2002 Chevy Corvette Z06: Vote For Our C5 Z06s New Tires

get a cheap one so we can hear how it does. We know the michelins are good already.

Everyone tells me the Pilot Sports are the best but I have heard great things about the Firestone Firehawks from people who need sizes not offered in the Pilot Sports. But I think the Bridgestone Potenza RE760's would be most like what an actual owner would do. Spending 8% of the cost of your car on tires seems a bit mad to me.

I really do like the Bridgestone Potenza RE760s that I'm currently running on my 328i...they are a good compromise between price and performance and get my vote. If you could care less about price, then the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s are the best.

Cheap with big powered RWD is potential death. PS2's are good enough for the ZR1, so why not this? its probably the best of the choices offered.

Tire 5

The PS2.

Im gonna go different and say Tire 4 the Continental's. Good tread wear.

Michelin PS2s may be the best tire here but considering the way the Z06 is driven (properly)... they wont last long.

I'm stuck between the Goodyears and the Michelins so either one is what I would run.

The PS2's and F1's might be the best, but the Potenza's are a good balance of performance and cost, not to mention how common they are. I would like a review of the Potenza's.

PS2 is by far and away the best. I had them on my SRT-4 and my dad has them on his 750hp Cobra Terminator.

Another vote for the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2's. Otherwise, I would like to see the Bridgestone Potenza RE760's installed.

I vote "Wide Oval" because I most interested in what a cheaper tire does. I bet it does fine. Just with technology that is a little older.

Your dime: PS2s.

My dime: RE760s.

But seriously, get the PS2s. We want to hear what this car is capable of, not that "it doesn't feel as capable as, say, an XYZ car" while knowing it MAY have on PS2s. That will bother me.

Whay would you experiment with a budget tires on a 400+ hp car?!

The PS2s would be the best choice if you are looking for the best performance.

I would not get the RE760s. They are not a super sticky summer tire and are better suited for less sporty cars such as GTIs or 328s.

If you want a less expensive alternative, I think the new Continental Extreme Contact DW is worth looking at.

I vote for the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2's.

I have the BMW-formulated ones on my M3 and love 'em. Or maybe it's the M3. Either way, they're fantastic tires.

Also, the Extreme Contact DW may not deliver as good on-center steering feel as other tires, so that is something to keep in mind.

The price difference is not that large. Do not waste your time. Go with the P2s.

Wide Oval, because I'm curious how they'll do. 2nd choice would be the Bridgestones. I KNOW the PS2s are great, but not all of us can afford that.

You guys rave about how great the performance is, so the only choice for great tires are the PS2! Period!

I haven't tried them all, but I have tried the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s. I swear by those, and recommend them to anyone without hesitation.

HOWEVER, are there any Falkens of interest these days? I tried the 615s back on my old STi, but I liked the PS2s more. I have PS2s on my S4 right now. I'll be putting them on the Flex next... just kidding! :)

Tire 2: Michelin Pilot Sport PS2. Period.

I'd go with the ps2's. don't even go with the goodyear's, goodyears are junk and the bridgestones aren't that great. Why not try som bfgoodrich g force kdw they are a great tire.

PS2, or the second choice of Firehawk Wide Oval as exploring the "budget route."

I've owned the Bridgestones and wasn't impressed. Michelins are great but way overpriced for a summer tire that'll wear in no time. Goodyears even more so... So that leaves the Firestones and the Continentals. I prefer German things over American things typically, so I'm going to have to go with the Contis.

PS2 all the way. I've used them and loved them and was surprised at how long they lasted and how well they did in the wet.

i would do tire #1 i have those on my car those are the best i have ever had. They handle very well, they are especially good in the snow.

PS2s.

you went cheap on the m3.

I think we all know the PS2s and/or the Goodyear supercars are great tires...

I just went from PS2s to the RE760s on my E46 wagon... but hell, it's an underpowered wagon! So while I'm personally interested in seeing what others think of them, I don't think they're what would be appropriate on a Z06. Maybe on a plain jane vette...

My vote is for the firehawks... don't hear much about them and I'm curious.

I guess I'm curious about the contis too, to a lesser degree. I never hear anyone say anything good about them relative to potenzas and PS2s

@sriracing: I dunno, 8% doesn't seem out of bounds on a used car. Just spend probably> 20% of my miata's value on some direzza star specs, and barely batted an eye. The way I see it, good tires are probably the most important thing safety & performance-wise.

The PS2 is a fantastic tire and I would only go for those ones. When safety and performance comes to mind, you can't cheap out. Tires are the contact point between the car and road and, next to the driver, they dictate whether the vehicle is a blessing or a curse to you and the others around you. Yes, the PS2 is expensive, but can any other available tire option compare to it?

No question, PS2.

PS2s all they way. If they had them for the C4 ZR1 i'd buy them. I'm trying out the Nitto NT05 tire for the rears (also available for the C5 Z06 rears but not the fronts).

id say switch it up and go potenza every correvetty has michelin on theres hell my 04 has them and im not a fan of them after what happend to our truck just waiting for these ones to blow up my vote on the potenza thats all

The Conti's. I would like to see if a sport tire with very good treadwear really works (and if the treadwear is as good as advertised).

