviewed on Tire Rack. There's very little difference in price ($20 to $25). The Bridgestones have a slightly higher treadwear rating (300 Vs. 340). Wondering if they're worth the extra few dollars?
brian60 says:
07:02 AM, 02/26/09
Nice real world update, Scott (and nice looking house if I may say so). Not only are the Z IIIs half as expensive as the Advans or PS2s, but they should theoretically last twice as long, so they are really a quarter of the cost over the long term.
So getting these for the M3 next month.
drmillerM3 says:
01:52 PM, 02/26/09
Well it has been almost 14 months and they still have the M3. Guess they want to keep it! I don't blame them.
drmillerM3 says:
01:53 PM, 02/26/09
Yo minibro, you can get the Bridge. Potenza REO960A's, which have a treadwear of 400. Good all season tires, fyi.
ryster says:
07:52 AM, 03/ 2/09
Did these tires start life with 10/32" tread depth like they were supposed to? That second picture makes it look like they already have some serious wear at 2,000 miles.
jfrespencer says:
06:31 PM, 01/23/11
I'm sorry to say I have a 2003 M3. I'm a pretty conservative driver and when I put these tires on my car they were bald before they reached 4,000 miles! I put a set of the Michelin on and they've done better. I'm considering the Pirelli P Zero tires the next time around. It's a consensus among the enthusiast, tire guys, and owners that you don't get but about 12,000 to 15,000 miles on a set of tires for the rear. I've got Falken on the front and they've done fantastic. When I call Sumitomo to find out if I was doing something wrong I got through to the head of marketing. I told them what I had experienced and without hesitation he told me to take them to the dealer I got them from and have them refund my money with a confirmation call to Sumitomo. He specifically stated that their tires wouldn't wear well on my specific vehicle no matter what I did. He couldn't explain why, but he was very nice, apologetic, and adamant to stay away from them for my vehicle until they could develop something that worked better for my car.