OK so, the wear bars in my tires are almost touching the ground, and I'm hoping and praying these tires can make it another couple months until I get some extra cash. But I'm making this post today because I've never shopped for tires before and have to no idea what to lolok for or where to start. So I'll post here the general idea of what I'm aiming at and hope that someone can steer me in the right direction.

What I'm looking for, are some good street tires in the front. Something good for both grip and traction. I read that Gatorbacks are some good tires.

For the back, I'm looking for a more oldschool muscle look. I want the back tires to be wider/taller than the fronts with a drag radial appearance, but I don't want to be replacing the back tires the next time I change my oil. I'm looking for some STREET tires that grab the road and offer good traction but also have a lifespan of more than 3000 miles.



As for rim sizes, I'm still contemplating. I'm thinking of maybe 15 in the front and 17 in thje rear. Any suggestions on this?

Thanks.

 

i'm not saying that these are the best or these are the tires you should get, but when i bought new tired, i invested alittle money into them for the type of driving i do, my car is a daily driver, but on some days i love to take the windy roads home and on occasion I'll make a trip to willow springs road course. I optid for BFGoodrich's G-force KDWS 245/50/16r on all 4 points, it was a night and day change from the crummie Kumho escta's i had on before. but with a tire like this comes a prett hefty price tag about 180 dollors per tire, but i got a deal and paid only 425 for them. (know a guy) :-D but if your tight for cash and want some factory equipment i'd go with Goodyears. but I'd wait and talk with some other guys on here and hear their view on other tires try and shop around on tire sites like america'stire or BIG-O-tires.....just shop around and do some research. Good Luck.

-Rob

 

I suggest BFGoodrig g-Force Sports, I picked mine up for 105 each. So far they seem to be a great tire. They are a summer tire, so if you plan on driving in snowy/icy conditions dont do it. I have been driving it in the winter with these tires, but its iffy at best.

 

I have the g-Force Sports as well, and while they aren't the best tire, they are a good tire for the money, especially on a street car. Had them on 16s and then my 17s. But they aren't a winter tire as was mentioned.
I don't know if I'd run 15s and 17s front to rear. 15s are really running out of options. Or, rather manufacturers have stopped making many tires for 15s. Usually a 1 inch split is normal. 16s/17s or 17s/18s, etc. I prefer to have the same diameter and width wheel on my car so I can run the same tires all around so that I rotate them. Really does alot for tire life.

 

Well, since I'm a newbie in the traction department here is what I'm looking for.

I was thinking gatorbacks for the front because I read rave reviews on them. For the back, I DEFINITELY want an oldschool look. A guy on here named stage20 recommended me to get a drag radial made by nitto. This tire is a 15x8, and 26 tall if I remember correctly. Now that I think about it, my rim size will either be 15x15, 15x16, or 16x16.

Winter traction isn't TOO much of an issue. TBH, I really don't get TOO froggy in the winter usually since I get poor traction, have a fear of black ice and my car just plain doesn't like the cold.
But when the weather is warm, I become a spirited driver and like to go zooming all about and hit alot of backroads with plenty of twists, turns and hills just for fun. I'm not sure what role big rear tires would play for my driving conditions. I was told the Nitto's are a good street tire.

 

Well, if tirerack.com is correct, the only size they make the Gatorbacks is 245/45R17s and they are ~$180 per. And from the reviews on there, I wouldn't say they are a great tire. If you won't go larger than a 16, I'd say 16/16 because as I said, the availability on the smaller wheels is less than what it once was and will continue to decrease with time.
Tires at either end of the car will play a huge roll in the handling of your car. I'm afraid that you'll have a hard time finding an 'old school' looking tire worth its salt in the handling department. Generically, if you like handling, you'll want tires matched in size front to rear, as wide as you can get with a 'low' profile sidewall. By low, I don't mean like when you 18s-20s stuck on cars with rubber band tire. I mean something equal to or a little less than the stock 245/50R16s.