I know you don't sell Toyo Neal... but you can't forget about that the Toyo Proxe T1 S.

http://www.toyo.com/tires/index_frame.html

I just installed a set on my evo and they've performed great so far. In fact, I barely miss the Advans... although my Advans were so bald at the end of their life span... that I probably forgot how well they perform with some tread. But yes... I fully recommend the T1 S's.... my car hasn't lost a beat, with the exception of high-speed cornering... it may have lost a tic or two of grip.... but it's not very noticeable on the street.

Toyo also makes a higher end performance tire known as the Proxe RA 1.

http://www.toyo.com/tires/index_frame.html

Very similar to the Advan... but I refuse to pay this much for a tire that I can barely squeze 12K miles out of.... unless of course it's a dedicated track car. But my evo is an everyday driver that benefits from additional versatility, as Neal explained... especially here in South FL, where it rains, rains, and frickin rains!

 

The Proxes RA-1 is a DOT competition (R compound) tire, which is really intended as a track and autocross tire. Furthermore, it is not recommended for competition use on dry pavement at full tread depth -- the tires would normally be shaved before dry use.

That being said, I know some local autocrossers use the RA-1 as a daily driver tire, but like you said, the tires won't last as long as a true street tire. But they will give amazing grip. At the last autocross where I competed, an S2000 on RA-1 tires set the fast PAX of the day -- a very good performance.

 

One more thing to be aware of -- because the RA-1 is a competition tire, Toyo offers no warranty on the tire.

Personally, I've never needed a tire warranty, but if it's important to you, take that under consideration.

 

Great points jbrennen... and very interesting info on the RA-1's. They aren't cheap either.... I think they are over $250 per tire.

I personally chose the Proxes TS 1's... because they appeared to be the best alternative to Advans (I wanted a tire that could perform at a very high level, but could also last 20K + miles. In other words... R compound was out! My short list consisted of:

Goodyear F1 GS-D3 - bad review here after comparison to A046
Yoko AVS Sport - old technology
Yoko ES - low end performance tire = inferior
Kuhmo Ecsta MS - couldn't find much feedback
Kuhmo Ecsta V700 - looked VERY APPEALING but once again, I did NOT want spend my $ on a tire that cannot last 15K miles. Also, aren't these R compound?
Michelen Pilot Sports - overpriced
Bridgestone Potenza SS03PP - great reviews but too much $
Toyo Proxes TI S - perfect at $150 per tire out the door installed!

And my winner is - Toyo T1 S!

 

*sigh* driving and comparing competition tires to max performance street tires... I give up

 

WTF is that supposed to mean? Neal, A046's are basically competition tires... yet tirerack lists them as Ultra Performance. What's so stupid about comparing competition tires to max-street performance tires? The way I look at it... there are pros and cons to buying one or the other... so why not compare the two? If it was so frickin easy, then everybody would just buy the Yoko Advan A046's as replace and be done w/ it. However, some of us want a tire that won't crap out after 10-15K miles. On the other hand, others may not care about the short tire life... and they may want to try a Toyo Proxes RA-1, or Kuhmo Ecsta V700 Comp tire. Not everybody is sold on the Bridestone or Goodyear there Nealie... so quit your whinin' and help us out. Oh, almost forgot Neal: your 42 year-old tire review can only go so far for some of us... others would like to see the ultra high performance Kuhmo, Toyo, or Goodyear GS-D3 thrown in there.

 

"Basically" a competition is not a competition tire. Yokohama does not consider the A046 a competition tire, so why compare it to one?? Competition tires are build and designed with completly different tread compounds, debths, and internal construction. The Yoko is molded at 9/32 tread debth, the Kumho is molded at 5/32 debth just like any other competition tire. Do you know how fragile a Kumho competition tire is? Just because they are DOT legal does not give the greenlight to drive them everyday. I would assume the same for any race tire.

Heck, if you want to compare cross classes of tires, why dont you throw in the Conti Extreme Contact, or Pirelli P-Zero Nero M+S to the batch.

Not everyone has the same taste or expertise when it comes to tires. My recommendations on this forum are exactly that, recommendations. No one says you have to read my "whiny" posts. You are free to do what you like, I am not a tire ****.

 

Hey Neal, personally I think your info is very helpful, keep it up. I'm guessing the Advans are going to last me about 10k or less, but that doesn't bother me because it's a factor of how I drive.
And Iwould rather enjoy 10k miles than try to make tires last a long time. I wouldn't have bought an incredible handling car if I were concerned with tire wear.

That being said...
Are there any tires you sell that will give as good or better grip in the dry without being an R compound? G-force KD?

Thanks

 

I appreciate your compliment, and I enjoy moderating this board If maximum dry handling is your primary interest, then the stock Advans are the best tires to use. The KD is a very close contender, but I think you would like the Advans better.

 

I've entered my Evo in autocrosses on both the A046 tires and on Hoosier competition tires. And I've won events on both types of tires. Frankly, there is no comparison between them - the A046 tires are way off the pace compared to a true competition tire. The A046 are correctly classified as "ultra" or "max" performance street tires.

Competition tires are in another world...

 

Thanks for clarifying that... I was under the impression that the A046's were similar to the Kuhmo Ecsta V700's and Toyo Proxes RA-1. Apparently not... thanks man.

 

Okay Neal... you are obviously the tire expert, so I'm wondering why you didn't shut me up by explaining that the A046's are fvar from a competition tire. I was under the impression that they were much closer to a true R compound comp tire.

No need to rant on about tire **** bidness.... it's all good... and your insight is very helpful. I will admit that I had my facts screwed up. However, next time I suggest that you try and clarify a bit or help me out... opposed to cryin' the blues about rediculous tire conparisons.

 

Can u say................... assssssskizzzzzzzzzzsin! Dam dude.... scrape dem ***** off dat chin of yours

 

dude... I feel sorry for you. You must have too much negativity in your life. I like to give off positive vibrations. If you hate on people you get hate back. If you are cool, and positive with people they will be positive and helpful with you.

If I were to hate back on you then I would start vibrating with all those negative vibrations you are giving off, and I won't do that to myself.

 

Ayup. It is and it isn't.

Chill, dude. With nobody having direct, say, S03 vs GS-D3 comparison experience, we're just comparing everything back to the Advans as a common reference. FWIW.

And we do. They both handle cold rain better than the A046s.