PS2. end of story. then retrack it.

@hurls65 It might be that the only car I've had the pleasure of owning long enough to try out a large array of tires is my NA Miata which currently wears $400 Falken 912s (which I swear by for a high performance street tire [currently have them on 3 cars] that sees many miles on the road but never the track [Never track my street cars]) I will probably try something new on the Miata if there is another hot tire around the price range.

On the other hand I am not used to a world of $1,500 street car tires. A set of 4 tires on my sports racer (F2 Sizes) runs $1,000 but that's on a car that runs 1:15's at Willow Springs just messing about. To me street tires should cost less but that is probably backwards thinking.

Gotta love Bibendum. Get the PS2's.

The cheapest set that has the highest treadwear rating, like the everydayman would buy.

There is another choice if you care: Toyo Proxes T1R
They are more money than the RE760, but I have made very good experiences with Toyo's.

On this site you can get the Toyo's for $830.-

http://www.tiresdirect.net/

Here are a bunch of reviews on the Toyo's. They're rated as good as the Michelin.

http://www.1010tires.com/tiresearch.asp?submit=yes

PS2's and dont look back...

PS2's.

It does not rain in LA, so any tire would be fine.

If you want smooth, quiet ride -- go with PS2.

My friend just went through two sets of Conti ExtremeContact DW -- had severe balance issues, tires were out of round. TireRack was good enough to take them back and swap for Michelins...

The Bridgestones would be my first choice; Michelins second.

I, personally, would buy the continentals. They're affordable, responsive, good in the rain and have great tread-wear. They also are very light weight, if you care about such things.
I actually got these for my GTI and am quite happy with them.
On the other hand, if this wasn't my daily driver and I had a lot of money (which both sound possible for vette owners), I'd go for the PS/2s, as I for some reason think they are the best performance tires.

How are you guys not considering the _really_ serious tires?

What about the Dunlop Z1 Star Specs, Kumho XS, Hankook RS-3, Bridgestone RE-11, Toyo R1R, etc... the kind of tires someone from Grassroots Motorsports would use.

The street legal almost race tires basically. For a street car the Dunlops or the Bridgestones especially.

Of the list, I'd go for the PS2s though

My vote is for:
Tire 4: Continental Extreme Contact DW

This might be my next tire. Supposedly good life, low noise, good ride... not as hardcore as the PS2s and cheaper.

Go with the Continental Extreme Contact DW, they are such an underrated tire company that gets overlooked by so many. What most people don't know about Continental is the fact that they also sell the worlds fastest rated mass sold tire the ContiSportContact Vmax, the world’s first road-legal tire which is capable of speeds up to 360 km/h (223.69 Miles/hour mph).

i have the RE760 Sports on my mustang in 255/45 18. i love the ride quality for road trips, they have a decent tread-life, and they are plenty sticky for some spirited driving. i take it to a road course once a year and they get me by.

i would chose those in a split second over the wide ovals.

however, if i was looking for more performance and planned to take it to a road course/auto-x a few times a year (and wasn't going to switch out to r-comps) then i'd go with the ps2's.

Get the Firehawks. They are cheaper, but they sure don't perform like a cheap tire.

The cult of Michelin is strong, but I've truly never been that impressed. Granted I've never stepped up all the way to PS2s but I've had Pilot Sport A/S as replacement tires and various flavors of OE installed Michelins. They've never been truly objectionable, even the Pilot Sport A/S with its tendancy to wear at the center way before the edges (this may have been corrected with the new Pilot Sport A/S Plus).

I've always had very good experiences with tires that aren't the cheapest but have low to middle of the road pricing within the appropriate tire category. All the tires listed here are summer ultra high performance tires from legitimate manufacturers. Not one on the list is a cheap tire unworthy of the car.

Tire 1: Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar

Cost: $1,458

:)

The Bridgestones.

My rule - Never skimp on tires. Tires are the single biggest factor in the performance of the chassis and even the engine to a certain extent. I've always regretted it when I cheaped out.

PS2 all the way.

It's only about a $500 difference in this case - that one is a no brainer.

Tire 2: Michelin Pilot Sport PS2

Why? Because I have experience with both these and 2 sets of the OEM Goodyear Supercars on the same car. There really is no drawback to the PS2. They used to be the most expensive, so that was a drawback, but now I see they're cheaper than the GoodYears, so that's no longer the case.

Compared to the OEM GoodYears, the PS2's offer about 5% better dry grip (and that's saying alot, because the OEM GoodYear Supercars stick VERY well in the dry), and MUCH better wet traction and resistance to hydroplaning. I would say the PS2 offers twice the grip and hydroplaning resistance in the rain than the GoodYears. I used to be terrified driving my Z06 in heavy rain with the Supercars because the rear tires would hydroplane so easily, now I don't worry about it all with the PS2s.

