Let me start by saying I have been on TireRack.com (my head is spinning) and have been in the local Discount Tire talking to three different techs (each gave me very different recommendations). I still do not know what kind of summer tire to get.

Can you all help? I have a 2006 Mazda3, live in Denver, have a dedicated set of winter tires (Dunlop SP Winter Sport M3, 215/50/17), on 17" wheels. I was running Michelin Pilot Alpin winter tires (215/45/17) on them until recently. I am pretty sure a good summer tire will do the trick when I'm not running my winter tires even though I would consider an all-season tire. My car says I need a 205/50/17, but I do not really understand all the sizing.

Here's what I would love in my new tires--which I'll put on in April and take off in October:
* low noise level
* really good grip on hot, dry roads (wet is not as important to me since we receive very little rain in Denver)
* comfortable ride
* great treadlife
* affordable!

Help? Thank you!

p.s. the Discount Tire techs recommended the Yokohama S.Drive, the Pirelli P6, and the Kumha Ecsta ASX. From being on TireRack, I'd decided on the Michelin Pilot Sport A/S or the Continental ExtremeContact DWS, but not sure I need that kind of tire since I will have my winter tires...

 

What kind of car do you drive?

There's no such tire, bro. You either get great grip, or long treadlife. Never both.

Dunlop Direzza Star Specs are a good summer tire, and not too expensive. Falken Azenis are an old favorite too.

 

I drive a 2006 Mazda3 2.3L 4-door sedan.

I know, I know, I'm asking for a perfect tire when it might not exist. Am just hoping to find the "best" summer performance tire to compliment my winter tire.

 

If you look on 1010tires, or i'd assume tire rack as well, there are customer ratings for grip, life, noise etc... sounds like that's what you're looking for.
I've got the dunlop sport A2 I think, and have only wanted to complain about the 'set' that gets in the tires after sitting overnight. So you start off in the morning with a light thumping. I just looked and they may not make that model anymore.

Use the Uniform Tire Quality Grading (UTQG) rating - found on 1010tires for each tire. If you're looking for the best performance as the main factor, start with the AA traction, then to the best treadwear number use the compare feature that's on many sites.
Then to notes on noise and then cost... use excel and map it all out - could make the data easier to look at.

 

I went with Goodyear Eagle GT's on stock 17's with 215/45/17. Slightly wider than stock with a little less sidewall but they were quite a bit cheaper than the 205/50/17's.

I got mine from Discount Tire, shipped to my door for $444.

 

hi guys !

does anyone know what is the maximum size of tires i can put on my 05 mazda 3?
now i have the stock 17" rims with (205/50/17) .... and i would like to put a wider tires on my stock rims... like (215/55/17) or (225/55/17)

thanks alot

 

I have 215/45/17 on my stock 17" snowflakes. No problems at all and they look good.

If you go with a wider tire, you'll want to lower the sidewall to even it out, otherwise you might have clearance issues. I went wider (215) but a 45 sidewall instead of the factory 50, so I didn't have rubbing issues with the Pro-Kit springs.

 

Help please - I got a new set of continental extreme contact DWS tires (205/50R17) on my OEM rims, and while the ride is soft and silent, they roll horribly. This DWS tire also pulled to the right, exaggerating torque steer as well - and it's only the cause of the tire cause I switched to my winters when I drove home. It feels like i've got low pressure in the tires or that i'm driving on a sponge road... the back end waggles around if you swerve back and forth a few inches.

I complained to the tire place and replaced those tires with the Goodyear Eagle GT's - they are better but still way spongy of a feel.

Both of these were well rated on tirerack - though one user did say the sidewalls were soft, but not that it effected handling so dramatically.
The DWS has a single ply sidewall, the GT's have 2 ply - one reason I selected the GT's for a replacement... but both are soft to the touch (compared with any other car tire i've felt) so I think that's the #1 issue. They also sit well wider than the rim, as a rim protect feature in the rubber. This may also be the source of the tire sidewall rolling over.

The OEM goodyear eagle TS-A's as well as my winter bridgestone traction TA's (205/55R16) fit like a 'normal' tire, with no additional sidewall thickness to protect the rim. And both are a fairly harsh ride in comparison to the DWS and GT's mentioned above.

Has anyone else experienced this squishy feel, and what can I look for in a tire that would correct it?
BTW, both times, they were inflated to the proper 32PSI, and I immediately noticed issues with the handling.

 

hi.

had my mazda 3 1.6V 2009 model's stock rims replaced with a 17' mags from the 16' stock. the tires are 215/50R17. i think theyre nice although am still adjusting to the feel after having driven the stocks for almost three years until a week ago. am having 'rubbing issues' when 3-4 adults are on board. never when its just two. can this still be corrected or is this a tradeoff i just have to livw with??

 

best reference for tire gripping is easy, if you want a summer tire look for one with solid "squares" with very few water lines, the bigger the square the more grip you get, rain tires have plenty of channels to drive out water...