tire choices? recommendations?
 

ok, well im sticking with some stock rims for now because i think they look nice already (don't have lots of money at the moment). anyway, this will be going onto my 86 gxl. i have a set of 91 coupe 5 spoke rims and a set of 91 vert rims with balding tires. what's the widest i can go on either when replacing tires. the usual driving one can expect from a 7 will be what these tires will see.

the choice of tire in my mind, being on a budget and being all-season are:

kumho Ecsta HP4 716 --205
yokohama AVS ES100 --215
yokohama AVS db S2 --205
yokohama Avid H4S --205
yokohama YK420 --215<--- swaying for this one???
bfgoodrich Traction T/4 H &V --215

any other type/brand that you recommend that's a better choice/deal then the above tires is appreciated.

I highly recommend Bridgestone and BF Goodrich tires.

I have Bridgestones on my truck (Dueler A/T with Revo & AQII), and they are great in summer, winter, and rain. They do tend to be a bit pricey though. I opted for BF Goodrich tires on my RX-7, and they are equally amazing (g-Force KDW -- summer only tire on aftermarket wheels).

This weekend I am putting the BF Goodrich Traction T/A H tires on my girlfriend's car. I'll post a response later on what we think of them, but I am expecting them to be a very good all season tire. They are also priced extremely well.

$61 plus shipping each from here:
http://www.tirerack.com

You can also compare different brands of tires at The Tire Rack and look at reviews and test results.

alright, i'll wait a bit for ur tid bit on the BFs. that was my other serious choice beside the yokos.

For a performance all-season tire, the Dunlop SP5000 is pretty damn good. I ran them on my SE-R and my wife's Protege has them.

I liked them too. They are better than many "high performance" tires.

The Yoko ES100 isn't an all season tire so you can scratch that off your list.

I'll agree with the other opinions about the SP5000--it's definitely one of the better all season tires out there.

*edit*

I just noticed you're in California. Unless you get snow where you are I wouldn't bother with an all season tire. Pretty much any "summer" tire will work both in the dry and in rain.

nitto nt555

yea, norcal here rarely, if ever, get any snow. hail doesn't count. i don't go to the mountains in my 7 so yea, good point about the tire selection. ok, so i wll look into the dunlop SP5000, the bfgoodrich Traction, and yokohama YK420 then. if i can find them in 215s then great, if not, might just have to settle for 205s. anyone have experience with the yokos or bfs.

First Impressions
 

BF Goodrich Traction T/A
(High Performance All-Season)

The ride quality is good, and the handling is noticeably stiffer and more responsive compared to the old Goodyear Integrity tires. These tires are not noisy at all. (on a Chevy Cavalier)

They have good grip so far on dry pavement. I cannot comment on the wet weather performance yet. This car isn't exactly a good one for testing the limits of a tire, but it does drive well enough now that I don't feel like I have to come to a complete stop to make a 90 degree turn.

One reason I selected these tires was their great rating in the snow. Honestly, if you live in an area without snow, then you should look at a Summer only tire with good wet & dry characteristics if you want inspiring levels of grip. Summer only tires can cost quite a bit more though. The Yoko. ES100's are probably some of the lowest cost ones out there.

The above being said, the next time I need an all-season tire for my winter wheels on my RX-7, I will probably get these BF Goodrich Traction T/A tires.

There is a new tire on the block also, that might be in your range. Bridgestone Fuzion. I don't know if they are out yet, though.

i think i might buy a set

I have the Yoko's AVS DB S2. Before I bought these I compared the rating between these and the ES100, these tires out rated the ES100 in all categories plus they are all season tires, which I need because I live in massachusetts. I like the way these tires feel and I will buy them again.