I've currently got Bridgestone S-02 Pole Position (225/50ZR16) tires on 3rd Gen Mazda RX-7 16x8 rims... my front 2 tires R literally slicks now & completely bald w/ 1 of my rear completely flat and very lil tread.

I loved the tires so much I just couldn't bear 2 replace them, but the flat is now forcing me 2. Well now I'm going 2 & I've got some Q's & could really use your recommendations. B4 the S02's, I always got Michellins & care VERY much about performance/traction in the rain as I'm in South FL & it likes 2 rain a bunch.

1.) I've currently got 225/50ZR16's & my speedometer is 5mph faster than actual speed... what tire size can I select that will help lessen/eliminate this diff?

2.) I'll be dropping my car probably 2 - 3" on some Shunk2/Koni Yellow's... given the width of the tire (8"), do I need 2 stay under a given tiresize to clear the fenders/wheel wells?

3.) Longevity, longevity, longevity... I need some tires w/ some longevity. Like I said, I'm used 2 Michellin 80k mile tires and burned my S02 puppies in just over 20k miles (I had fun & would recommend it 2 any1). I realize that I'll B giving up the ZR rating, but I need tires that will last me a long time as I drive 35k miles each year @ the least. Tire recommendation that will LAST me that's good in rain remember?

4.) Of course I'm looking 4 some good value & am def looking 4 a good price. Don't want cheap a** plastic BFBadRich tires, looking 4 a Michellin quality @least but w/ some good bang 4 buck. Suggestions?!?

Thanx guys, I appreciate it... your quick response is appreciated as I've gotsta put them on B4 THIS Friday so I can drive my car up 2 TN (& renew my 8 month old tags).

P.S.
My flat tire, the bald pics didn't come out well.


Thanx as always!
- J :thumbsup

Just surfing around in Tire Rack... I'm looking @ the Yokohama
AVS ES100 (225/50WR16) @ $80/ea. The tire has a treadwear of 2.8x that of a "standard tire," meaning it burns up 2.8x quicker (A lil better than S03's & cheaper). Gonna keep looking...

Lemme know what U think, thanx!
- J

Bumpity, need some helpity!

P.S.
My car is a RS that used 2 have Stock 14's... so my speedo may B diff from U GS's... still open 4 some comments!

P.P.S.
P-L-E-A-Z-!-!-!

- J :wary

Brand new tires with a 225/50/16 is stock height. Not sure why your speedo is off, but you are choosing the correct tire.

If you measure your speed when the tires were near bald, then it might show a couple miles per hour faster in the car than you are actually traveling. If you have anything but stock gauges then maybe someone did not get the needles on perfectly.


If you just need high treadwear then I suggest going with a 300 treadwear or higher. Yok tires tend to wear out faster than their treadwear shows....not sure why.

If you have a decent budget then I would buy a set of Bridgestone Potenza RE750 tires. Great handling, good traction, stiff sidewalls, good wear rate, good in the rain and fairly quiet.

If you are budget minded. Then buy a set of Kumho Ecsta 711 tires. At $55 each....how can you go wrong. They channel water really well and will last you 40K miles....no burnouts/good alignment.

look at the good yar ealges in that size. they're like $130 a shot but worth it.

a good rain/snow tire is going to have softer compound so it can maximize friction on what limited surface area it has. you can't have your cake and eat it too.

if you want longevity get granny tires for $60 a shot. ti'll be hard to find in that size though. that's specifically for sports cars(50 series) so getting a reg tire won't be easy.

kumho, sumitomo they are great for the prices...

Whoohoo, some input! Thanx guys!!!

Ok, a lil clarification.......
I've got stock gauges, no indiglo or new needles or anything. If I remember right (it's been a while), the stock tire for my stock 14's is 195/70R14. SOOOOOooooooooooooo, coming up to a 16" rim. I'd imagine it'd be a lil different. If I'm wrong pleaz correct me here.

The reason Y I say "I'm off" on my speedometer is from passing the copy radar things that tell U your speed as well as various peeps following me in their diff cars. All saying I'm driving 5mph slower than my speedo says. It's been like this ever since I got my tires w/ lots of tread, the treadwear is of no consequence.

If there's some way I can correct this difference, I'd much appreciate it. ALSO, this may correlate w/ my speedo B'ing off. On my old '97, my temperature gauge used 2 B always in the dead center... my '99 is a lil lower (noticibly so) than center. Also, my fuel gauge is also lower. Can't tell U about the tachometer, no way of knowing. So here's my question, is something maybe affecting my whole gauge cluster U think?!? I've been building my frustration 2 put the voltage booster mod thing on the fuel gauge sender sometime.

Now...........
Sumitomo's R on sale right now @ Sears @ $100 a pop I know w/ 50k mile warranty. The Bridgestone Potenza RE750 definately intrigue me right now. Especially coming off the S-02's, I've definately got a warm fuzzy spot 4 some Potenza's. If I remember right, they've gotta treadwear of 280. Looking @ getting those @ the moment, top contender.

I'm liking the Goodyears also Amish, but I think the warm fuzziness of the Potenzas R what's putting it up top.

As far as the cheapness of a tire. I do have somewhat of a budget 2 play w/. So the $50 & $60 tire I would equate w/ plastic tires. I just wasn't wanting 2 spend $200/tire on some S-03's or whatever.

I always say that peeps in FL R very good @ driving in the rain since we do it so often & I can tell very easily the difference in performance of wet traction between the various tires. Very picky w/ this 1. Looking 4 a Michellin Sport grade @ the least in wet traction.

A joke while we lived in TN was that if it drizzled, flurried, or anything... there'd B like 50 crashes on the way home cause TN Drivers don't know how 2 drive in anything. They don't have 2 very often, just get a lil bit of everything.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

2 sum it all up, I'm very warry of tire-size/gauge-cluster problem & REALLY would like 2 fix this offset. If it's NOT related 2 tire size, then if U could point me in any direction I'd appreciate it.

Also, in making sure..... no problems w/ 3" drop & 225/50R16? Thinking of the Potenza's unless some1 can give a compelling alternative. Maybe same quality but beat on price?

P.S.
Sorry 4 the book :7

Thanx so much guys!
- J

Well... I got the Bridgestone Potenza RE750 as 225/50WR16's. The ride is a lil more bouncyer, lil bit less traction in water & dry, but the ride is MUCH more quit. Weird not hearing the road all the time. A good trade-off tho 4 the S02's. Even still, they've been great so far. Oh yeah, they were like $110/tire... mayB a lil less, have 2 check.

If some1 could help me out w/ the offset on my gauges, I'd appreciate it.

Thanx again!
- J

sorry man, I didn't read this before. I had the same problem as you on 225/50R16's and installing 18's with 225/40R18s brought the speedo back to spec.
I swear, some of our cars came with higher profile tires, and they flash the ECU accordingly from the factory (even if the dealers deny that it can be done). I just think that your profile is too low. but would you really want a higher profile?
you could at least callyour mitsu deale and see if they would flash the different tire size into your ecu. the worst they could do is have a stupid look on their face, and tell you that it can't be done.

btw: I installed Stratus final drive gears, and now I'm back to 5 mph over:P