The PS2s are a bit more "vocal" in that they will squeal before their limits are reached, but I don't consider that to be a bad thing. A bit of audible feedback to let you know where the tires are at in terms of remaining grip capacity is a good thing. The Supercars were eerily silent nearly all the time. I've had my car in a full drift with them, and the rear tires smoking, and they never made a sound.

The PS2's offer great turn-in, tremendous grip, decent wear, and they're slightly quieter at high speeds.

The Firestone Firehawks are much cheaper for a reason: they don't have anywhere near the dry grip of either the Goodyears or the PS2s. I would only recommend the Firehawk to someone who never takes their car on the track, doesn't care too much about dry performance, and uses their Z06 for commuting duty, wanting maximum tire life at the cheapest cost. But then again, I would question why someone bought a Z06 in the first place if they want that. They will last the longest, but that's because the compound is harder and less grippy.

I think I maybe the only poster who has had two of the options on my G35. I just replaced my PS2's with the Conti's this past spring. The PS2's had a very minimal advantage in on-center feel at 70+ mph, with stiffer sidewalls and definitely more noise at freeway speeds. I am very happy with the Conti DW's and happily recommend them to anyone - even someone driving a 405 HP Corvette. The Conti's have better wet traction (not really an issue in So. Cal.) and once you get used to the softer sidewall vs the PS2's, more confidence on mountain roads.

Go for the PS2 Michelins. They're good enuff for a 997 Turbo.

Get the Goodyears. The car is already a bargain, so spend a little more on the tires to maximize its fun.

I'm a Michelin snob, so I vote for the PS2s!

Firestones or Continentals. Fits the theme of the budget car and provides the opportunity to test something that isn't commonly reviewed.

We get one more chance to see what this car can do. Do not go second rate. You bought this beast for a song. Spend a little more. Go P2s.

Just get one of each!

I vote for the cheap ones because the point of this exercise is to see if a regular middle class guy can buy, own, and maintain a used vette without too much hassle or expense, right? I've no doubt the expensive tires are super but don't we already know that? Let's see how the affordable tires work on the affordable super car.

Firestone Firehawk Wide Ovals

In and of themselves, the best tires are likely the Goodyear F1 Supercar or the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2s. We know that. Those tires are everywhere, and that's why you shouldn't buy them. There's nothing you can tell us that we as automotive enthusiasts either don't already know or can find out easily from another source today. Those tires are just that prevalent.

But, I've never heard or read anything about the Firehawk Wide Ovals. I'd be interested to see how they perform. I don't need to read about how great the F1 or PS2s are. I've read that again and again.

Plus, you can go back, find the almost-twin Z06 from the other day, and be an even closer match (since that car had the Firehawks on it, if I'm not mistaken).

Avoid the F1 Supercars, as noted, they SUCK in the rain. They were OEM on my Z51 C6. Solid on the dry, scary everywhere else.

I replaced the Eagle F1's with the Firestone Wide Oval RunFlats on my C6 and they seemed like a very solid tire and were great in the wet. I live in South Florida where it rains a lot, so that was my #1 priority.

I have PS2's that are OEM on my CTS-V. These tires are top-notch. They stick like crazy and are great in the rain.

I have no experience with the other tires.

If it was my Z06, and I wasn't planning on lots of really hard track days, I'd buy the Wide Ovals. I would imagine the PS2 is probably the best tire here, but the Wide Ovals have some great reviews (from many C5 Z06 owners too). 95% of the PS2 performance for 60% of the price...I'd go for the Wide Ovals.

Michelin PS2 for sure.

I like the Michelin's so we can really see what this car can do and how it compares to the new king of the vettes, the ZR1.

I agree that I'd love to see how the other tires do but PLEASE do so on some other car! Not this car! (I already voted for PS2's).

I think the new test with discount unproven tires will be kind of sad. Please test the Z06 on the PS2's. You have already received a fair amount of grief for testing on old, bad tires. Do not test the second time on new bad tires.

I also vote for Toyo Proxes T1R

Go with the PS2's. The Goodyears are what come on the car, and I get the feeling that they are a huge part of what make Corvette's so "tricky at the limit". I'm sick of seeing Corvettes get dogged for the same two reasons, seats, and handling characteristics of the tires. The 'Vette is a great car, give it some great tires and see what the car itself can really do.

Tire 4: Continental Extreme Contact DW

These tires are all-season tires and shouldn't even be on this list.

Not that I'm bashing these tires. I'm actually buying the Continental Extreme Contact DWS's for my car, since they've received very positive reviews on dry/wet/snow traction, tread life, noise, and grip and handling.

The Conti's and Bridgestones would be my choice. Nearly everyone is aware that the F1's and PS2's are the top dogs in the category, but seeing if the next rung down is a big drop off in performance is intriguing. Especially since I'm tempted to get the Conti's in particular for the wife's car.

@lt1boy:
The Continental Extreme Contact DW and Continental Extreme Contact DWS are two different models. The DW (Dry + Wet) are summer tires, and the DWS (Dry + Wet + Snow) are all-seasons. IL is considering the summer tires.