Any of you DSM'rs running or have run a set of Nitto tires?

I'm considering either their NT05 or NT555.

Looking for REAL feedback with these.

My goal is to find a GREAT street tire that can handle a few track days through 2 seasons at the very least.

Also open to other suggestions but have ZERO experience with Nitto.

Budget = A grand give or take.

Thanks guys!

Tire cost and availability can vary quite a bit with size; you may want to mention what you plan to run.

I have absolutely no experience with Nitto.

The Dunlop Direzza ZII's are all on closeout right now, due to the release of the Direzza ZII Star Spec. From the research I've done, this seems to be a bit of a "rebrand and resell" marketing ploy; there really doesn't seem to be much improvement between the old ZII's and the new Star Specs.

I am currently running the original ZII's, after having Toyo Proxes T1Rs and Bridgestone Potenzas on in the past. They are a definite step up in dry performance, but my main incredulity comes from how hard these things grab in the wet! Great for a daily car.

Edit: They are a 200 treadwear, which can deter some people. I've seen time and time again that this rating is really only effective for comparing tires of the same brand. Regardless, I have two seasons on mine already, and they still look practically new. If I don't get another 2 at least, I would be shocked.

I've been looking at Dunlop's as well. I believe you're right about the close out sale pricing. Which might be a good option.

Have you done any lapping or drags with those tires? I suspect they'll perform well in both but am afraid the tread blocks with either start chunking or disappear altogether when taking hard corners.

The size I plan to run is 255/35/18. Treadware rating of 200 - 300.

I know some of you may disagree with that size of tire given the aspect ratio is short. But after doing a lot of online digging, I've discovered this size tire is VERY common with BMW and Mercedes factory sizing. Granted they normally run RFT's. I'll try it out for a season or two and see how I like it.

Bare in mind, I don't live in "pot hole hell" aka Quebec.

And 95% of my driving is highway.

I should probably update my thread with pics of the rims I bought this week while in Toronto.

Soon.

You gonna be doing more street/twisty track stuff or launches?

I might only get one or two cracks at each next season. Which is why I'm leaning towards the 300 TRDWR mark.

At 24lbs a rim, I don't want to be hard launching too much. Slipping first gear with low boost just to get things rolling is likely how I would set up my car for a drag day. Maybe stiffen the rear struts.

Nitto doesn't seem to be that popular/readily available. What gives?

They have held up great through repeated launches, but I haven't had them lapping.

Edit: Keep in mind, like I said, that comparing treadwear ratings between tires of different brands is not all that useful. Tire Rack themselves have a good explanation of how the rating is determined and why it's unreliable between different brands.

I get that. Which is why I range my search.

The evo v12's I ran last season were more like a 200. Even though they're rated at 280.

Maybe I missed it but will this car ever be purposely driven in the rain or only driven in the rain if accidental caught in it? This makes a big difference in available tire options as there are quite a few more aggressive tires that I would not recommend if you will ever be taking the car out in the rain on purpose. That being said those tires mostly fall below your 2-300 treadwear rating zone so anything that is within that zone shouldn't be too bad (in rain).

That being said if your only requirement is 2 seasons with some lapping and drag racing mixed in you can pretty much use anything up to and possibly including an r-comp tire and still meet those requirements...how much mileage do you expect to put on? That's a pretty important thing to know, even if just highway/rural road mileage.

I can't say I would ever purposely drive the eclipse in the rain. Although I have been caught in it many times. I suspect any tire with tread blocks that direct water away as well as have some sort of sipe to their design, should perform well enough for my type of driving.

But you bring up a good point Salomon. I average 10,000 - 15,000kms per season.

Still no one with any Nitto experience huh?

I know of quite a few people with experience using the Nitto NT01 but that's a 100 Treadwear street legal R-Comp. Nitto has had some pretty good feedback in the past but a lot has changed in the past 4 or 5 years and so I can't really comment.

20-30k is a decent amount of mileage so I can see why you'd want something with higher treadwear rating.

Honestly, with that much mileage I'd say get a set of rims with something like a Hankook RS-3 or Ventus Z214 (R-Comp) on it for track fun (RS-3 would be better for you because you can drive to/from the track on them safely - even if it rains) and then another set with something that is high performance but much higher treadwear. You'll have probably end up not needing to replace either set for 4 years or so, at minimum and you won't be sacrificing in either category (performance or durability) just to try and meet a set of very specific requirements.

After lots of research, I went wih the So4 Potenzas. The Evo guys like them much better then the evo12s. Longer life span, ans stiffer sidewalls... Something us allwheel drives can get away with... We dont need the soft side walls to launch, like fwd and rwd cars. Tire Rack placed it 2nd best street/weekend racer tire. 1st was Michelin super sports.

