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Thread: Best street tire on track for a beginner

  1. #1
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    Best street tire on track for a beginner

    Ok I have heard many many times its best to start out as a beginner on track with a street tire. So I am looking for a street tire that will last long and be budget friendly. I have done one autocross so far and used a old michelin don't remember the type but it melted and chunked and only "lasted" one day so I don't want that to happen again. Not sure if that matters but the car is a turbo E36 and I am turning to boost down as low as I can maybe 7 psi but will still make maybe 350 hp.

    Any ideas would be great.

  2. #2
    MDR629 is offline Just Go Faster BMW CCA Member
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    There's probably many right answers but I don't think you can go wrong with Dunlop Direzzas Z2 Star Specs.

    Make sure all the bushings/mounts/joints on your car are in good shape before you hit the track (especially RTABs) and you've got fresh DOT4 fluid. Have fun.
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  3. #3
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    I thought a 200tw tire was more of a track tire and not as good for learning? and I have replaced all bushings/mounts ect so I am good on that.

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    Honestly, any tire in Tire Racks categories of 'ultra high performance' and 'max performance' will be fine. Pick a few that's in your price range, and come back and post what you're looking at. We'll help from there. Are your fenders stock? Meaning, you have to stick to sizes that fit under the stock fenders?

  5. #5
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    Most 200tw are great to learn on.

    My advice (for an E36) would be don't go too wide for your first set. 225s or 235s in a square setup will be pretty forgiving and fun to drive.

  6. #6
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    Any well-reviewed 200TW's. Dunlop Star Specs, Hankook RS3 or RS4, various Bridgestones, etc... I'd suggest one of those over a less sticky 300TW tire like Michelin Pilot Sport 4s/PSS. The 200TW tires are a little noisier on the street but mine still handle rain fine. You're in CA so you can probably leave them on all year (needs to be above 50F or the compound degrades).
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  7. #7
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    I have really good luck with Bridgestone RE-71Rs Had those on my LSxM3 (450whp) and now on my e46 330ci. I would only look at a square set, I am using 245/40/17s and they are pretty darn good!

    The Hankooks work well too, I had the older RS-2 tires and they got a little greasy towards the end of a track day session. On an Auto X course they were great!

    If this is a daily driver as well I would get something a little less "sticky" as was mentioned above.
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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by TostitoBandito View Post
    Any well-reviewed 200TW's. Dunlop Star Specs, Hankook RS3 or RS4, various Bridgestones, etc... I'd suggest one of those over a less sticky 300TW tire like Michelin Pilot Sport 4s/PSS. The 200TW tires are a little noisier on the street but mine still handle rain fine. You're in CA so you can probably leave them on all year (needs to be above 50F or the compound degrades).
    What?

  9. #9
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    Bridgestone RE71Rs. Relatively inexpensive. 245/40/17. Run square setup. They last a long time if you don't over-drive them.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by aeronaut View Post
    What?
    Sorry, 40F not 50F.

    Note: Tires exposed to temperatures of 20 degrees F (-7 degrees C) or lower must be permitted to gradually return to temperatures of at least 40 degrees F (5 degrees C) for at least 24 hours before they are flexed in any manner, such as by adjusting inflation pressures, mounting them on wheels, or using them to support, roll or drive a vehicle.
    Flexing of the specialized rubber compounds used in Extreme Performance Summer tires during cold-weather use can result in irreversible compound cracking. While compound cracking is not a warrantable condition because it occurs as the result of improper use or storage, tires exhibiting compound cracking must be replaced.
    I haven't experienced this, it's just what it tells you on the tire listing.
    Last edited by TostitoBandito; 07-10-2018 at 11:12 AM.
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  11. #11
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    Just FYI, that temperature requirement does not apply to all 200TW tires. It's manufacturer/tire specific. Also, it's mostly a storage issue. It may be perfectly fine to drive on an already mounted tire in 35 deg temps, for example.
    (Edited to add 'it may be perfectly fine'...)
    Last edited by aeronaut; 07-10-2018 at 12:44 PM.

  12. #12
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    I'd suggest the Dunlops. The RE71R is a fantastic tire but has roughly half the usable life as the Dunlops for similar money. If you're just starting out you aren't going to miss the extra speed and grip of the 71Rs, so I'd go with the longer lasting tire to start with.

    For reference, our ~180whp 2200lb Lemons car went through 2 sets of RE71Rs per race. Dunlop Z2s we could get 1.5 to 2 races out of a set-- and our alignment doesn't suck (top 5 regionally competitive car). Go with the Dunlops and when you are comfortable enough to start pushing faster and faster, consider a different tire. Your first few track days there is so much else to learn that you just need a reliable consistent temp-resistant tire-- that's the Dunlop.
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  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bimmerman535i View Post
    I'd suggest the Dunlops. The RE71R is a fantastic tire but has roughly half the usable life as the Dunlops for similar money. If you're just starting out you aren't going to miss the extra speed and grip of the 71Rs, so I'd go with the longer lasting tire to start with.

    For reference, our ~180whp 2200lb Lemons car went through 2 sets of RE71Rs per race. Dunlop Z2s we could get 1.5 to 2 races out of a set-- and our alignment doesn't suck (top 5 regionally competitive car). Go with the Dunlops and when you are comfortable enough to start pushing faster and faster, consider a different tire. Your first few track days there is so much else to learn that you just need a reliable consistent temp-resistant tire-- that's the Dunlop.
    The Z2s in 245/40/17 are out of stock from what I can see as they were replaced with the Z3. I've heard some mixed things from the AER circuit regarding the Z3s.

    A lot of teams get 9 hours of time out of their RE71Rs in AER. I got ~12 hours or so out of mine.

  14. #14
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    Any of the 200 treadwear street tires will work, what you're looking for is a tire that communicates (makes noise) as you approach the limit.

    The RE71R & Rivals are the fastest and fastest wearing. The RS4s, 615K+, VR1, Z3 etc will be a little slower but last twice as long.

  15. #15
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    I would go with RS4's (long life, great performance) or if on the cheap federal rs-rr (they don't seem to last as long but they are super cheap and as far as performance definetley comparable, just loud on the street).

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    Dunlop Z III

  17. #17
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    How do people like the Z3's compared to the Z2 star specs? I know when I got my tires a year or two ago it was between the Z2 star specs and the RS4 which had just come out, and the RS4 won because it was significantly cheaper at the time ($30-40 per tire if I recall).

    That said, I'm very happy with my RS4's. Great tires, quite sticky with good feedback and good durability compared to many others in this class.
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  18. #18
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    I honestly think the RE71R would be a waste of $$ for me if they only last half as long so they are defenatly out. It looks like its down to ZII OR ZIII and RT615K+ but I really don't want a tire that sounds like a 44'' super swamper on the road.

    Anyone know how loud the FALKENS are?

  19. #19
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    I've been very happy with the Hankook R-S4

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