After half a summer so far on them, THEY GRIP! I actually think Im burning up my clutch faster now!

Thanks for the input Jay!

Looking at them now, 280 TRDWR and on sale at tirerack.com for $185. Definitely a good option!

About riding on a stiff sidewall..I'm actually trying to stay away from brands like Falken for the reason that I want the 255/35/18's to have SOME flex in them. Hence I'm more interested in a softer sidewall to promote less understeer. Which brings me to look at brands like Hankook, Dunlop and maybe Nitto if I could get more concrete feedback. I didn't know the S04 had stiff sidewalls. Which I am assuming you're running a 225 or 235 and 40 or 45 A/R on 17's. I think I remember you telling me but that was long ago.

Ya.. I will say they dont fix the understeer. But stick to the ground enough to easily correct it. Thats why Im working on the rear end to fight it.

Oddly.. I have a set of Rikens I bought off Jamie V. They do slip during launch compared to the S04s... But held there own around corners really well for being a 215/50 cheap noname tire.

Had an old Saturn buddy with 35s on his Saturn. Flying around a corner, the tire rolled and touched the rim to the road... The car slid across the road and down a hill taking out an on coming car in the proccess.

If you want to do lapping you want a stiff sidewall. My R-Comps have a sidewall stiffer than a concrete wall (exaggeration, but not much). Soft sidewall tires are terrible when you're pushing a car hard or especially at its limit cause you just scrub the sides of the tires, will cause damage to the tires and can even de-bead a tire.

Tires are unpredictable. Suspension is predictable. You want as much force transmitted to the suspension as possible (ie as little tire flex/roll/deflection as possible).

Lapping and soft sidewall tires do not go together. Water and oil.

I don't drive drunk



Well said Salomon. I just didn't see it that way before you explained it so well.

Thanks!

Guess this means I can broaden my search.

Maybe those Falken 452's might not be too bad after all.

Other way around...

For a tire thats supposed to be grippy, my RT-615k's arent grippy at all. And because of the low profile and stiff sidewall, they hop like no tomorrow.

I ran a set of NT555's on my car right after the awd swap, I was quite happy with them for daily driving and drag use, no experience with lapping on them. I was leaning towards getting another set this last time but the V12's were at an amazing price I couldn't turn down. Very happy with them as well.

michelin pilot supersports. great tire for a decent price. they are supposed to last upwards of 50000 km and hook very well in any condition.

Remember guys, All these performance tires should never see freezing temps. All my tires get stored in my heated shop to keep my tires soft and grippy. The rubber degrades from age, UV exposure and temperature. Therefore if those RT615k have been sitting on a car out in the sun through summer and winter that very well could be the reason the don't grip.

My brother was the one to let me know about that a while back. Last year they were stored next door in our well heated garage, spaced out and off concrete. They don't have much life left in them and need to be replaced soon anyway so I'm not bothering with babying them.

Good info Mike, I had no idea. My tires get hung outside in the garage, sure the garage is a little warmer than outside but not much. Guess I will have to see how they perform next summer.

Mine are in the basement. I asked if I could make them into living room furniture for the winter... I almost got a yes!

Lets not get carried away now, you don't want to store your tires in the living room.
I think they are just fine in a dry basement

Why dont I want them in the living room. Before I was married, my 5 slot centerlines off my 71 cutlass were in my living room with a 72ford rear window on top as a coffee table. Looked awsome! Matched the headers on the wall and the Edlebrock airfilter table lamp.

Jeeze if I was aloud... Id biuld a ramp system into my dining room and park my car there.

You are ghetto Sounds like you should just move into a shop

Actually Id like a wearhouse. Big enough for my car collection, tools, and a 10 foot projection screen!

With a 62 gmc truck bed converted into a hot tub!

And I think you would add a Herb Garden or Still

Pretty sure he already has a still......

I like the Still idea.. For when I can drink again.. Dont have much use for an herb garden anymore.

Thought I would chime in 6 months later.

I ran Nitto Invos on 18's on my 1997. Those are the tires I will be sticking with from here on. Slip just enough when cold, and grip amazingly once warmed up. They love wet weather.

Best cornering tire I have tried to date. Only down side, the outer edge has almost no tread. If you get pulled over by a cop, they point out your bald tires (which all the tread starts at the halfway point)

They did try to get me with this with only 2 weeks on the tires >.<

P.S. Only did it once, but they handled slushy roads better than my winters

No worries about the delayed response.

I ended up with a set of new Yokohama Sdrive in 255/35/18.

Haven't had time to even mount them yet.